How to Make Your Small Business Stand Out

May 25, 2021

In the crowded environment of modern business, there is sure to be a number of competitors offering similar services and products as you. It is no easy venture to start a business of any kind, and research shows that 14% of new start-ups do not make it past their first year of operation. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start a business; however, it just means you need to approach the situation differently and make sure your business stands out amongst the crowd. Finding your unique selling point can be difficult, but here are 5 ways you can make your business stand out from your competition:

Customer Service

No matter what kind of business you operate in, whether it is in providing services or selling products, there is one thing that customers will always remember, and that is how you made them feel. Customer service should be every business’s top priority. Without customers, your business would not exist in the first place, but providing quality customer service time and again will do many other great things for your business.

Providing good customer service is so important, that 33% of consumers said they would switch companies after a SINGLE bad experience, while on average they will tell 15 people about a bad experience versus the 11 people they will tell about a good experience. These statistics alone prove why providing exceptional customer service means so much, and in today’s competitive landscape, you just can not afford to lose customers’ over poor service.

Good customer service extends outside of your physical business as well. It is important to be monitoring reviews on places like Google to ensure you are managing bad reviews and are working to solve any customer complaints. Places like Google, that share complaints and the business’s reaction are available for everyone to see, and handling customer complaints in a customer first manner can leave a positive impression on your business for others!

In our modern digital world, customer service extends far from the workplace, and the companies that make the extra effort to provide exceptional customer service in many different forms are the ones that will leave a positive impression on customers and stand out from their competitors.

Unforgettable Branding

The first impression of your brand is extremely important, often times it only takes 10 seconds for a consumer to make a judgement about your brand. When creating your brand, it is important to think big and not being afraid of being different. Whether it is a unique and personal logo or the use of bright colours not normally used in your industry, small details can play a big role on how people see your brand.

Colour plays a special role in branding as research shows that using consistent colours can help improve brand recognition by 80%! Consistency is so important because it helps your customer’s build a level of familiarity with your brand, and can lead them to connecting colours and imagery directly to your brand, even if the object in front of them has no direct relation. Branding is such a fun piece of creating your own business, so let it be just that! You can create your brand however you want it to be, just stick to it and the results will speak for themselves.

Build an Online Presence

The world has never been more connected. Through social media, search engines, and everything in between, the world is quite literally at your fingertips. The extensive power the internet possesses is why it is so important for your business to have a strong online presence. The most important tool for your business is a professional, attractive website. Websites are amazing because they act as a 24/7 marketing tool for your business, where consumers can learn about your business, see your offerings and connect with you directly. Having a solid website for your business is the foundation of all other online strategies. Social media, Search engine optimization (SEO) and even traditional marketing tactics all will lead customers to your website. Strategies like SEO are extremely dependant on your business having a website, since without one, there is no way of improving SEO. Many consumers use Google to find businesses, and without a website, how will anyone ever find you?

Social media is another important strategy that works directly with your website. Using platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great ways to connect directly to your customers, share your knowledge and experience, and build a brand image for your business. Social media is the perfect place to tell a story, how your business came to be and what it is. Using comments and messaging is another great way to connect directly with your customers. Like Simon Sinek once said: “they don’t care what you do, they care about why you do it”, social media is the best place to show the world your “why” and build strong, personal connections with your customers.

Reward Loyalty

Having loyal customers who not only purchase from your business regularly, but also engage with your social media accounts, talk about your business to others and leave positive reviews is something every business should strive for. These loyal customers are important for growing your business, as it shows other potential customers just how amazing you are. People don’t normally become loyal to bad businesses, and everyone knows this, which is why loyalty is so important for leaving an impression on potential customers.

If loyalty is so important to the success of your business, why aren’t you rewarding it? Rewarding your loyal customers can be as simple as providing free shipping on their next purchase, maybe a gift card or a discount, or even a loyalty specific card, like a “buy 5, get the sixth for free” type. Rewarding loyalty is important because while it might cost you a bit to provide a reward, in the long-term, the return is huge! In fact, 83% of consumers say that loyalty programs will keep them coming back to the business, this means recurring revenue for you, potentially for many years at the simple cost of a loyalty reward. Keeping your customers happy has a great ROI and is a key method of making your business stand out from competitors!

Community Involvement

People love when businesses give back to there community and make an effort to improve life, and a commitment to the places they operate in. Consumers love when business commit to helping social and environmental causes and their image of that company is ore positive then of those who don’t give back. When finding a cause for your business to support, find something that fits both your brand and your customers appropriately. 64% of consumers say that having shared values is the number one reason they trust a brand. Find what works for you and run with it!

