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6 Workable Strategies for Businesses to Differentiate Their Brand

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Differentiate your brand|6 Workable Strategies for Businesses to Differentiate Their BrandIf you’re not the only player in your market, how do you plan to differentiate yourself from other brands? Well, the truth is, there’s a lot of antagonism in the business world, and simply being one step ahead of others does not help survive the tide. However, creating and providing exceptional products and unique customer experiences sets you apart – and it makes it more challenging to compare you with other options. So, if your goal is to build a remarkable brand, focus on being different.

Now, knowing HOW TO differentiate yourself from the rest is a daunting process. But once done, it gives your brand the upper hand and keeps everyone, including your customers, happy. For that matter, it’s crucial to know how to differentiate your brand from your competitors so that your brand strikes out positively.

So, exactly how can you put your brand on a high-reaching pedestal through differentiation? Offer a vast selection? Possibly. Look better? Perhaps. Compete on pricing? Not really! There are several ways brands can differentiate themselves – and none of them involve lowering your standards. Most of the strategies we’ll touch on in this article are actually about improving yourself. So, let’s discuss six effective ways to differentiate your brand from the competition:

1. Nurture and generate brand advocates

Brand advocates are people who are so enthusiastic about your products/services that they’ll tell their family, friends, and coworkers about it. They are also known as “brand evangelists” or “brand ambassadors.” But they begin promoting once they are convinced of the value you provide. They do this on their initiative, with no plea from your company. Consider it a positive word of mouth promotion with more persuasion from the advocates. So, if you wish to appeal to these brand advocates, offer them freebies and promotional items to nurture long-term relationships. You can also join hands and run referral programs and contests to help reach out to potential clients and customers. Indeed, this is an excellent and low-cost method of marketing your brand. Besides that, every brand advocate brings in three new customers on average.

2. Give your pricing a whirl

When done correctly, this can also be an effective technique of differentiation. On one end of the spectrum, a business can strive to be known as the “low price leader,” providing customers with exceptional value. On the other hand, they could be placed as a high-priced premium brand.

In some cases, an effective brand differentiation strategy can allow a brand to command a higher price premium than it would otherwise be able to. Walmart stores, for instance, are characterized by low prices and good virtues, which have allowed the company to change retail fundamentally.

On the other hand, Starbucks has persuaded customers that there is value in paying significantly more for premium coffee. So, learn from this and be active.

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3. Solve a real problem for customers

Create detailed buyer personas to determine which issues you should focus on solving. Buyer personas offer insight into your customer base’s main goals, challenges, interests, and pain points. You can then utilize these insights to identify critical issues your competitors aren’t addressing. Once you’ve identified the unsolved problems, you have a few options for resolving them. However, affirm it with your customers before instituting it once you’ve devised a strategy. Undoubtedly, this is an excellent strategy to attain brand differentiation.

4. Have variations and be socially responsible

This strategy is a great way to set yourself apart from the competition. But you must know where to offer variations in your product line. Once you’ve determined that your product is infinitely superior, expand its offerings. Take, for example, color. If your competitor offers a competing product in six colors, figure out how to provide your version of the product in ten colors. It’s a particularly effective strategy if you sell your products on a marketplace such as eBay or Amazon.

Other than that, according to a CGS study, nearly half of consumers were willing to pay more for socially conscious products. Donations to charity, community programs, sustainable manufacturing, and fair wages and benefits for your employees are all examples of social responsibility. It demonstrates that you care about people, whether workers or customers. Besides, customers prefer to do business with companies they trust.

5. Lean into your market

There’s no way you’ll be able to appeal to everyone out there. Everyone has different needs, interests, and motivations for purchasing. It isn’t viable to be so broad in your strategy that people become perplexed by your message. You should “niche down” instead. In a sea of generics, be the expert. Your niche segment also allows you to market how your brand differs – and outperforms – your competitors. Provide more exceptional value to your customers than they anticipate from you. Go above and beyond to meet their requirements. Determine what your customers require from you and what is most important to them. It could be how rapidly an issue is resolved, such as an exchange or return– knowing these things will boost your reputation and get you positive feedback.

6. Never compare your brand

H&M does not compare itself to Rolls Royce, nor does Rolls Royce compare itself to Mercedes-Benz Why? Because they are two completely different brands selling products at opposite ends of the spectrum.

88% of buyers now conduct online product research before making a purchase. Amazon reviews, YouTube, and other comparison websites have made it easy for people to learn everything there is to know about you before committing to you. Nothing, however, will reduce your perceived value more than being placed directly next to a competitor. You don’t need to draw attention to your competitors because people are interested in your brand. So, maintain a laser-sharp focus on yourself rather than your competitors in your marketing initiatives.

