Unless your product or service is totally niche, it is key when you’re starting out in business, to figure out what sets you apart from your direct competition. Being able to identify and market your competitive advantage to your target audience forms the basis of why a customer would choose your business over that of your competitors.
Knowing the answer can help you set prime business goals and create a branding and marketing plan that allows you to build trust with your customers in the long run, and ensure that you gain their return business.
Customers make purchases based mainly on emotion, not so much logic. Your marketing should be customer focused, rather than product or service focused. Don’t just think about how to sell to them. You need to think about how your product or service offers a unique solution to their problem. A tight personal connection can be critical, and that is how you set yourself apart and gain their trust and possibly forge a longer-term loyalty as well.
There are many avenues to achieve this. Join I Concept, the leading boutique creative agency Singapore, as we take a look at 5 reasons why a customer would (and should) choose you over a competitor.
1. You can pinpoint what sets you apart
How do you uniquely solve the challenges of your customers? The first phase of your mission is to stand above your opponents, and ascertain your competitive edge.
You will need to recognise how your business offers distinctive solutions to your target audience. How does your product or service help customers? What makes your product or your service special when compared to similar products or services? There may indeed be other companies that offer the same product or service as you do. Focus on your customer, put yourself in their shoes, and think about why they would be better off choosing your business.
It is important to always consider their basic needs, their desires, what they care about, what gets them out of bed in the morning, and what sort of trials do they face? Then, fit your product or service in and think how can your product or service meet their needs and desires or help them face those trials? What makes your way of doing be superior to others?
The answers you seek may not be all that lofty. The key in branding and marketing is your unique selling point. It could be a matter of convenience or even that the price is right. (Both critical in eCommerce sales and management.) Don’t disregard the things that give you your competitive edge no matter how small they are, as these are what make your business unique and attractive to your customers.
2. You put quality first, always
Even though today’s consumers are increasingly prioritising ‘quick and easy’ when it comes to making a purchase, people still really care about quality. We all want to invest in products and services that are going to last and meet our needs long-term, and not fall apart after only one use. There are eCommerce companies and e-shops in digital marketplaces that offer crappy products or shoddy services, and you know they will not last long in the business. If your company prioritises providing quality products and work over saving time and operating costs, you will establish yourself as the best option for the discerning customers.
Excellent customer service is equally as important, especially when convincing your customers to invest their hard-earned dollar in you over your competitors. Brands who portray themselves as approachable, knowledgeable, and attentive will be able to forge a stronger emotional connection, and in time a real relationship, with their customers.
Everyone wants to feel that they are more than just a number, so you need to let them feel that they are well taken care of. As a result, they will start to like you, and next time they are in the market for your products or services, they will think of you first.
Bad customer service, in turn, will ensure that customers will never buy from you again, and possibly deter others with negative reviews and bad word-of-mouth. It’s incredibly difficult to outrun bad online reviews. Take care of your customers, and in turn, they will take care of you, with referrals and repeat purchases.
3. You know a good reputation is everything
The benefits of customer trust are never-ending. When your target market trusts you, they won’t hesitate to buy your product or engage your service again and again. Plus, if you can build a network of loyal customers who are all telling their friends and family about how great you are, it’s likely that demand for your product or service will go through the roof.
People will typically choose a company that has been recommended by someone they trust, over a company without that personal connection. In eCommerce, the online reviews and ‘star ratings’ are always the first to be noticed. Your promises and values in your branding will also represent your businesses’ ethos. So, be the business that follows through on your promises every time, and naturally, customers will choose you. It’s a no-brainer, no one will engage the services of a brand they can’t trust.
4. You’re not hard to find
These days it is increasingly becoming the case that most of your customers will start their search online. If your company does not come up on the first page of Google’s search results, and they haven’t heard about you IRL (in real life), how are they ever going to find you?
For most businesses, it’s beneficial to maintain a prominent online presence. At the very least, you need a website that ranks for the words your customer uses to search for your product or service. An online strategy encompassing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing, and various other online marketing activities can ensure you’re found online with ease.
If you do not have the free time or knowledge to do any of these things yourself, (and let’s face it, who does?!), hiring a creative agency Singapore like I Concept, to do all the social media marketing and branding works for you can be extremely valuable. Investing in helping your customers find you is always a wise move.
5. They identify with you and your values
If your company exemplifies the values of your customers, you never know, that may be the one thing that puts you above your competitors.
Shared ethics and morals make it easy for your customer to form an emotional bond with your branding. If you have a cause that you support, promote it through your website. Join in on their fundraising events or share their content on your social media channels. If what is important to your customer is important to you, it can give you a good marketing advantage over your competitors.
As long as you’re genuine in your branding and marketing, your customers will take notice and see you doing good in the world, and that will make them want to do business with you.
Being there with your customers, for your customers
So, the key to being chosen over a competitor lies in connecting with them on an emotional level. If you can identify how you solve their challenges best; prioritise quality products, services, and customer service; make it easy for them to find you; and share their values, it makes it super easy for them to do business with you. That is all good branding and marketing is about, especially in the eCommerce management world.
Looking for the right digital marketing strategy to make your business stand out the right way? You can consult with your choice creative agency Singapore, I Concept.
Our team of brand guardians and digital marketing consultants can walk you through the different approaches and build a strategy that best fits your current business model, showcasing your brand’s unique values and ethos. From developing (and renewing) brand identity, through to proposing, implementing and sustaining an integrated marketing strategy for you, our team of designers, creative strategists and programmers can offer you the right advice.
Looking for eCommerce development options? Our dedicated team of designers and developers can also help you design and set up an eCommerce store online, catering to your specific needs. You can even tap on up to 80% grant funding for the project.
Feel free to ask us anything and everything about branding and (digital) marketing.
