5 Ways to Make Your Small Business Stand Out

When they’re first starting their businesses, many of my clients worry about how to stand out from the competition.

Thousands of small businesses are created every year, and many of them struggle to stay relevant, grow their audiences, and get sales.

What does your small business offer that makes you unique in a sea of similar businesses?

Getting noticed doesn’t have to feel impossible! With the help of an SEO agency, a solid marketing plan, and the right branding, your business will stand out.

Here are some easy strategies to get your business to stand out from the crowd without spending a lot of time and money.

Be Yourself

One of the best things I did to make my business stand out from the crowd was to be myself and embrace my quirky style of coaching.

No matter what kind of business you have, you’ll fade into the background if you’re a carbon copy of your competition. If your potential customers can’t tell what makes you different and unique, then they won’t buy from you.

I combined my former career as a book editor with my love of coaching to become the Life Editor! Consider what talents, viewpoints, and experiences make you YOU, and then incorporate those things into your business.

Get Involved in Your Community

You’re not a faceless corporation . . . you’re a small business!

So get out in your local community and confidently be the face of your business. Let them know you’re a real person.

Talk about your business at community events, farmers markets, or other gathering places. Join the chamber of commerce and make a point of offering free services and samples. You can even work with local radio and press agencies so people will hear about what you have to offer.

Once your name is out there and people start hearing all about your company, you’ll to start gaining local popularity.

Work With Others

You don’t have to be best friends with your competition, but small businesses like yours need support too.

Partner with others to pool your advertising budgets and get your names out there in a bigger way! Offer deals to your customers and theirs, and you can get your business recognized through other people.

Find small businesses who share an audience with you, but aren’t necessarily direct competition. For example, a flower shop might partner with a stationary store because they share an audience of people who are hosting big events (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries) but they don’t have the same products and services.

Offer Value for Free

You can gain the respect of your potential customers by first offering your time, products, and services for free where you can.

My business exploded when I created my free Editor’s Toolkit to give my readers and followers a free “taste” of what it’s like to work with me. These freebies helped me gain their trust so they felt comfortable buying more expensive services in the future.

What can you give away for free to build a relationship with your potential clients? Perhaps an ebook, short video, sample products, or coupon code.

Build an Excellent Website

Building your website for your business takes time (you’re never really done!), so consider hiring someone to do it for you if you’re not very tech savvy. Be sure to use SEO tactics and keywords on every page and post so your website will be visible on search engines.

Your business should be as visible online as much as it is in person, and the expert you get to help you with this should be the best so you remain visible at all times. That’s how your customers will find you!

Furthermore, while the foundation of a great website lies in its content and design, the infrastructure supporting it is equally crucial. Opt for reliable hosting and consider services like HughesNet internet plans to ensure your site remains accessible without any downtime. 

A consistent online presence, supported by dependable internet, complements your SEO efforts and reinforces trust among your customers. Remember, a seamless user experience is as vital as the content itself. Investing in the right tools and services is a step towards ensuring your business remains at the forefront of your industry.

Bonus Tip: Be Clearly Experienced

When it comes to showing the business world what you’re made of, it’s clear that achievements come first. If you’ve got letters after your name, or you’ve been handed an award for your efforts, people are going to want to check you out. It’s marketing without the need for a big budget! 

However, when you’re running a small business, you have limited time. Fortunately, you can turn to something like Recognition of Prior Learning; learning on the job has always been important, and if you want to get a little business management or accounting degree out of the experience, this could be your chance to do so.