Conclusion

Lastly, you must understand that not everyone who sees your brand will love it.
Ultimately, most of the strategies above boil down to delivering a world-class customer experience. That leads to superior customer satisfaction, providing retention and long-term sustainable growth. Safe to say, differentiating your business is all about being outstanding and unique while presenting yourself to potential customers who adore you. Finding ways to distance your brand from its competitors will, of course, require a lot of consistent hard work and research. But the results are well worth it.

Essential Skills You Need as a Business Leader

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Business Leader|Essential Skills You Need as a Business LeaderWhen you are a business leader, it is important to be aware of the different techniques you need to home in order to be a success. Business leaders are looked up to by many different people in a company to do what is necessary to provide the required guidance to get your company to the place that it needs to be. The hard part can be knowing which skills you should have to get your company off the ground. Thankfully for you, this guide has been created to outline a few skills that you should be aware of. Read on now to get the full overview.

Public Speaking Skills

To make sure that your company is being promoted to the best of its ability, it is important to hone your public speaking skills well. This is because, whether you are doing a leadership seminar or you are talking at a conference, it is very important to get the philosophy of your business across in the best possible way. In order to hone those skills properly, it is definitely recommended to invest in a public speaking coach.

Honesty

As a business leader, you want to be someone that everyone in your company knows and trusts very well. As a result, one of the traits that you should be focusing on as a leader is honesty. Not honest to the point of revealing unnecessary information about yourself to your colleagues, but more in the sense of being acutely aware of the direction the business is going in at any given moment. People respond well to honesty and might even work harder for you as a result.

Problem-Solving Abilities

No matter what your business might be or how interested people might appear in what you have to offer, you will always be faced with a whole plethora of problems along the way. As a result, problem-solving abilities rank as one of the most important around. You should be able to understand what issues can arise at every step of your business operation before figuring out the ways in which you can tackle them. This way, you can ensure far smoother business processes overall.

Enthusiasm

There is nothing more infectious in the business world than enthusiasm. As a business leader, you have to lead from the front, meaning that the more enthusiastic you are about the work that you do, the better your employees will respond, inspiring them to do their best work. Additionally, to prove your commitment to the team, it makes sense as the leader in making sure that you are the first one in the office and the last to leave, invigorating them to put in the most work that they can.

Fairness

When you are running a business, it is always a good idea to make sure that you are doing so with the principles of fairness in mind. By treating all of your employees equally, you will then be able to posit your business as one that cares about its employees, making them do their best work.

Common Mistakes That People Make When Starting a Business

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Starting a business|Common Mistakes That People Make When Starting a BusinessIf you are like a lot of entrepreneurs, then you are most likely fired up about your company idea. You may even find that you are eager to launch your idea onto the world. That being said, it is a good idea for you to step back so that you can avoid making some of the common mistakes that plague most business owners. Want to find out more? Simply look below.

Neglecting a Business Plan

Many rookie entrepreneurs do not create a business plan. A document like this doesn’t have to be long and it doesn’t have to be detailed either. That being said, you do need to create one. If you don’t, then you may find that you struggle to make your business efforts consistent and that you are not able to give your team the milestones they need to measure progress. If you want to do something about this, then it is very easy for you to create a business plan online.

Poor Financial Preparation

It is very common for a lot of business owners to underestimate how much money they need to take their business to that next level. If you do not have good enough financing then you may find that you struggle to achieve your goals and that you feel the cash squeeze, right as your business ends up hitting its stride. If you want to avoid issues like this, then you need to try and make financial projections, This is especially the case when you look at the first 12 months. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you are able to secure even more financing and investments.

Not Monitoring Progress

Creating a business plan is great, but if you do not use it when you are pushing your business forward, then you will ultimately stagnate. It is vital that you plan out and update your projections and you also need to make sure that you anticipate any potential changes later down the line. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can get the best result out of your venture.

Buying Assets with Cash

Another mistake that often causes cash flow issues is using your operating cash to try and pay for long-term assets. When determining how much you need for your equipment, your machinery and even your IT outlays, you have to consider using a business loan. Ideally, this would match the lifespan of the asset so that you can make sure that you don’t end up throwing money down the drain at a later date. Take into account any other services you will need to support your business too, such as professional eds analysis.

Avoiding Help

Many entrepreneurs are somewhat reluctant to admit that they need any kind of help. At the end of the day, you should not be shy about seeking a mentor and you should also think about hiring an outside consultant as well. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can get the support you need from the get-go.

The Increase in Global App Downloads Means That Mobile Marketing Should Not Be Neglected

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Mobile Marketing|The Increase in Global App Downloads Means That Mobile Marketing Should Not Be NeglectedMobile marketing is one of the most critical aspects of digital marketing. People are spending more time on their smartphones and consequently, they’re using them for more than just calling people! They’re reading emails, watching videos, browsing social media- all while they’re out in public.

Social media applications like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are the most used apps in the world today and you see more information about the download rates of 2021’s most popular apps here.

With a track record of consistently high app downloads by people around the world, this means that users are actively engaging and using their smartphones more now than ever, thus meaning that businesses have an opportunity to tailor their marketing efforts and campaigns to smartphone users.

