Differentiating your business from your competitors in the marketplace is essential. If customers discern little to no difference between what you do and what everybody else does, it’s going to be practically impossible to attract new customers or retain existing ones.

The key is the figure out why your business is better than everybody else’s, then promote that difference in your branding, marketing, and everyday practice.

Good, Better, Best

There are probably lots of reasons why people should choose your business over everybody else. Your job is to simply identify them and then transform them into selling points.

It could be the quality of your products or services. Or it may be price or perceived value. Or it could be something as simple as the power of your personality or professional reputation. But whatever it is, that needs to be the centerpiece upon which the rest of your marketing and branding pivots.

That’s because there are lots of people doing the same thing you are in the marketplace right now. New customers aren’t going to be able to find you if they can’t see you among your competitors. And existing clients aren’t going to remain loyal if you don’t give them any reason to keep coming back.

Identify and Target

Often, business owners know why they are better than their competition but they take it for granted that their customers understand why. This is usually a mistake. To keep growing — or even just stay where you are — business owners need to constantly and continually remind prospective and existing customers just what it is that makes them the preferred choice within their market.

Effective branding and marketing focus on what businesses do better than everybody else. Identify what that is for your business and you can win over customers before they choose your competitors.