Are you ready to stand out?

Competition is important, it helps you be better and shows that there is an adequate need for your product or service. It is important for your business to stand out however, and the five methods above are great ways to differentiate yourself from other brands. Let us get you started and ready to stand out today!

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Building the Ultimate Pitch for Your Business

May 28, 2021

Every business, both new and old needs a business pitch to accurately summarize what they do. For new businesses, this pitch may focus on how your new business can solve a problem not currently being solved, or for established business, what makes them special. Either way, every business needs a pitch. How do you make a pitch for your new business? Let's get you started on the right foot Define the Problem When you start your business, one of the most important steps is identifying the problem your business can solve for your potential customers. Is it lack of service in a specific area? Are prices of current offerings too high? Without having an immediate problem that is worth solving, then there likely isn’t any need for you to start that business in the first place. The problem your business plans to solve doesn’t need to be a complicated one, and even the simplest of problems require a solution! By defining the main problem your business will solve, you will have reasoning to back your business venture and a starting point for elevator pitch . By identifying and refining some of your customers main problem, you will be able to clearly express the problem your business plans to solve in a purposeful and acute way. Describe Your Solution After you have identified what problem your business will solve, you must figure out how exactly it will solve it! Often times, entrepreneurs forget about defining the problem and jump directly into building a solution. But how can you build a solution to a problem you don’t know? With a clear picture of the problem your business will be solving, you can craft a confident and viable solution to the problem. After establishing a solution, you can create a solution statement that describes what solution your business will be providing against the problem you have identified. A few sharp sentences is all it takes to capture your listeners attention and draw them further into the rest of your pitch! Identify Your Target Market This often goes hand in hand with defining your problem, as often times, there is a clear market being troubled with the problem you have identified. At this point of your pitch, you should define exactly who your business venture will be targeting. When identifying your target market, it is easy to fall into the trap of choosing one large group that overarches your perfect customer. But by breaking your few ideal customers into different segments, your business pitch will sound more thought out and researched. It is important to have a specific focus and not be to general, as this can come off as lazy and not put together well, but by being too defined may minimize your business’s overall potential. Share the Competition Every business has some sort of competition, and yours will too! Even if there isn’t a company solving your customers problem perfectly, there is likely alternatives that your potential customers are using instead. By understanding your direct competition and indirect competition, you can begin to understand the advantages and disadvantages between your business solution and your competitor’s offerings. By explaining your key differentiators from your competition will help justify to the person your pitching to just why your business idea is viable and the unique solution you will be offering your customers. Who’s on Your Team Your business might be a solo operation, or you may be starting it with others. Either way, there will be a number of skills being brought to the table that the person you are pitching to will be interested in hearing about. It is these skills that build the foundation of your business and the expertise that will shape your business offerings. Understanding your team will also help you in ensuring that you are executing your business vision correctly! While having a team for a new business isn't always required, but there is something to be said about multiple brains working together to build new business strategies and generate exciting ideas! What’s Your Financial Status Often when pitching to potential investors, they will be interested in hearing a little about your financial status as it will help them understand the stage the business is in and it’s potential. By having a solid understanding of your business model, such as expenses, debts and forecasted revenues, you will be able to swiftly present this information to your audience in a positive manner. Numbers are important, especially to investors and knowing your business model can make or break your pitch! Wrap it Up! Sometimes business pitches are more formal presentations where you can include more in-depth information accompanied by a helpful slide deck. Other times they will be quicker and more informal, you may only have a few seconds to share your pitch. In times like these, it will be important to be prepared with a simplified version of your full pitch to stay on track and ensure you are sharing only the most important information! Book a consultation with our experienced team and we can get your business pitch started on the right track!

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Understanding Marketing Automation

May 20, 2021

The word automation is synonymous to robots and artificial intelligence, and marketing automation is no different. Marketing automation is all about using specialized software to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks that marketing professionals face.

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Small Business Website Design Trends

May 13, 2021

Having a professional, well-manicured website is important for all businesses both small and large. Even small businesses can find many benefits from having a working website that is not reserved for the big players! To have an effective website, there are a variety of different elements to take into account, which is why today, we are going to look at the top 5 small business website design trends for 2021!

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Top 10 Design Trends for 2021

May 6, 2021

Graphic design trends are always changing, as people become attracted to specific styles and designs. Every year, we see new graphic design trends pop-up that are popular amongst a variety of audiences, and the same is true for 2021! Let’s look at this year’s top 10 graphic design trends!