Six ways to stand out this year

No matter what line of business you’re in, you’re probably facing some pretty rough competition. There’s a copy of almost every product or service that’s in the market. And even if there isn’t, it’s only a matter of time before someone somewhere begins working on an imitation.

To navigate this landscape, you’re going to need to get creative. Having a good product is a great start, but it isn’t enough. It’s going to have to be constantly improved with feedback from its users. Online ratings is one way to hear from your customers. In fact, studies have found that it takes only six reviews for 73 per cent of your community to form an opinion about your business.

Here are six ways you can take advantage of the new year to change things up when it comes to your business.

1. Be clear about your target market – and seek to dominate it

Tempting as it is, your target market isn’t ‘everyone’. Cater to a specific niche. You can learn the specifics of your market through conducting research or from the analytics on your social media platforms. Facebook, for instance, can tell you the age, gender, location and interests of the people who click on your ads.

Learn your customers’ needs and pain points. Once you know this, you can do a lot of great things, like refine product offerings, enhance marketing and build a brand profile.

Talk to your customers by promptly responding to feedback, questions or concerns – this way they know their opinions matter.

2. Share your story

The best products in the world have a great story behind them. But you don’t need to be running a global company to have a narrative that’s worth sharing.

Every start-up story is unique. Customers would love to know what makes their local eateries or salons click, and you can take advantage of this to build an emotional connection with them.

Use your social media accounts to do so, start a blog, or participate in media interviews. Don’t be shy about sharing your origin, inspiration or vision.

3. Take your digital strategy up a notch

Do you know what Google’s Custom Intent Targeting can do for your business? It’s time to make what you do or sell visible online because this is where your audience is.

There are many was to communicate with your target audience. Find out which platforms they’re hanging out at, and join them there with content that relevant to them and helps solve their problems.

Don’t spam your customers though. And make sure your message remains clear and doesn’t get bogged down in overly fancy visuals or irrelevant graphics.

4. Stir up the market

Imagine you’re driving down a highway – and then you come across a car going the wrong direction. It’ll probably cause traffic, or worse, an accident. But whatever the case, it will catch your attention. That’s the part you want to emulate.

Offer something your competitors aren’t. It won’t be easy to figure out new ways to, for instance, help people move out of their homes, but there’s always something you can tweak to be different.

This may need adopting new business methods, delivery systems or techniques using advanced technology.

It can also mean setting a new standard in customer service or offering your customers fun, innovative incentives for their loyalty or introducing new clients.

5. Go old school

Have you ever left a piece of material with your tailor only to come back weeks later and find it at the bottom of a pile of other clothes, untouched? It’s, at the very least, frustrating.

Do what you say you’ll do. It’s not the golden rule, but it’s pretty close to it. No one wants to wait an extra month or two to have their job done because a contractor disappeared for weeks without notice.

The way to overcome any hiccups in your business is to be honest with your customers and clients. Life is full of the unexpected, so when something out of the ordinary happens to you, be courteous enough to tell your customers how it will affect them.

Return calls or messages, and keep your customers in the loop. You’ll be surprised at how much transparency can help your business stand out. Build a solid reputation and then guard it jealously.

6. Avoid copy-paste websites

These are the typical template websites that lack originality. Opt for a websites that have innovative features that you can personalise to match your overall vision – the objective, after all, is to stand out.

You have mere seconds to grab your clients’ attention before they move on to something else, so you need to make your website different from what your customers are used to. And ensure it’s optimised for mobile phone access.

If your site lacks a clear call to action (CTA), visitors are unlikely to linger.

Use engaging images and make sure they’re authentic. You can add client testimonials and a blog that involves your customers in your business’ activities. Offer a user experience that’s as unique as your customers are.?