Are you ready for the secret sauce that most “experts rush promotional items” only talk about in private? Let’s tell the truth. Picture yourself in front of a shelf full of coffee brands. They all shout “artisanal!” “Made by hand!” “Small batch!” —yawn, right? Now, imagine a bag that says, “We roasted these beans while listening to Queen—taste the rebellion!” You smile right away. That bag? It will come home with you.

The best way for a business to brand itself is to make customers into storytellers. Don’t just put a logo on it and be done. Make every interaction with your buyer a story they can’t wait to tell, like social media postings, dinner chats, and office banter. People want more than simply goods; they want stories. Why settle for “good” when you can have others talk about how great you are?

Taco Bell is a good example. Do you remember their “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” campaign? You either loved it or hated it. Fans of baseball spoke about getting free tacos for weeks. No one cared about the taco itself. They remembered how brands gave away free stuff just because their team ran the bases. That’s smart branding: a little bit of game, a little bit of memory, and boom! You’ve taken over the dinner table talk.

The trick isn’t some secret formula that only a branding consultant knows. People have to talk about you when you uncover that wedge—something strange, unusual, or strangely true to your business. Your bakery might deliver cakes in old-fashioned lunch boxes. Your electronic gadget might come with a playlist. Or every order comes with a handwritten letter that is so strange that people share it online.

And don’t be too careful. People on the Internet enjoy strange things. Normal gets left out. Have you seen Wendy roast folks on Twitter? Their snappy comebacks made them famous on social media. Some people tried and failed, missing the magic. Why? They didn’t follow through. If you want more than just customers, give them a flag to wave.

So the next time you want to “stand out with quality service” or “modern visuals,” stop. Ask yourself, “What story will my customer be excited to tell after they buy from me?” Think of your brand as the punchline to a joke, the twist in a tale, or the hook in a song. Make people laugh, make them gasp, and make them rush to text their friend.

The easiest way to make your business stand out is to make memories and strange things that people will remember. Give people things to speak about. Say it again. Don’t just be a name. Be the brand that makes people rave, take photos, and talk about you at parties. They’ll handle your marketing for you. That’s how you beat the competition.