Most people, myself included, are not prepared to take a huge risk and start a business is completely outrageous and 100% original. That’s fine. I’m not telling you to embark on a highly risky endeavor that is so far out there that no one will take you seriously, but at the same time, if you want to be successful, truly successful, you do have to offer your customers something that no one else does. It’s important to demonstrate to potential clients that you are special, unique and/or better than your competitors in some way.

This can be expressed in a number of different ways, so I’m just going to touch on one of the most important. Even in the age of Internet-based communication, in-person relationships are absolutely vital to the success of your business, regardless of what line of work you’re in. As such, when you go and shake that guy’s hand, you should be handing him a business card that is actually original. I’m not going to name names, but if you can afford it, I’d avoid ordering business cards from websites that only let you choose from a small handful of pre-set templates with pre-set imagery. Instead, you want your card to boast your company logo (naturally) and to express just a little bit of what makes you different than everyone else.

To truly succeed, you need to stand out from the crowd. Sort like how a big, blue beast — and one that’s smiling at that — stands out from the crowd.