"I'm sorry, you're from what company?"
Have you noticed how many businesses there are competing these days? There are 18+ restaurants near here all offering the same type of food, and three of those are on the same street! Talk about giving yourself a challenge.
Find a way to stand out from your competition
Your company is bound to have a pretty hefty amount of growing competition making it increasingly difficult to stand out and be memorable. You could compete on price, lowering your costs until you price yourself out of business, or you could establish a solid brand identity and offer something a little different to your competitors. Combine this with totally awesome customer service, and you will be well on your way to standing out from your competition and being memorable.
You don't need to reinvent the wheel in order to offer something a little different. Try to think of something that your competitors don't offer that will benefit your customers, and then promote it. This will be your USP (Unique Selling Point). It gives potential customers a reason to come to you instead of one of your competitors. Once you have a new customer make sure you look after them. This will create a sense of loyalty as well as increasing enquiries through word of mouth. I once helped a local resident with a personal project, she then recommended me at a meeting which lead to a lot of referrals. It really does pay to go out of your way to help people, just be wary of people that may take advantage of your good nature.
Is your brand creating a negative impression?
Once you have got your unique selling point sorted, you need to consider how your brand is perceived by potential customers. The other day, I picked up two business cards that had been placed on a counter in a different shop. Both cards were the same design, they were printed on something that resembled the thickness and texture of toilet paper and had obviously been cut out with a pair of rather blunt scissors. They were completely different sizes and cut in curved uneven lines. No care had been taken at all. The company obviously didn't care about their own image, so why would they care about me as a customer?. They looked unprofessional therefore I now think of them as unprofessional. As a result, I’m never going to call them. The sad part is, the company may offer great products and services. I don't know them so I judge them based on what they put out to promote their company. This is why many designers say poor design does your business more harm than good. It creates a negative impression.
It’s the same for leaflets printed out on home printers and those awful leaflets printed in black on bright yellow or pink paper. We actually refuse to distribute leaflets like that, because we get abuse from homeowners sick of, and I quote, "Complete and utter rubbish.” When we are delivering professionally designed and printed leaflets, we actually get thanked when we hand them over. That says it all, really, doesn't it?
The last thing to consider is customer service. These days people expect a great service which means in order to exceed expectations you need to offer an exceptional service. Keeping customers happy will keep them coming back, and it will lead to word of mouth recommendations. Ensure customers receive a positive experience, answer your phones in a friendly, cheerful manner, follow up on deliveries with a call or an email to make sure your customer is happy with the service and always be ready to offer advice. I practice what I preach, look -> Happy customers!
