How to make your business stand out
With new technology making the world more connected, in terms of running a business, there is going to be more and more competition. In the past, this was only something that needed to be looked into in the local area, but thanks to the internet making many businesses national, or even international, it is something that needs to be taken into account on a global scale.
The more competition you have, the more difficult it will be to stand out and make a name for yourself, especially if you are a new business. However, it is not impossible; there are some excellent ways that you can differentiate yourself and ensure that your business is the one that people come to rather than your competitors. Here are some of the best ways to stand out in business.
Have A USP
Every business needs to have a USP (unique selling proposition or unique selling point). Without one, you won’t be able to let people know what it is you do that is different from the others. You will blend into the crowded marketplace, and that means you will miss out on a lot of potential business.
It may take some time to determine exactly what your USP really is. You might even have trouble differentiating what you do from everyone else. However, you are the only one in a true position to be able to look directly at your business and yourself and understand why it is different and what makes you special. Take your time over this; look at your business from an objective standpoint. If you can’t work out what your USP is, then you will need to create one. This will be good for your business and will help you to move forward.
Use Your Website
Most businesses these days will have a website, but not all companies use it in the way that it should be used, and this is where you can take the initiative and make yourself stand out. Firstly, you will need a great design that catches customers’ attention. To do this, speak to YZ Designs who are experts when it comes to eye-catching web design. Your website needs to be different from the rest, and full of informative articles, as well as information about your business.
Your website should be a sales tool, showing potential customers exactly why you are the one they should buy from. Make it easier for them to do this by having an online shop, providing all the information they might need, and by including a blog. Not only will this enable you to use SEO to rank higher in Google searches, but it will also help your site to be a place that people want to visit and, just as crucially, to buy from and to share with others.
Know Your Target Market
By knowing your target market, you will be able to stand out and differentiate your business from others. To begin with, you will need to know just who your target market is and how they like to buy; this can be done through market research and is something that you will need to do right at the start of your business. Not only will it help you to stand out, but it will also ensure that you are marketing in the right places and the right ways. If you don’t carry out market research and try to sell to everyone, you will miss out on a lot of potential business, and you will waste your marketing budget.
Once you know who your target market is, you will know exactly how to offer them what they need, and show them that you can solve their problems and issues. That means they will want to use you, rather than someone else. You will build trust and make sales all through market research.
Better Customer Service
It might be that your services and products are just like those sold by other businesses. That doesn’t mean you have to give up or despair; you can still stand out, using your ability to provide incredible customer service.
Customers expect good customer service; there is a lot of choice for them, so if they don’t enjoy the experience of buying through a company due to a lack of customer service, they won’t go back and will look elsewhere. If you can provide exceptional customer service, over and above what people might be expecting, you can really make your business stand out in a positive way.
There are a number of ways you can provide fantastic customer service including:
- Being flexible and available
- Offering more such as special offers and discounts
- Providing advice when required
- Sending out goods quickly
- Understanding your customers’ needs
Be Innovative
Innovation in business is another good way to make yourself stand out from the crowd. You may feel you have hit on a winning formula and that you are doing everything you need to – and can do – to be successful. Although that will work for a short amount of time, if you don’t look at changes you can make then you will be left behind as other businesses change and innovate, or start when you weren’t paying attention.
If nothing changes in your business, you will be able to keep some loyal customers, but there will be many more who start to look at new ideas that are coming out and want to buy these things; when they find you aren’t selling them or working in this new, innovative way, then you will lose their custom.
Ideas for innovation within your business include:
- Offering online booking and contact details
- Changing your courier to ensure a better service
- Looking at new methods of invoicing
- Changing your website to ensure it is up to date
- Using more environmentally friendly packaging
- Finding new suppliers so that you can offer better quality products or reduce your prices
Changing too much is a bad idea; it will confuse customers and make it hard for them to trust you. If you can make small changes such as these above tips, you will stand out, build your business, and make more sales.
