Being the biggest, most popular, and possessing the greatest range of features does not make you remarkable. It is a reflection of your ranking as a commodity. Being the first name recommended by those who share your passion is remarkable.
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If one cannot recommend the best enterprise because they are not a member of the cause then one should disclose that they make recommendations based on affinity. If membership is the criteria for a recommendation then it devalues the sharing of information. When somebody asks for a recommendation, I direct them towards the master. The person or entity who is uniquely positioned to deliver the experience they are seeking. It is not about loyalty, it is about trust and authenticity.
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When guests come to visit, what sight do you take them to first? When a friend asks for a recommendation for a restaurant, what is the one place you know will not disappoint? If you were throwing a dinner party, who is the one person you would invite to make it perfect evening? Asked for recommendations, we are converging our personal reputation with that of an enterprise or place. How passionately are your fans recommending your cause? How often are new visitors telling you that a friend or colleague insisted they visit. Do you have a marketing plan that is more powerful than a personal recommendation and word of mouth? Upon reflection, dedicating some resources to those who recommend us might be the most powerful investment.
Sometimes it is just about passing along resources and sharing ideas. These are some websites that I return to on a regular basis.
Scheduling a meeting? Try Meeting Wizard.
Need to create an online form? Take a peek at Woofu.
Thinking about a refreshing approach to a PowerPoint presentation. Consider Presentation Zen.
Need to run an online survey? Survey Monkey keeps it simple.
Looking for board governance resources? Click on BoardSource.
What resources do you recommend or wish to share?
I tweeted about this yesterday afternoon but the experience has stayed with me. I asked an employee at a major kids toy store for a recommendation on a desk lamp that was also a docking station for iPods. He stumbled over his words for a second and then said he had sold a few and some of the lamps had been stolen from the store so therefore they must be good. I finished my purchase of other items and walked out of the store before it struck me. Perhaps this was the best endorsement that the employee could give. The store had multiple security zones so theft was an apparent issue. I could have used my smart phone to go online and read customer reviews and rankings of the product. The employee could have asked an associate for additional information. But at the end of the day, the employee summed up the value of the product perfectly. If people were going to enough effort to steal the item from the store there was clearly a market for the item where the lamp could be moved quickly and for a worthwhile profit.
What recommendations do you give? What is compelling? What is memorable?
What-if-concepts 