Marketing Ideas

We all have competitors and think we can do it better than anyone else.  That's all well and good but what do your potential customers think when they're looking for a service or product that you provide.

They may be looking in a classified ads section of a newspaper or the Yellow Pages or Yell.com for example, and there are literally dozens of suppliers to choose from.

What is the one thing that is going to make you stand out from the crowd?

Lowest Price is certainly not the answer in most cases, as many people are prepared to pay a premium if they feel it is worth it.

One great way to stand out is to become known for being 'the expert' in your field. This is something that makes many people feel uncomfortable as it means sticking your head above the parapet every now and again, but you could start by doing something as simple as offering a Helpline to answer questions in your field of expertise.  Put this in your advertising, on the side of your van or in other prominent areas where you promote your business.  When you help people, word spreads pretty quickly.  Other ways of being seen as an expert:

• Get invitied onto radio shows to discuss your particular field and to help people out.
• Produce a flyer that is all about giving advice, without asking for a sale.
• Submit information and advice that Newspaper editors could use to advise their readers.

The important thing to remember here is that it is all about perception.  Your competitors might be as good as you, but if you are seen as helping and advising where others aren't, you will be the first port of call when someone is ready to buy.