All businesses, no matter how different, have something in common – they all solve a problem in exchange for money. But when it comes to businesses within the same industry, that’s where we’ll need to get creative to stand out from the crowd.

What happens when two businesses exist to solve the same problem? How does the customer decide who to buy from? Branding and personality.

The problem that you solve is your basic business function. But the way you solve it is your super power.  And although there are plenty of ways to differentiate your biz from the crowd, they all boil down to either offering something new or claiming an aspect of the industry as your own. Let’s dig deeper on how YOU can stand out from the crowd. 

Offering Something That Amazes Your Audience

• You have a product or service that nobody else offers. You’ve identified a need and came up with a solution that has no rival on the market yet and loads of people are waiting for. You are a disruptor. You go zig when everyone goes zag. Find yourself a team of experts and don’t hold yourself back. Chase your dreams. The sky is the limit.

Tip: Although you’re on top of the world now, it won’t be “just you” forever. It’s important to think how you’ll stand out from the crowd when the industry gets a little cozier. 

• You sell something that someone else offers too, and you think you won’t stand out? Don’t worry, it’s the way you show up on socials, your tone of voice, your friendliness, or your eco-consciousness that people will buy.

  Game changer: People don’t buy products or services, people buy stories. So do you have a nice personal or brand story? Share it with the world.

• You don’t invent anything brand new, you simply appeal to a new kind of audience. A higher-income segment, a country that was previously left out… Think outside the box!

Claiming an Aspect of the Industry as Your Own

If your business is already up and running smoothly, you’re obviously doing something right! Chances are you already have a differentiator without even knowing it.

Try asking your customers what they find so valuable about your product or service, ask it on socials, in your proximity, or through a survey. If you start to see a pattern in their answers, make sure you make adjustments accordingly. Even if you don’t always want to. Listen to your audience and clients.

Do you have unmatched quality service? Start collecting testimonials and putting them on display! 

Are you appealing to a new market segment? Make sure you do your research and you understand them inside and out so that you can tailor your product or service to fit their exact needs. 

Do you exude a quality or characteristic so strongly that all your customers notice it? Make that the focus of your brand! 

And if you have a brilliant business idea but haven’t put it out into the world yet, now’s the perfect time to identify your differentiator so that you can hone in on it from day one. 

Perhaps look at the competition in the industry right now. What are their weaknesses – can you fill that gap? What are they all doing the same that you can put a twist on? 

My last, but definitely not least, bit of advice…

Take A Look Within

One of the biggest hurdles on the path to stand out from the crowd is our limit in our minds. It’s all down to the upper beliefs we picked up along the journey of our lives. With the right tools, you can unfix it, burst through it, and shatter it! In the end, the better mindset you have, the more you can give to the world.

Answer these questions in the present tense:

• What are you scared of in terms of your business and personal development? What are your fears?

• Who are you?

• Why are you here?

• What is your message?

• What is your gift?

• Who are you here to impact?

• Who are you here to serve?

By tapping into that passion and sharing your purpose with your audience, your vulnerability will set you apart from your competition. People buy from people and your secret sauce is YOU.

If you want to explore how your purpose can fuel your business, check out my last blog!