The 5 Ws of standing out as a business
Modified on July 26th, 2024
Is there anyone who starts a business and doesn’t want to be successful? I absolutely don’t think so! We all may start a business for different reasons and at different points in our lives, but we all have the same end goal – to be successful. That success, whether that be monetary, recognition, or both, is a tricky matter with continuously shifting variables. One of those variables is about standing out from all the other businesses in your industry. To be different in your own unique way. So here are the 5 W’s of how you, as a business, can be distinct and memorable:
WHO
Who are you? Who do you want to be? – A great website
Know who you are and tell others.Your website should also be mobile-friendly to provide an excellent experience for your customers who visit your site on their phones. With Google indexing the mobile version of sites over desktop versions, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s less likely to rank on Google for searches related to your business. Create an attractive logo and eye-catching signage. It will tie-in into your brand image and will make a big difference to your customers.
WHAT
What do you bring? What do you represent? – Invest in SEO
Effective differentiation is one of the main challenges all businesses face. But those customers have to find you, notice you, remember you, and want to work with you. SEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of optimizing your website and web presence for specific keywords that your target customer would search for. You need an SEO strategy if you want your business to stand out because it’s how you can show up in search results.
WHERE
Where can you make changes? Where can you grow? – Identify and connect with your customers
Customer service is one of the pillars of a successful business, but it’s also an area that most businesses grapple with. Over half of all adults are willing to pay more for good customer service, while HubSpot research states that 93% of customers are more likely to repurchase with companies that offer excellent customer service. Companies like Amazon lead the way after discovering the loyalty-generating power of remarkable customer support. Reports show that, within the retail sector, the deployment of AI can reach the top 1% of customers, who are worth 18 times more than average customers to retailers. This is achieved through extreme personalization and increased engagement based on contextual and behavioral data (Solis, 2017).
WHEN
When will customers notice you? When will they remember you? – Create a compelling brand story
Every business has a story, but not all of them are sharing theirs! Your brand story can build trust and an emotional connection with potential customers while helping you stand out from the competition. To be seen is a challenge in itself; to be remembered, even more so. Continue to reinvent your business. Don’t be afraid to embrace change, learn from losses, and adapt to obstacles.
WHY
Why are you in this industry? Why are you different from others? – Ask yourself, “Why would people choose your business over others?”
Lack of uniqueness is one of the reasons why many businesses fail. Be innovative focusing on what additional features you can add that others aren’t already providing. Celebrate ingenuity. Offer new services that others don’t. Seek new opportunities, ideas, and feedback to improve your services and systems. Think out-of-the-box. Tailor your products and processes in a way that meets their specific needs with specialized solutions. Keep your pricing competitive while maintaining consistency and professionalism. Put in a lot of thought into your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) to make it concise and compelling while still being precise.
Sometimes, it’s the small things that make the greatest impact. Though it may sound oversimplified here, the foundations of all great businesses are the same – to find a problem that needs to be solved, and to solve it well. Apply these five questions to your business plan and you will surely have a strategy for success!