As leaders in the customized notepad business, we see a lot of small businesses ask us how they can stand out from their competitors without spending a lot of money. In this article we examine what a small business needs in order to compete with competition. We know that customized notepads and unique business cards are just one part of supporting your small business.
Ask yourself what makes your business different? To make your business to stand out, you need to ask yourself what truly makes you different from your competition. Do some competitive research from the perspective of your customers. What makes you different? Why should they buy from you instead? If you have a tough time answering any of these questions, you have some work to do.
Develop an X-factor. The “x-factor” will separate you from your competitors. And not just some minor detail that makes you somewhat unique, either. It needs to be something you do or have that nobody else does, it must add value to your business. Focus on your strengths and do something better than everyone else. That’s the secret to truly standing out.
Develop a unique value proposition. Standing out for the sake of standing out isn’t enough. Your customers need to feel like they’re getting value from what makes you different from the rest of your industry. That means either making your products and/or services better, having better prices, or simply offering more bang for the buck. Here’s something you probably already know: people love freebies. Value is everything. Make your marketing stand out.
This is a chance to get really creative, so don’t waste it. Spare no expense. Make your brand stand out. Having a great logo is one thing, but your brand is so much more than a simple graphic. Your brand should act as a constant reminder to current and potential customers of why you are different and better than your competitors. Branding is perhaps the most integral piece of your marketing strategy and it should do more than just communicate what makes you unique.
Make your business cards stand out. There are so many unique ways to do creative business cards. But being different or creative just for the sake of being noticed isn’t good enough. Make your business cards an extension of your business: different from everyone else, but because you’ve added value. Otherwise you might as well have plain old paper business cards.
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