The marketplace is overcrowded. And, every day new businesses are popping up and taking up space. And, until you figure out your Incredible Factor {Hot Undeniable Gift + Signature Business Move + Unique Value Proposition}, you’re going to be seen as the Peanuts character who is talking but not saying anything: “womp, womp, womp.”
So, how do you compete?
This is a question I get every day – from brand new business owners, to existing business owners who’ve exhausted their referral pool, to those who’ve never had to market, and don’t forget those at the point of reinvention. And if you’re not careful and astute, you may suddenly find yourself on the wrong side of a growing business.
This week, we are taking a question from Diana:
“Hi Darnyelle. Let me start by saying how much I love Incredible Factor TV. I have gotten some great advice and truly consider you my mentor from afar – soon I will be able to hire you – that’s my goal. Now to my question: I’ve been in business for a little over two years and I’m really struggling with what makes me different – what can you offer me to help me to get clarity so that I can demonstrate my differences in a crowded marketplace?”
Check out my response to Diana’s question in this week’s episode of Incredible Factor TV:
As I share in the episode, this is not a new-to-business problem – this is an in-business problem because the noise is growing. And, it’s easy to get sidetracked into believing that online marketing is the best way to grow your business.
It’s not. In fact, if you try to “dominate” online, you’ll likely come up empty handed and broke – it’s expensive trying to leverage online advertising to only get 1-3%, or even 5% if you’re really lucky to take the bait and take the next action.
So, like Diana, you may be asking yourself how you compete in such a noisy world.
It’s simple. You focus on what makes you different and you share that everywhere you can.
Here’s the thing – humans are programmed to notice what is different. That means that in a mundane world with lots going on, to stand out you have to do something different. We like to call this shock and awe – how can you get a reaction from those you’re trying to reach to consider the possibility of working with you or buying your products? Again I say, focus on what makes you different.
I am always telling my clients to go right when everyone is going left and that strategy always serves them well. Being Facebook famous is only a good thing if you are generating money from all those likes – but most are not.
I hope my top three keys for demonstrating your differences will serve you, check them out:
1. Assume everyone is prompt, customer service focused and committed to excellence – what else you got? So, to show up differently, you’re going to have to dig deep. Do you have a signature business move that makes success predictable for those you serve? Tell them about that. I was working with a client this week who has a “nice” website. The only problem is that what I deem to be her biggest difference wasn’t reflected there. It wasn’t until I probed her incessantly that we uncovered her biggest selling point that she wasn’t even talking about – you might be doing the same.
2. Think long and hard before you share anything in the marketplace. Now, I know what you’re thinking – if you follow this strategy your business will die before it gets started. Here’s what I mean. Rather than gravitating to the office, think about what is not so obvious about how you do what you do? This same client was under the impression that everyone had to do what she did, but a quick Google search showed her quickly that that’s not the case. She didn’t mention it because she thought it was commonplace. What might you be failing to mention that could be the key to an overflow in your business?
3. Ask your clients and customers why they chose you. Surely you are not the only [fill in what you do.] And it’s equally likely that before they hired you, they talked with those other people. What made them choose you? Now, this may sound like a stupid tip to offer but I promise you that your client isn’t the only person who is looking for whatever prompted them to hire you. And, no one can tell you better what made you stand out than the one who opted for what you bring to the table. By helping my client go back to her clients for feedback on what made her different, we were able to craft a very compelling brand message. And once we updated her marketing plan and began deploying that message, she saw her business growth jump. While it took a bit of time, with a consistent plan, she got a lift quickly.
So, now I want to hear from you. What’s your two cents? How do you share your compelling differences in this overcrowded marketplace? What do you recommend to Diana to help her position herself to stand out.
©2017 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Business Optimization Coach and Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises®, Incredible Factor University® and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System®, a proven step-by-step program so you experience financial and spiritual abundance in your life because of your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Even Smart Entrepreneurs Must Avoid for Clients, Connection and Cash Flow!” just fill out the form below.
