Being a market leader personally is important but being the market leader in your business is very important. I get asked what I attribute to my success in starting and running a successful business, and my response to that is easy. You have to be the market leader in what your business offers or does. You have to be different.
If I’m looking for an electrician to do some work around my home and I look online, which electrician will I choose? They all look the same, same offerings and similar prices. You need to position yourself as the market leader to catch that potential customer’s eye when they come along. There are many ways to do this but I’m going to share with you 5 tips to help you stand out from the crowd:
1. Dare to be different.
It amazes me when I see the same old boring thing in the same industry selling the same old thing. If you’re different you could stand out enough to get that new customer on board. One way to do this is to have exclusive product. Most business in the same industries have the same products and services, so look outside the box and get a unique product. When someone is looking for a certain business they will look at your business because it’s different and stands out from the crowd. It’s not as hard these days with international buying markets. Get online, source something and call it your own.
2. Write a book about what you do.
Writing a book about what you do in your business is the quickest way of standing out. How do I know? Because I did it in mine. I wrote Confessions of a Locksmith: an insiders guide to securing your home and business. This helped secure me as the market leader in my industry. I call it a business card on steroids. If a book a too big a task maybe even a detailed information booklet you can hand out at events or even when you do quotations.
3. Be a member of an accredited organisation.
Being a member of a well known accredited organisation sets your business one step ahead of your competition. I know within my business in the security industry this is a must. People need to trust you. It could be the difference to get you over the line.
4. Be the go-to speaker in your industry.
Never knock back a talking gig for your industry. Always put yourself forward for speaking events like at your local council, radio, school functions or tradeshows. This will ensure you being front-of-mind. I do this a lot in my business today. For example, I was asked to go on radio from one talk I did.
5. Get on YouTube.
Start doing videos online. You can do them on your smart phone and upload them straight away. There are simple editing software tools too, so it doesn’t cost a fortune like it once did. You can do videos on such things like, what your business is about, what you offer, where your business is located, products videos, instructional videos, specials of the month, the list is endless. It’s also a great way for the customer to get to know you before they use your business. So what are you waiting for?
About the author:
Justin Fankhauser is a business coach and author of the new book, Shut Up, Get Up and Give It a Go: A Self-Made Entrepreneur’s Guide to a Kickass Life and Business – a powerful insight into overcoming the odds. Visit www.KickassBusinessOnline.com or email justin@kickassbusinessonline.com
