Standing Out From the Crowd

Check out the following set of random words:
 
water, life, dog, line, home, mouse,
field, ball, apple, sheep, head, rabbit,
bone, goat, maharishi, hill, cow,
oar, donkey, crop, wing, door.
 
Did any word pop out at you?
 
Most people will say the word “maharishi” stands out. Why?
 
Because it is different than all the rest. It is longer. It is a bit more unusual. It is a more complex word. And it is out of context with the other everyday words.
 
This is a phenomenon psychologists call the Von Restorff effect.
 
Our minds are attracted to things that stand out . . . that may be new or unusual . . . and we tend to remember those things (and people) more than the average information we process each day.
 
As salespeople, it is our job to find ways to stand out and to be memorable. We need to do this both relative to our products and services and relative to ourselves.
 
Being a part of the pack doesn’t cut it in sales. We need to be extraordinary to have any real chance of rising above the crowd.