Best practices for mobile marketing for online businesses

1. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly

This is the most important thing you can do! If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, customers will have a hard time viewing it on their phone and are likely to leave. There are many different ways to make your website mobile-friendly, so do some research and find out what’s best for you.

With more people relying on their phones to browse the internet, it’s essential that your website is optimised to look good and functions well on a mobile device. If it doesn’t, you’re going to lose customers fast.

2. Optimise your website for search engines

This is another essential step that businesses should take regarding mobile marketing. Ensure that your website shows up in search engine results pages when people are searching for keywords relevant to your business.

You can do this by using the appropriate keywords on your website and in your content and optimising your website’s structure and design. If you don’t take these steps, you’ll miss out on many potential customers.

3. Create mobile-friendly email templates

Most people check mail on their phones today, so your emails must be optimised for viewing on a small screen. This means using a simple layout with large text and minimal images, and ensuring that all links open in new tabs/windows.

You can also create separate email templates specifically for mobile devices, ensuring that the formatting looks good no matter what type of phone the recipient is using.

4. Optimise for video

Video marketing has become very popular because it’s so easy and accessible on mobile devices. YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, but did you also know that more than half of all online activity (including shopping) happens right before or while watching videos?

If your business isn’t taking advantage of this opportunity by including optimised video content on its website, then you’re missing out big time! Make sure that any product demonstrations or other instructional videos are optimised for mobile viewing, and you’ll see an increase in sales.

5. A/B testing for marketing

A/B test is a process of experimentation that helps you determine which version of a particular marketing campaign is most effective. You do this by testing two (or more) different versions of the same and then seeing which one is better.

This is important for mobile marketing because there are so many different ways to reach your customers through their phones. By testing different formats, designs, and campaigns against each other, you can see which method is most effective.

6. Create a solid call to action

If your CTAs aren’t visible enough, many potential leads won’t convert into actual sales. Many businesses don’t realise the importance of having a clear and conspicuous “call to action” on their website or ad landing pages.

Don’t let this be your business! Make sure that when people visit your site, they immediately know what it is that you want them to do (i.e., buy something from you).

This will save customers time by not forcing them to figure out whether or not they should purchase from you before continuing with other tasks on their phones.

7. Integrate with social media

Integrating your mobile marketing campaigns with your social media efforts is a great way to reach more people.
Ensure that all of your social media profiles are optimised for viewing on phones and tablets and include links to your website and other relevant content.

You can also use social media to drive traffic to your landing pages or website and promote special deals or offers. By using all of the available channels, you can reach a larger audience and increase your sales chances.

Conclusion

Mobile marketing is a great way to reach out and connect with your customers on the go, but you must follow certain best practices to optimise for this type of audience.

There are many different ways to use mobile devices as part of your marketing efforts, so make sure you’re doing everything from social media integration to video optimisation correctly.

Event Ideas To Attract New Customers

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StrategyDriven Customer Relationship Management Article |Attract New Customers|Event Ideas To Attract New CustomersIf there is one thing that you have to do for your business, it’s attracting new customers as often as possible. You want to know that you can do everything to bring in new business and make sure that you raise your profits and get your brand name out there. Events are the best way to do this, but which events should you be holding?

In your business, you need to figure out what your customers get excited about and which online event will get them interested in what you have to say. The best thing that you can do is work out the event ideas that make sense for your business and for your customers and while that isn’t always easy, it doesn’t mean that it cannot be done. Below, we’ve got some of the best event ideas out there that will bring the customers through the doors.

  1. Learning events. When your customers are interested in what you have to offer, the best thing that you can give them is a chance to learn more. You can focus your efforts on teaching your attendees how to do something, or even how you do something. Whatever it is that you offer, offer your customers the chance to learn more about it.
  2. Something interactive. Hosting an event that allows people to get hands on is exciting. From tempering chocolate to app creating, you could show off a little of what you do and ensure that you are able to give a lesson. If you’ve ever attended an exhibition or a store that allows you to get hands on with the materials, then you know the power of putting your product into people’s hands. Apple has an entire corner of the market because of it!
  3. Do something for charity. Let people see that you are the sort of business that gives back by hosting a charitable event. It doesn’t matter where you want to support, doing so will give your customers the chance to see that you are more than just a business looking to make money.
  4. A special guest. Is there someone out there endorsing your products that has a famous name? If so, a meet and greet with that special guest could mean a lot to your customers, and if you have an event that showcases a special guest, you’re going to give your customers an experience that remains out of the ordinary.
  5. An event for VIPs. People love to feel special and important and the best way that you can do that for your customers is to offer a list of VIPs that will be treated differently. For example, if customers are in the loyalty group, they’re going to get treated to the VIP experiences that you can offer.

Your customers are going to be far more receptive to your ideas if you are putting on a show for them. Make sure that your events are on point and tailored to them, and you’ll be surprised how many new signups you get.