If you’re a business owner, you’ve at some point in time felt like everybody in your industry is doing the same thing. The fact that their messaging style and website are similar to yours can plague you.

You’ve worked hard to get here and suddenly you feel like there’s someone in the market who is as good as you? Though they say competition is friendly, sometimes it can become downright scary.

Although there are plenty of reasons why businesses fail, lack of differentiation is the foremost one.

For example, if you’re running a tattoo parlour in a prominent area with stiff competition, what do you do to draw people to your studio?

In an environment where heavy competition thrives, you need to give your target group a reason to choose you.

Instead of marketing yourself as a generalised tattoo parlour, how about telling your prospects that you specialise in one particular area of practice?

‘We specialize in all types of tattoos’ can be changed to ‘Lettering Tattoo Specialist. Well, you see it’s all about adding a dash of personalisation to your communication.

5 Incredible Ways to Stay Ahead of the Game

1. Get a unique personality 

You cannot possibly stand out in a booming market if you’re not unique and genuine. Even though you offer the same products as your competitors, you need to offer your prospects something they’ve never witnessed before. Coca-Cola’s personalised marketing campaign to win customers by involving them in the story of their brand is a fitting example of giving your messaging a unique personality.

2. Deliver extraordinary service

The belief that customer service only matters in the service industry is a myth. Every customer demands great service if they’re paying for something. Think about how you can offer great service that goes far beyond what your competitors are doing. Indian pharmacy retailer, MedPlus has mastered the art well. Each time a customer’s medicine dosage is diminishing, they send out alerts reminding them that they need to restock. After that experience, why would anyone buy their medicines anywhere else?

3. Have a cause

If your brand is involved in something that gives back to the community, share this with your customers. This may be a reason why a customer will purchase from you instead of your competitors. Plus, it enhances the ethos of the company and creates a feel-good culture.

4. Offer a guarantee

If a customer orders something online, they want it to reach their doorstep as soon as possible. Another way to break through the clutter is by adding some form of assurance to your marketing messages to show your customers that you truly care about their satisfaction. If you are confident enough to guarantee next-day delivery, your customers will definitely choose you over your competition.

5. Provide a reason to return

Now that you’ve managed to draw customers to your business, you need to make sure you’re able to retain them. How about giving them a discount coupon that they can avail of on their next purchase? Look for opportunities to incentivize your customers to return.

Instead of getting intimidated by your competitors, utilise your resources to draw customers to your business. This will truly make your business stand out.