As you know, at nonsociety.com the vision is to help people like you march to the beat of your own drum, and avoid living, working and being stuck in other people’s boxes. After all, life is short, and you won’t find many people — or probably any people — in their final moments regretting that they “spent too much time conforming to the wishes of others”. On the contrary, you’ll typically hear them lament about doing far too much for people they don’t even like, and not enough for themselves and those they truly care about.
Now, what does this have to do with your business? It’s this: just as you want your life to stand out from the ordinary, you also want — and frankly need — your business to stand out from your competitors. Otherwise, you’ll end up being the best kept secret in your marketplace, which is the worst thing that can happen; because it means you’ll be out of business sooner or later.
To avoid that fate — and to help you make a lasting positive impact on current and future customers — here are three smart and strategic ways to make your business stand out, but without exceeding your budget or forcing you deep into debt:
1. Hold a Contest
Contests are exciting and memorable ways to make a splash, generate publicity, and increase brand visibility that translates into more sales and profits. Just remember to think outside of the box and do something that truly grabs attention. For example, instead of giving away a gift certificate (yawn…), you can offer the lucky winner a cruise on a luxurious party bus. You can even take photos and post them on your social media pages, which adds to the fun.
2. Cross-Promote
Instead of doing all of the promotional heavy lifting on your own, why not find a strategic partner and create a win-win alliance? For example, if you build custom business signs, then sending and receiving referrals with a business lawyer who specializes in working with clients starting a new business (and therefore need signs for their store, trade show booth, etc.) could be a positive relationship for all involved, including your mutual customers/clients.
3. Create an app
Who says you need to be a Fortune 500 enterprise to have an app? That may have been the case a couple of decades ago, but these days many small businesses — including home-based businesses on a tight budget — are staying connected with current and future customers through a mobile app. You can build something impressive and functional for less than you think, and the ROI can be enormous.
The Bottom Line
Standing out in a competitive, crowded marketplace isn’t just a good idea: it’s necessary for your business to survive. The above suggestions can help you make a lasting impact with your target market, and surge ahead of your competitors.
