If you pay attention to big announcements, new technology coming out and services adopting a coin as a new payment method,
you can (possibly) get out in front of a coin before it hits big.
But its a lot of work, and you have to put in your research.
Diversifying your funds into a couple coins probably helps in case one of them hits it big.
(Unless you have some hot tip/ inside information - but then share it with usas well:))