Whether you are a brand-new start up and you are feeling anxious about trying to compete with the well-established competitors in your industry, or you have been in business for some time and you’re struggling to get ahead, this is the article for you.
We’re going to talk about why you don’t need to ‘beat’ your competitors in order to experience success in the digital marketplace.
Let me tell you a little story…
I recently had a heart to heart with my young nephew. He was feeling insecure about himself and insisted to me that “he will never be able to find a girlfriend.”
Standard teenager stuff.
So I did what all good uncles do and I gave him some advice:
- “If you constantly compare yourself to others you will always find things to hate about yourself.”
- “You need to focus on the things that you love about yourself. What makes you different?”
- “If you want to attract a girlfriend you need to stop worrying about other people and focus on yourself. How can you be the best version of yourself?”
It’s good advice because it is the truth. The fact is, my nephew is a handsome and intelligent young lad. Sure, he’s a lanky bean but that doesn’t change the fact that he has so much to offer.
You should apply this line of thinking to your business. You don’t have to be “better than” your competitors, you just have to focus on what makes you unique. Do that and you’ll find your place.
Start with some comprehensive competitor research
The only time you need to ‘worry’ about your competitors is when you are doing your research:
- How are they connecting with your audience?
- What is their unique value proposition?
- What does their content creation strategy look like? (are there any gaps?)
- How do they attract back-links?
- What is the user experience like on their website?
Don’t worry about what your competitors are doing; worry about what they are not doing. That is how you differentiate yourself.
What do you do differently? What makes you so unique?
–“If there’s lots of competition, good. That means there’s a lot of demand.”
Again, you can’t get too caught up in worrying about the competition. There are millions of people out there who are well-suited to your products and/or services.
Instead, worry about how you can differentiate yourself from the competition by doing everything they are not.
What is it that makes your brand so unique? How do your products and services differ? What is the awesome solution you have for your ideal customer’s problem?
Focus on your unique value proposition
It’s not about beating your competitors. It’s all about finding your audience. As such, you need to take the time to craft a concise and unique value proposition that not only demonstrates clear value, but makes you stand out from the competition.
Additionally, you need to support your UVP with the following:
- Provide a seamless on-page experience.
- Make your website faster!
- Deliver a world-class customer experience from start to finish.
- Demonstrate your authority in your field by creating high-value content.
- Give away the “industry secrets” your competitors are too afraid to talk about.
- Be open and honest about your methodology. Give your audience a “sneak peek” behind the curtain.
- Listen to your audience on social media and respond to all engagement / reviews.
The way this SEO agency in Miami differentiates their brand is through social proof. They don’t try to convince their prospective customers of how amazing they are. Instead they show what their clients have to say, including real-life success stories.
Conclusion
It’s easy to fall pretty to a negative line of thinking, especially when the competition is fierce. But there is enough space for everyone in the global marketplace.
Don’t cripple yourself with a scarcity mind-set. There is an abundance of business out there waiting for you.
