As a business owner, it’s important for you to create your own brand if you want to stand out from your competition. Some business owners just cut price for their products or services or may copy what another business may be doing. In order to stand out from the crowd, you will want to focus your efforts in making your company unique so that customers will remember you.

A successful business will concentrate on the customer. What does your client need or how can you make their job easier? Find solutions to these questions and then do the job better than anyone else. Stand out by determining what you do best and how you can create added value. It’s important to know your client on a personal level and make them feel as if they are your only customer. Provide them with outstanding service from the proposal to closing on a product or service. Always follow up and stay in touch with clients.

Pick the market you will serve and then focus to become the expert. Basically, find your niche. You can’t serve everyone so choose a specific area in which to focus your service. Aim to become an expert by creating blogs, videos, training, or write a book. Customers seeking answers to their specific problems will seek out your business.

If your company is new or you are just starting out, create a unique offer. This can be in the form of a discount for them to try your product or service. You might even consider making your company known by an offer unique to your specific business.

Consider ways to differentiate your company by looking for ideas and extra additions to your product or service that offer something special for your client. For example, my mother in law takes her car into the dealer service center for routine maintenance a couple times a year. She calls to make an appointment for the car and the dealership also makes her an appointment with a nail manicurist who works on site. She gets her nails done for free while she is waiting for her car to be serviced. When my wife gets her hair done at the salon, they always offer her a glass of wine. Any type of luxury add on will help to retain customers over the long term.

Once you chose a direct strategy to make your business stand out from the crowd, the marketing and promotion efforts should be focused on your unique differences so that your business is set apart from the competition.


 

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Henry Albert

Henry Albert is the owner of Albert Transport, Inc., based in Statesville, NC. Before participating in the "Slice of Life" program, Albert drove a 2001 Freightliner Century Class S/T™, and will use his Cascadia for general freight and a dry van trailer. Albert, who has been a trucker since 1983, was recognized by Overdrive as its 2007 Trucker of the Year.

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