In today’s world of business, standing out from the competition is vital. However, it can often be difficult to build and establish an identity that sets you apart, especially if your business is small or your chosen industry isn’t that niche. Here are some things you can incorporate into your business strategy to make your product or service stand out from others in your field.
Be honest about what you’re offering
As the old saying goes, honesty is the best policy so keep this in mind when advertising your product or service, and dealing with your customers. Companies that lie about what they’re offering will receive negative feedback about their business, causing their overall reputation to suffer. Sharing bad news will allow you to be respected by your customers, as long as you manage to follow up with an effective solution to the problem. In recent years, public apology letters have become commonplace with brands that have made an error with some famous examples including Netflix, Apple, and Airbnb – all companies that are still incredibly successful.
Get active on social media
Social media is one of the best ways to engage with your customers, no matter what your business is offering. A lot of the world’s biggest companies are known for their impeccable level of customer service (Amazon and Hyundai are two popular examples), but even smaller companies have been known to generate a loyal following thanks to their active social media presence. Cross-post on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, and you’re bound to get a loyal following sooner rather than later.
Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes
Admitting mistakes means you can work toward fixing problems. Years of research has shown that if a customer has one bad experience with a company that isn’t solved, they will write off that company for good. Failing to admit your mistakes and take the required steps to correct them will mean that negative feedback will spread extremely quickly. However, owning up will create a stronger bond with your customers, as long as you handle it well.
Offer a guarantee
If you’re confident enough in your product, you might want to attract your customers by offering a guarantee. For example, can you guarantee next day delivery or free returns if they’re unhappy with what they’ve received? This will ensure your customer that you care about their happiness but will only be relevant if you can back up your guarantee if and when the time comes. Often, an important part of a company guarantee is having the right insurance policies in place. With companies like Be Wiser, compare business insurance quotes so you can give your customers the best service if something were ever to go wrong.
Start an engaging and relevant blog
The benefits of blogging in today’s business community are huge, as long as you maintain a blog that engages your customers and is relevant to your service. You might want to write the content yourself, allow industry experts to contribute, or hire a professional copywriting company to provide content for you. Either way, you’ll need to make sure to provide copy that isn’t purely promotional as this type of content tends to drive customers away rather than to attract, engage and turn them into leads.
Always provide world class customer service
As a company, it must always be your aim to treat your customers like royalty. Impeccable customer service is vital in any industry because research has shown that around 75% of customers consider this to be the ultimate test of a company’s overall competence. This means that good customer service will strengthen your brand and more people will see you as an authority in your industry rather than just another company. It’s no secret that word of mouth is the best advertising for your business so you should always aim to pay attention to the service you give your customers.