How to use marketing to make your business stand out

If you are the owner of a business you may feel that what you have to offer your customers is so great that it can stand on its own. Many business owners feel this way. The reality is that no matter how great your product or service is if your customers don't know about you there is little chance they will find you on their own. This is what marketing does. Marketing when done successfully allows you to rise above the crowd (your competition), and show your customers what you can do for them. However, just like many other facets of business there is a correct way to do this. Here is what you need to know about how to use marketing to make your business stand out-

- You have to know who you want to attract-You should not make the mistake of thinking that everyone in the world will want or need your product. There will be a select group of people who will be more likely to buy your product or service. You need to find those people. This is where market research comes in. You can start by doing surveys of potential customers, offering free samples, and checking out what is being said online. Many business owners find that social media networking sites are an effective (and free); way to see what is being talked about. You can often see what your potential customers want and what they are talking about. Once you know who you want to attract you have made the first step in making your business stand out.
- You need to know where to find your customers-Once you know who your customers are you need to figure out where they are. Not only do you need to know where you can market to them but the venue itself will determine what tools you use to make your business stand out. Is your target market a heavy user of the internet? If so-then a massive TV campaign may do little to attract their attention. Is your target market going to be looking for you in a trade magazine or at trade shows? If they are then a massive internet campaign will not be targeting the right people. Wherever you will be finding your target market will tell you a lot about what kind of marketing you will need to do to make your business stand out.
- You need to know the right ways to attract your customers-While everyone remembers the crazy ads with the crazy costumes or weird photography that may not be right for your product or service. For example- If you offer a luxury product then you want to promote an aura of luxury and high class to your customers through whatever marketing means you use. Conversely, if your product is meant to be part of a holiday, season of the year, or is a bargain product you want your marketing to speak to its strengths. Simply putting out a crazy and off the wall marketing message is not the only way to do this. Consider what your customer is looking for when they buy from you as the way to make your business stand out.
- You need to know why your customers should buy from you-Knowing what your competition is doing is crucial to finding ways to making your business stand out. You need to be able to capitalize on the weakness of your competitors to show your strengths. Is your competition slow at processing orders or shipping them? Then you can market your business as the fast solution for processing and shipping. Does your competition offer the same specialization that you do? If not then use that in your marketing message. Remember, that your customers are seeing literally thousands of marketing messages everyday so you will have to work hard to make your business stand out.