| Differentiate Yourself And Attract
More Attention, Sales, and Profits
Differentiate and you stand out in a crowded
marketplace. Present your uniqueness and
emphasize your rare attributes in your sales
copy and promotions and you'll capture the
imagination and interest of those you want
to reach.
In a world of copycats, it pays to be an
original. It's usually the creator of a
new concept who gets the most mileage from
it. Innovative entrepreneurs often become
market leaders while competitors keep doing
things the same old way - until change is
forced upon them. Differentiate or die.
Challenging the way things have always
been done can lead to creative new options
that reward you with a windfall of profits.
Differentiate your business and you attract
attention. It's new, different - even revolutionary
- and it's the kind of thing that generates
excitement and creates a stir in the market.
After all, few new customers would be drawn
to you -- if you were doing the exact same
thing, the exact same way as everyone else.
Consider this question... "What Could
You Do To Differentiate Yourself, Your Business,
Or Your Product In A Way Prospects and Customers
Would Appreciate?" Another thought
to ponder is this... "What Traditions
Could You Break That Would Capture Attention
And Interest?"
Putting an effective new spin on your business
should be done with the needs and desires
or your customers and prospects in mind.
Differentiate from their point of view.
What changes can you implement that would
make customers say "Wow!"?
Think in terms of what people want. Essentially,
they want to be served better, faster and
with more convenience. They want to be entertained.
They want to solve problems with less effort.
They want instant gratification. They want
respect and to be treated as VIP's (which
customers are, of course). They want to
do business with companies that care about
them, their environment, and the world at
large. Differentiate in a way that appeals
to these desires.
Look at every facet of your business and
compare the way you do things to the way
competitor does. Are you operating in a
similar manner? How might you do things
differently? What changes could you make
in that area that your customers would truly
appreciate and value?
Differentiate and you gain a huge advantage.
Re-invent your business operations and
marketing materials as though you were the
customer. Design everything from the customer's
point of view. Take "tradition"
and turn it upside down. Recast your business.
Make it more user-friendly and benefit-oriented.
Blaze a new trail... even if it means re-inventing
your entire industry.
Let's look at a few simple examples.
Many retail stores have their cash registers
right up front - near the entrance. Couldn't
that prime real estate be better used to
display enticing new merchandise and lure
in more customers? PJ's Pet Centres does
this well. They've cleverly placed a large
cage of adorable puppies right outside the
front entrance. Few people can walk by without
a short visit... and many of those are drawn
inside the store.
Some entrepreneurial-minded restauranteurs
do the same thing with their kitchens. Patrons
find it interesting and entertaining to
watch the chef expertly prepare a multitude
of culinary delights. At the same time,
most competing kitchens are at the back
of the restaurant and out of the way, so
no one ever sees inside.
East Side Mario's has done something unique
to differentiate itself. They know that
desserts are among the most profitable items
any restaurant can offer. So they don't
employ the traditional dessert tray or standard
menu. Instead, they present beautiful color
slides of their delicious, mouth-watering
creations in a View Master. A View Master
is a small plastic toy -- about the size
of a camera - that you hold to your eyes
and click to change the image shown.
Who can resist viewing each one of their
specialties? It's a fun, novel way to unveil
delicious treats. Everyone gets a chuckle
out of it the first time around and I'd
be willing to bet that more people buy dessert
because of it.
Take a close look at your business and
industry. What is considered "standard
practice"? How might business be done
differently? How could you change things
in a way that creates interest, desire,
curiosity, and more sales?
Differentiate Yourself, Your Business,
or Your Product NOW! In A World Of Apples...
It Pays To Be An Orange!
A free subscription to Hot Point, a regular
newsletter on the art and science of selling
more of anything is available at www.makeyoursalessoar.com
Copyright 2001-2005 Robert D. Boduch
About the Author
Robert Boduch is an author of dozens of
best-selling books, reports and articles
on the art and science of selling. A free
newsletter targeted at anyone interested
in selling more of anything is available
at www.makeyoursalessoar.com
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