Picture a coffee shop in a busy area with a lot of other businesses. They give you a cup, not a plain white one, but one with a colorful sleeve and a doodle on it that says your name in big letters. You grin. You tell a friend. That’s the magic of custom carpenter pencil branding.

Let’s talk about colors. Everyone recognizes Tiffany & Co.’s blue box, which is their hallmark color. Find your color and put it everywhere. Emails, napkins, and even receipts. If fluorescent green or dusty lavender catches people’s attention and makes them buy, don’t stay with basic red and blue. Either go big or go home.

A package is more than just a wrapper. Skincare companies put little love notes in their boxes, which makes you feel better right away. Give it a shot. Send a note that makes your buyer smile. Picture someone opening your product and seeing, “You’re killing it, beautiful!” Change it once a month. Make it new.

Your goal statement shouldn’t sound like it was written by a group of people. Get out of the box. Stop using jargon. Say instead, “Our socks are so wild that you’ll never want to wear shoes again.” Weird? Perhaps. But it stays. People are sick of meaningless buzzwords.

Let the chaos show on your social media. Share outtakes, mistakes, or a look behind the scenes at what you do. People want to feel like they are part of the group. That bond creates loyalty that no amount of advertising can break. And you know what? You won’t forget it.

Have you ever thought of brand mascots? They did. Flo works for Progressive Insurance. Make a mascot or emoji that stands for your brand and use it as much as you can. Strange? Maybe. Do you remember? For sure. Think about customers drawing your mascot for your monthly fan contest.

Packaging inserts and pop-ups can lead to success ensuccess. Put a coupon in each package, but make it look like a “secret mission.” “Use this code to find out what happens next in our story.” Gamification makes customers come back to buy more. It gives you a rush of dopamine, which we all enjoy.

Your reviews are worth their weight in gold. Put the strangest, craziest, or funniest ones in the spotlight. Put them on bags or receipts. “These earrings made me feel like Beyoncé at breakfast!” All of a sudden, everyone wants to be a part of it. Word of mouth spreads like fire.

Give gifts that aren’t expected. No, not another 10% off. Try a phone lock screen, a branded playlist, or a strange holiday card. People talk about things that surprise them. People remember the unique things, not the regular loyalty cards.

Allow your employees to try new things. One coffee establishment let its baristas draw on the lids of drinks. People put up the funny drawings. Sales went up.

Being consistent is important, but being able to predict things is boring. Throw a curveball every now and then. A new tagline, a weirdly amusing FAQ, or an April Fools’ product launch that went “wrong” keeps everyone looking your way.

Don’t keep your brand’s story a secret. Does your founder have a thing for space? Put cosmic motifs on your shipping labels and invoices, like a rocket or a star sticker. Be proud of your peculiarities. Be yourself, not the brand you believe you should be.

Your business will be unforgettable if you use bold ideas and honest strangeness to shape your brand. Why fit in when you were designed to stand out?