Branding: 3 Steps to Stand Out versus The Competition
Leveraging Design Thinking As a Way To Stay Ahead of The Competition
Branding is always an ongoing process. It’s a challenge many businesses face and will continue to stay a topic that we discussed in “Mindset Towards Building A Standout Brand”. Today, let’s continue to address ways a brand can stay relevant and stand out from competitors operating within the same industry.
Everyone is competing at this point and through the Internet, it is easier to connect with a competitor located across the country. The problem is, your customers can just as easily connect with that same competitor and purchase products directly from them.
So, how do you stand out from them and make a difference?
Beat Out The Competition
Stay On Their Mind
Figure out a way to develop loyalty within your target market. People need to know your brand exists, and they need to remember to think of you every time they face said problem. If they’re not thinking about you when they run into that problem, they’re likely not coming to your brand. They’ll remember too late that you may have been an option.
So you’re likely telling yourself this is all great information. I’m assuming your next question is, “Well, how do I make these types of connections?”
Make Connections
Depending on who you ask, making connections is looked at as easy. We live in an age where everyone has a social media profile and we’re all one like or connection away.
For business owners, this means it’s not too hard to get in front of your audience and make an impression. However, this task is often harder than you think. While a broader audience is accessible, they are getting input from more competitors and with the increased noise, they’re not very easy to convince.
Connections with customers are essential, but you must also remember to make connections with other business owners who can serve as mentors, associates, and partners. Cast a wide net and find ways to communicate and reach out to larger audiences to grab and secure their attention.
Expand Your Reach
Outside of social media and traditional websites, there are many places you can connect and reach large audiences. Invest in advertisements as a way to connect with different people typically outside of your reach.
You can also connect on coffee chats, through applications such as Clubhouse, or even by hosting a regular blog. All of these methods allow you to demonstrate your personality and reach new customers within your target audience. Be sure to follow up with these customers and show hosts as well to keep your connections alive.
Final Thoughts
Once you’ve entered people’s lives, it’s important to make an impact for the better. While challenging, this process becomes easier with practice. Each time you’ll gain confidence that will project into your work, making you stand out even more as a viable option to customers.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level?
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