Would You Choose You? (Tips On Standing Out From the Competition)
April 24, 2023
Many businesses fail to use their marketing message to differentiate themselves from their competition or to clearly communicate how they solve specific problems. Fixing this problem is key to getting more conversions.
Take a look at your small business website and be as objective as possible. Imagine yourself as a potential customer who has never heard of you and who knows nothing about you.
Put yourself in their shoes. What questions do they have? What are they worried about? What problem do they need to solve? What are they feeling?
Then, maintain this state of mind and check out your competitor’s websites.
Now, be completely honest with yourself. Would you choose you?
What makes you stand out? Do you anticipate and answer questions better than your competition does? Is your offer enticing? Will people understand the specific value you offer?
Because…me too
Recently, a friend was looking for a caterer for her upcoming wedding. She found a local company that had a section on their homepage entitled Why Choose Us? This is their answer:
Whether you’re hosting a wedding, a business lunch, an anniversary gala, or an epic birthday party, you need caterers who handle everything you need for your food and dining. Our team will transport, set up, and serve the menu you choose so you can forget the details and enjoy your event. Contact us today!
This content comes off a website with a strong design and an effective call to action. It’s a solid website.
It’s perfectly clear that they are a catering company. They claim to be the “best” in their headlines. Nothing confusing or ambiguous.
But consider their answer to why someone should choose them. In what way does that answer help them stand out?
It doesn’t. All it does is describe what any caterer does.
It’s as if the prospect asks “Why should I choose you to cater my event?” and the caterer answers “Because I’m a caterer.”
“Because” you offer what the prospect wants is not a competitive advantage. It’s a “me too” offer.
Every once in a while, we encounter a truly atrocious website. A website that’s utterly confusing, filled with irrelevant images and copy so vague it’s bizarre.
It’s easy to recognize these sites need serious help.
But far more often, we run into sites like the caterer’s. They’re competent sites, and in fact, the design work may be exceptional.
The problem is they don’t manifest their competitive advantage. They say what they do, but they don’t make a clear case for why someone should choose them instead of another service.
This is the difference between mediocre and excellent results. When you don’t have your value proposition dialed in, you’re basically leaving things to chance.
Prospects will understand that you’re an option, and they might choose you. Or they might not.
Since you give them no compelling reason to choose you — something irresistible that makes passing you up feel like a mistake — it’s as likely they’ll pass you over as choose you.
Also, remember that while the prospect may check you and your competition out, it’s unlikely they’ll make any choice right away.
This means your offer not only needs to be enticing, it also must be wrapped in a memorable brand message. Many leads will delay, then go back and choose to work with a brand they recall.
Attention and choice
Many businesses continue to underestimate how challenging it is to catch people’s attention then get them to commit to a choice. You can’t make this mistake in a competitive market.
Be specific about the problem you solve, and target your message to that audience.
If you don’t have an offer or service that stands out on its own, try using social proof on your website. Reviews are influential, so if you can highlight them on your site it’s a strong advantage.
Of course, you can always go with one of the oldest (and most effective) offers out there, which is saving money.
When it comes to creating a memorable brand, it takes persistence. Sometimes, the way to stand out is just to show up the most. Use retargeting on Facebook and Google, and get your name out there in brand ads, billboards, vehicle wraps — anything that keeps you in front of people.
If the prospect searches for you by name, you know you made a memorable impression.
Would you choose you?
You must be able to answer yes that question. Then you have to know why prospective customers will answer the same way.