In his book, Purple cow, Seth Godin gives very valuable advice on how to stand out from the crowd.  Here are some key points from the book:

• Being remarkable doesn’t mean likable. Remarkable means “worth making a remark about”. Whether it’s positive or negative, that’s up to you.  Or as Oscan Wilde put it: “the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about”
• You need to figure out who cares about your business, and cater to these customers.
• Being normal is boring. Being very good is the opposite of being outstanding. Being safe is risky.
• Once you have a purple cow, milk it to the last drop. Create a team of milkers who take full advantage of your success, and a team of innovators who create your next purple cow.
• Differentiate your customers, and cater to the most profitable and reward the most influential ones.
• Pick an underserved niche in your industry and cater to their needs. Pick the smallest conceivable market and create a product that’s remarkable enough to overtake it. Make it fresh and intriguing. And market it to those who desperately need it.
• Being remarkable isn’t always just about the product. It may be the way you pick up the phone, or the way you care about your customers.
• Make your product or service conversation-provoking. Make it an idea and a story that spreads.
• Find the influencers and target them. They will create a great word of mouth campaign for you.
• Examing your four P’s (Product, Pricing, Positioning and Publicity), determine your outer limits, get out on the edge, and don’t be afraid of getting started.

The book is a light and enjoyable one, and I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to start a business and succeed by being remarkable.

And here is a video presentation by Seth from TED about the same topic.