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In a competitive market where information is readily available with the scroll of the fingertips, business owners must keep up with changing trends and high customer expectations. While we hate to admit it, the only constant is change. Unless we keep innovating, adapting, and creative in our offerings, we lose the opportunity to capture an already busy and saturated customer market. Today, it takes more time to convert a customer, and businesses must utilise multiple marketing strategies to gain more exposure, trust, and leads.
However, don't be disheartened. An overly saturated market does not mean we are doomed. Regardless of what people say, you know what makes your business tick! You have done your homework and you trust your offerings will meet the need of a segmented target market. All we need is a dash of creativity, be innovative and strategic to make our brand rise above the competition. Here are some marketing tips on making your business stand out in a fiercely competitive market.
1. Define your business offering.
To convince your audience of your offering, you need to define what your brand stands for, what problems you are helping to solve, and how you can differentiate yourself from the rest. Say you are a renovation company. Identify what makes your company unique. It could be your design themes, products that you use, or your specialist areas, such as remodeling kitchens or bedrooms. A brand that has a differentiating factor gains a competitive edge. Focus your marketing campaign on highlighting your unique selling points.
2. Identify your audience and messages.
Now that you already know what your great offer is, take time to identify your audience and how you can reach out to them through your different messages and platforms. If you find creating messages a little challenging at this point, go back to your Business Canvas Model document. It should reflect which marketing channels, how you intend to reach them (organic social media, paid ads, etc.), which ones are suitable for brand visibility and maintenance, gaining leads, and so on. Take time to work on your business canvas model or work with your agency partner or brand specialists who can help you focus, refine and define the essential elements of your brand.
3. Establish a tone of voice to educate, empower and engage.
When your audience is bombarded with hundreds of messages every day, time and research are required to craft your messages to capture their attention. Whether these are via your organic or paid social media campaigns, email marketing, brochures or public relations campaigns, think through and ensure that your targeted messages are unique, clear, and impactful. Establish a tone of voice that represents your brand and one that resonates with your audience by educating and empowering them with the information they need so that they are convinced you are the product or service they need. Through this consistent brand voice, you will eventually build an emotional connection with your audience and engage them.
4. Tell a story.
We all swear by a brand that tells a story. Why? Brands that incorporate stories make our audience recall us better. Share your "Hero" moments or case studies in your marketing channels, such as how you made your customer's campaign work or helped them overcome a crisis. Use multiple channels to present your stories, such as social media platforms, websites, brochures, or even networking sessions. Be authentic in your storytelling messages because when you show that you are capable of solving their pain points, you have a higher chance of them coming to you.
5. Utilise different marketing channels.
While social media platforms are one of the best channels for marketing, spread your marketing tactics with public relations campaign or directing your offer on your website or landing pages and even paid platforms. From our experience at Tin Communications, campaigns that use multiple marketing channels or strategies yield better results. For example, a client's Qurban organic and paid ad campaign generated four times the returns on marketing investment for a two-month campaign. Besides giving constant visibility via organic social media marketing, paid ad campaigns power up the offerings by targeting the correct audience with a higher chance of making a purchase.
6. Take care of your customer's touchpoints.
A marketing campaign is a huge success when the sales team can take care of their customer's touch points and leave a positive impression. Once your marketing campaigns are kicking and yielding results, be prepared to get a suite of engaged customers who are impressed and ready to be engaged. Take care of this segment of your business and ensure that your sales team keeps tabs on their responses and sales closings. When these two departments can sync their respective roles, you are on your way to building positive brand loyalty and encouraging continued business for your future projects.
Conclusion
As a business owner, competition is part of the game, and taking steps to learn how to market your brand is key. Start by identifying your unique business offering through a business canvas model or branding exercise, understanding your audience by establishing their pain points, and developing your brand tone. Craft the right messages and inspire them with your story. Marketing campaigns must also be supported by a dedicated sales team, who work like a hand in a glove and takes care of your customer's touch points, leave a good impression and convert sales. When you consider these steps, you can look forward to having a thriving business in an attention-hungry marketplace.