As a business owner, you likely know how important your marketing strategy is to your organization's success and continued growth. The primary function of any marketing play is to be more visible, to focus customer attention on you, and to ultimately earn their business.
However, a marketing plan has one more essential function that you may be overlooking.
You need to stand out to rise above your competition.
At any given time, millions of web pages offer products and services similar to yours. What is making you stand out? How are you rising above those who are in direct competition with you? How are you differentiating yourself from other business owners who also want your customers? If you truly want to rise above it all and attain your business goals, consider taking these actions to become the cream of the crop.
Build your brand confidently. Branding your business plays a significant role in helping you establish your presence, both online and in person. Your branding efforts should be consistent across all media platforms, and your story should establish trust between you and your potential customers. Build a persona and a passion around your products, and you'll have a loyal following in no time.
Be the best at what you do. We've all had great customer service experiences in our lives, and we've all had others stand out for the opposite reasons. Surprising and delighting your customers is one way to keep them coming back for more. Give them more than they expect and fulfill all obligations and promises as you establish solid bonds that will stand the test of time and blow your would-be competitors out of the water.
Stop comparing yourself to your competition. Rolls-Royce does not need to compare itself to Ford. Nordstrom has no beef with Sears. Both companies know what they have and are prepared to communicate these distinctions and benefits to their customers. Nothing will degrade your brand and erode your own confidence faster than comparing yourself to your competitors. Keep your marketing efforts focused on you and what you bring to the table; all others will fade into the background.
Choose distinctive packaging. Product packaging is the only part of your brand that reaches all your customers. It is essential that your brand not only echoes your company values, but also stands out. Using colorful, distinctive, and perhaps useful packaging will create value in the eyes of your customers, bringing them back time and again for that extra care that you put into their products, a reflection of you as an entrepreneur.
Be transparent. Price is a major factor for many these days. Discriminating customers want to know why you set your price points the way you do, and failing to let them in on your thought process could cost you sales over time. Certain software makes it possible for customers to see sensitive data such as revenue, expenditures, and even salaries of your employees (minus personal information) to let your customers know you are doing what you can to translate savings to them. This extra detail is needed to bring customers over to you from companies who don't wish to let people in on their financial health or history.
Learn, grow, and commit to change. As you grow, your business will likely endure some changes. Learning to shift with these changes and make modifications to your existing business plan will communicate to your customers that your flexibility is centered around their needs. You may have found things that work well for a time, but be willing to let go of old systems and structures in favor of changing needs and changing times. It will be well worth the extra effort.
What about us? MaxGroup is the place to be!
MaxGroup Business Solutions professionals are consummate experts when it comes to business operations. Cutting-edge technology, marketing plans, and a commitment to your success are what drive us to perform for you. Partner with us and see where we can take you and your brand. Visit www.maxgroupbusiness.com for more information.