3 Easy Ways to Stand Out From Your Competitors

Successful brands share a lot of similarities. They all implement most (if not all) of our suggestions. They’ve also likely done so for quite some time.

Success is not only hard-earned but strategically gained.

For example, you can be your area’s best and most affordable plumber. Still, if you don’t have any social media presence or even a Google Business Profile, you’ll probably not do so well with just word-of-mouth references.

With this in mind, here are our three simple ways to set yourself apart from other similar businesses in your area:

1. Build your brand story, be different

You’ll find that this is one of the first things taught at business school to gain a competitive edge.

Another way to look at this is using the term “unique selling point.” Your business needs something that sets itself apart from others and makes it so that potential customers see your business in a different light.

And even biologically, humans are wired to filter out information and focus only on what is essential. If, say, ten different businesses all offer the same product. And if each of them is marketed in precisely the same manner, then it’s more than likely that we’ll bunch them all together. We won’t see them as unique entities.

So stand out from your competitors by being different and using our natural biology to your advantage. And create a unique branding story that sets you apart.

2. Get a competitive advantage: improve your marketing strategy

Another great way to discover how to make your business stand out is by looking into your marketing (if you’re currently active on social media or have a website).

A competitor with (1) an active social media presence, (2) a regularly updated blog, and (3) a paid marketing team will do profoundly better and gain much more new customers than a small business with just a Facebook page.

Of course, you’ll want to select relevant platforms for your target audience. For example, the primary age demographic for Instagram is 18-24, followed closely by 25-34. So if you’re selling walking sticks, perhaps advertising on Instagram may not be worthwhile.

In addition, having a blog will draw traffic to your website and, ultimately, your services. Including a CTA within the text and implementing internal linking will lead to conversions. Update yourself on the latest search engine optimization tactics.

And ensure you’re creating content that is catered to your audience indicated in your business plan.

Finally, if implemented correctly, paid advertising can lead to a massive increase in interest in your business. However, ensure that any paid marketing campaign is of high quality, as these can become quite expensive if run for extended periods.

A good campaign makes you stand out from competitors.

3. Want to win customers? Provide the best customer service

If anything answers the question of what makes you different from competitors, it should be that your business offers excellent customer service.

(And we speak for everyone when we say there is nothing more frustrating than poor customer support.)

Offering good customer service might involve:

• Creating a limit for how often the phone can ring before being answered.
• Checking social media daily to see if a prospective client has enquired about your services.
• Ensure you only have happy customers by attending to any critical online reviews.
• Keeping customers updated if there will be delays on their product or service.
• Ensure that employees are well-informed and able to attend to customer queries effectively.

How to stand out from competitors: stay persistent

And most importantly, stay persistent. The best way to gain a massive advantage is by being the one who doesn’t give up. And yes, you may have to wait to see results, particularly for social media efforts. But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your successful business.