"Why given all the competitive alternatives in the marketplace should anyone buy from you?"

Would you be able to answer this for your business...

It's one of my favorite questions to ask business owners. I first heard it at a sales seminar I attended several years ago. It was one of those great questions that simply stumped a roomful of about 400 professionals.

If you're like a majority of small businesses out there, you're answer will be pretty vague at best.

Well, that is if you are actually willing to acknowledge that you have competition in the way of alternatives to you and your service business. I've had more than one client tell me that they didn't want to bother looking at the competition because what they were doing was new or different. "Nobody is offering exactly what I do."

It doesn't matter what kind of service you provide there are always alternatives to you in the marketplace. I'm fully conscious of the fact that the two biggest competitors I have are the decision to do nothing and the decision for someone to do it themselves. For most of us there are many more alternatives that this for our prospects to consider.

Stand Out From The Crowd

Do you know how to effectively differentiate yourself from your competition in a crowded marketplace? It can mean the difference between having a successful and sustainable business or not!

You want to be seen as unique or different in some way from your competitors. Almost assuredly someone has told you of the importance of differentiating yourself.

Maybe you've heard the expression 'unique selling proposition' or 'USP.' The problem is most small service-based business owners never get beyond what they do and what services they offer. Or they are simply saying, "We provide superior customer service." Or, "We have the experience to get the job done right."

Think about this for a minute. Who in your industry isn't saying those things? Do you really think you're differentiating your business this way?

Consider also that your prospects don't really care much about what you do. But, they do care what they might get from you.

If you can't clearly and articulately describe your uniqueness, how do you expect prospects to find and remember you over competitors? Worse yet, if potential clients see you as just like everyone else they have to chose from, how do you think they'll end up deciding?

That's right, Price or Fees!

And who exactly wins in a price war. Right again, nobody!

Before you roll your eyes and start claiming that your type of clients are very price sensitive anyway, take a step back and ask yourself 'what do I do to differentiate my business?' Chances are you're not doing anything. So how do you know for sure that price is the deciding factor?

When you fail to differentiate yourself, you'll never get the degree of attention and interest that you want for your services. And even if you do get attention occasionally, you'll be easily forgotten in the sea of other small businesses competing for the same clients.

It's such a common small business mistake, but are you prepared to fix it? If you haven't done this for your business yet, I'd suggest you schedule some time this week to work out your own strategic differentiation.

What's the main thing that differentiates you and your service business in the minds of your clients and prospects? When you can articulate this, you'll immediately be more memorable and successful.

So How Do You Stand Out?

Don't be surprised when I tell you that your strategic differentiation might be as simple as looking at your own business. You just need to be able to articulate it in a way that makes you stand out in the crowd.

If your prospects can immediately see what it is you do that is so unique and they find it irresistible, then you've got it. And another important point to note is that your uniqueness may be perceived. That is, you may not be unique at all. But, if your prospects perceive you to be unique, then you are in fact unique.

Just remember what I said at the beginning of this article. Very few small businesses are able to clearly and articulately communicate their uniqueness. Therefore, even if your competitors offer pretty much what you do, the chances are they don't effectively tell anyone. So as far as your prospects or clients are concerned you are unique.

Now be careful because there's another key point I made earlier that you can't ignore. That is what do you uniquely do that 'makes a real difference' for your clients. Simply being eccentric or outlandish is not the path to uniqueness that I would recommend.

Some Ways To Differentiate Your Business

Focus on a Target Market - If you simply cater to a specifically defined niche market, you can stand out. Your focus and dedication to a specific target market will allow you to become known as the true expert in that market space.

For example, who is going to stand out more - the small business accountant or the small business accountant focused on local medical and dental practices?

Focus on the Problems you want to Solve - When you focus on a particular kind of problem, issue, or challenge that your clients deal with, you can position yourself as the real solution provider. The powerful thing about this approach is that you're more likely to hit a nerve that your prospects can relate to.

For example, who is going to get more attention?

"I'm a marketing and business growth coach."

"I'm focused on helping professionals that struggle with how to consistently attract more business."

Focus on the Results you Produce - If you can promise and deliver on a specific result that makes a measurable difference for your clients, who's not going to pay for that value? You'll not only get noticed, you'll likely also be in a position to charge more for your services and also generate more referrals.

Which do you think stands out more?

"We deliver our training services on time and within budget."

"We'll fully train your team within three business days or less - guaranteed."

Focus on a Different Approach - Right or wrong, your potential clients likely assume that you deliver your services pretty much the same way as everyone else. But, if you're able to draw a distinction in your experience that clients can see value in, you'll stand out from the crowd. How can you package your services into a process that will make it more tangible for prospects to understand what you offer?

Which is more likely to pique your interest?

"We customize our approach to the unique need of each and every client."

"The ABCD Growth System is a proven method to help you consistently generate more high-quality leads and convert them into more clients."

These are just a few key ways to differentiate your business. The most powerful way to create your strategic differentiation is to use a combination of the above methods to communicate about your business.

When you can put it together in a clear and concise statement it will be something that sets you apart from the crowd and makes your prospects take notice. This may not be the sexy approach you've been searching for to differentiate yourself, but I promise you'll be pleased with the results if you give it an honest try.

Once again, I'll suggest you schedule some time this week to work out your own strategic differentiation.

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is the owner of KPD Marketing and creator of the ABCD Growth System. If you find this article useful, you