Ingenuity is the mother of all invention. What sets you apart as a business is your ability to step out of the current, and try something completely different. Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates all had grand visions for their companies and the confidence to accept nothing less. These characteristics allowed them to already stand out compared to the rest going forward.
Aspiring entrepreneurs must learn to work smart, not just hard, on their businesses. Long hours and crazy schedules are part of the course, and journey when it comes to business ownership. However, the way you spend your time is just as valuable as how much time you spend.
Look to emulate the success of great entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, or even Bill Gates. Unique strategies, and approaches propelled them to success in the beginning. Adopt a new mindset so you can discover your own vision, and you too will follow in their footsteps.
Start Community Oriented
“Out of the box” strategies serve to make a business memorable, and this strategy does put a twist on conventional marketing. Entrepreneurs who have the foresight to create opportunities with unique, and different approaches leave a mark on the public consciousness. This ultimately puts their business on the map!
For example, gestures of community, and generosity appeal to the public at large. Many new or growing organizations have positioned themselves as a community-oriented organization when they started to supply free products or services. Using this approach, they were able to show what their company was all about, and were able to show support for those who can’t afford the product right now. It also showed the quality or the product or service.
It is a strategic business move to focus on giving back to customers. Companies gave away free products, and services when they were growing, and this generosity allowed them to grow enormously over the years. I’m sure if you research many of the top businesses, you’ll hear how they game back to the community. In the end, it’s important to be proactive, and give back in the beginning! Your future success depends on it!
Add The “Wow” To Customer Service
If you want to give your company, the “WOW” factor then you must make customer service your top priority. Focusing on customer service shows the public that you care. To this day it remains one of the best word-of-mouth strategies out there.
Show your consumers that you are willing to take care of them. Cater to their feelings and treat them with decency and you will create life-long customers. Strong businesses with integrity, and value take customer needs into consideration regardless of the cost involved. I truly believe when you take care of your customers, then your business will take care of itself. Here’s something else,
When you look at the top companies within the industry, you’ll notice how they have top-notch customer service. They have frequent reviews which help them tweak service policies.
Customer service is becoming increasingly important in building and growing a strong business. Creating a strong customer base involves focusing on the needs the individuals you serve. Hone in on making the most out of this component and your business can’t help but prosper.
Always Create Value
It’s important to keep a close eye on your financial situation but equally as valuable to focus on creating an excellent product or service. Your sales figures will reflect how well customers respond to the value, and the quality your business provides.
High quality products and services draw increased sales to your business. The product speaks for itself, and establishes consistent word-of-mouth referrals simply based on the quality being offered.
Businesses such as Apple thrive because their main goal is to be the best in everything they do. Think about their products, and you’ll understand why they stand out. For example, Apple users depend on the products they provide due to their affordability, functionality and incredible sex appeal. You know you’re doing something right when customers are willing to camp outside your store front just to be the first in line to buy a product the moment it comes out on the market.
Apple has created its own culture which is important for the entire brand. Users swear by their merchandise thus creating a loyalty that extends through to multiple product lines. This isn’t a coincidence by any means because Apple has spent countless hours researching market, and consumer needs. The end result of their meticulous planning is an aesthetically pleasing, and user friendly interface that appeals to consumers of all ages. Think about how far Apple has come from the brick of bankruptcy.
Apple products share commonalities and specific trademark features. Much like a McDonald’s franchise opening in multiple locations, Apple has staples that are common throughout all their products thus creating a sense of familiarity for predictability for consumers.
Strategic planning along with quality products and services are fundamental features in establishing value in the eye of your consumer. Value equals sales so focus on creating your own unique brand and your business can’t help but thrive!
Be Creative And Different
Creativity is the name of the game these days. What sets you apart from the crowd is your willingness to be different. Unique methods of customer engagement and sassy advertising through unexpected means drive the market pace of today. You must infuse your business practices with creativity in order to revitalize, and maintain success in this era of free enterprise. If you fail to incorporate this strategy, then you can fall back in the game. Here’s a quick example,
Let’s look at a company called SwiftGamers.com which I had the pleasure of working with. This company began its journey in 2007, and wanted to build an electronic wholesale company. The focus was to be an online ecommerce site, and the setup started by setting up contracts with major distributors.
The business grew independently by focusing on the personal side of the business. The owner included his friends and family, paying attention to detail and engaging out of the box strategies. SwiftGamers.com drew a large following of loyal customers due to word of mouth advertising. They continued to build on the idea of a family company which appealed to many of the customers. This gave them a creative edge over their competition.
SwiftGamers.com is a business built on creativity with his own unique signature of personal attention. From their early start with electronics, then building their own brand, they were able to connect into the hearts and minds of all his customers.
Create your own style and harness the creativity within. Your business will thank you!
Be A Fun Company
If you have fun your customers will too, and this will help stand out compared to others. As a matter of fact, I have shopped at hundreds of stores throughout my life, and the ones I remember have always had an edge. Nothing attracts more attention than an easy-going fun loving atmosphere full of laughter and cheer. Remember, it’s human nature NOT to be attracted to difficult times…right? So, how you do this is completely up to you.
Over time much research has been done which concluded that environment plays a huge role in effecting the overall customer experience. The work day can be long and tedious for both employers and employees but if you build a little fun into your day, you’ll notice frowns turning upside down for customers and employees alike.
Creating relationships with your employees and customers can be as simple as organizing a fun customer event or having a wacky dress day. You might even think to hire a dj and initiate impromptu dance offs. It doesn’t need to be large or elaborate but it definitely needs to draw smiles and good cheer.
Creating bonds, and deepening relationships within your business all comes down to the power of laughter. Customers enjoy fun-loving and relaxed atmospheres and employees who embody these traits enamor themselves in the minds of consumers. As an employer, your job is to facilitate an environment which empowers employees to feel jovial and carefree while at the same time providing high quality service. A satisfied and happy employee is much more likely to remain with your organization over the long-haul. For example, here’s another awesome example,
Google has been known to have the best employee environment because they provide everything. They believe a happy employee will be a productive one. They provide food, massages, creative time, and even free dry cleaning so the employees don’t have to worry. Research Google as a company and start to incorporate some of their philosophy into your own business.
What you need to bring your business from stagnant to successful lies in your ability to create laugh and think outside the box. Allow your imagination to take flight and have fun with it. The process is all part of the journey and you’ll be far more successful if you enjoy yourself along the way!
Final Thoughts
If you feel as though your business has no growth recently, then it’s time to re-evaluate your entire plan. For example, many times when you look back you’ll notice a single change will make a huge difference. You can start by incorporating some of the elements discussed here, and then tracking the results. However, it’s important you go through each one (if applicable) because that’s the only way you’ll find out if the strategy is relevant to your bottom line. Next,
It’s very important you have an analytical tool which will help you track how effective the strategy actually is. This is even more important than anything else because you’ll have an analytic foundation to go and make the right tweaks afterwards. Go back, and read the content again making notes in point form since this will make each of the factors above easier to understand, and apply.
