Differentiate Yourself And Attract More Attention, Sales, and
Profits
Differentiate and you stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Present your uniqueness and emphasize your rare attributes in
your sales copy and promotions and you'll capture the
imagination and interest of those you want to reach.
In a world of copycats, it pays to be an original. It's usually
the creator of a new concept who gets the most mileage from it.
Innovative entrepreneurs often become market leaders while
competitors keep doing things the same old way - until change is
forced upon them. Differentiate or die.
Challenging the way things have always been done can lead to
creative new options that reward you with a windfall of profits.
Differentiate your business and you attract attention. It's new,
different - even revolutionary - and it's the kind of thing that
generates excitement and creates a stir in the market. After
all, few new customers would be drawn to you -- if you were
doing the exact same thing, the exact same way as everyone else.
Consider this question... "What Could You Do To Differentiate
Yourself, Your Business, Or Your Product In A Way Prospects and
Customers Would Appreciate?" Another thought to ponder is
this... "What Traditions Could You Break That Would Capture
Attention And Interest?"
Putting an effective new spin on your business should be done
with the needs and desires or your customers and prospects in
mind. Differentiate from their point of view.
What changes can you implement that would make customers say
"Wow!"?
Think in terms of what people want. Essentially, they want to be
served better, faster and with more convenience. They want to be
entertained. They want to solve problems with less effort. They
want instant gratification. They want respect and to be treated
as VIP's (which customers are, of course). They want to do
business with companies that care about them, their environment,
and the world at large. Differentiate in a way that appeals to
these desires.
Look at every facet of your business and compare the way you do
things to the way competitor does. Are you operating in a
similar manner? How might you do things differently? What
changes could you make in that area that your customers would
truly appreciate and value?
Differentiate and you gain a huge advantage.
Re-invent your business operations and marketing materials as
though you were the customer. Design everything from the
customer's point of view. Take "tradition" and turn it upside
down. Recast your business. Make it more user-friendly and
benefit-oriented. Blaze a new trail... even if it means
re-inventing your entire industry.
Let's look at a few simple examples.
Many retail stores have their cash registers right up front -
near the entrance. Couldn't that prime real estate be better
used to display enticing new merchandise and lure in more
customers? PJ's Pet Centres does this well. They've cleverly
placed a large cage of adorable puppies right outside the front
entrance. Few people can walk by without a short visit... and
many of those are drawn inside the store.
Some entrepreneurial-minded restauranteurs do the same thing
with their kitchens. Patrons find it interesting and
entertaining to watch the chef expertly prepare a multitude of
culinary delights. At the same time, most competing kitchens are
at the back of the restaurant and out of the way, so no one ever
sees inside.
East Side Mario's has done something unique to differentiate
itself. They know that desserts are among the most profitable
items any restaurant can offer. So they don't employ the
traditional dessert tray or standard menu. Instead, they present
beautiful color slides of their delicious, mouth-watering
creations in a View Master. A View Master is a small plastic toy
-- about the size of a camera - that you hold to your eyes and
click to change the image shown. Who can resist viewing each one
of their specialties? It's a fun, novel way to unveil delicious
treats. Everyone gets a chuckle out of it the first time around
and I'd be willing to bet that more people buy dessert because
of it.
Take a close look at your business and industry. What is
considered "standard practice"? How might business be done
differently? How could you change things in a way that creates
interest, desire, curiosity, and more sales?
In a world of apples, it pays to be an orange.
More resources at www.makeyoursalessoar.com