Finding that sweet spot where you are the leader keeps you from being compared.
The last thing we should be in the world is common. That puts us in the mix to be compared with everyone around us, and that merely creates commoditization. It may be what a buyer wants. It allows them to compare and create the argument around price rather than value. But it is not the best for your business.
Assuming you do have something that is unique and valuable, it is far better to occupy a distinct place in the mind of the buyer. This makes you unique and incomparable. Of course, this may be easier stated than done in practicality. However, with the buyer’s ability to be able to search and choose quickly for alternatives, there is little choice if you want to remain competitive.
Occupying A Niche May Just Be A Small Twist
Every industry works differently. However, there is always opportunity to create a derivative of what everyone else is doing. A small twist to what is mainstream may create a large impact for sales. Look at all the categories of beer. Chemically, the ingredients are highly similar between different brewers. However, packaging around the light beer category or the imported beer category and the many other different delineations makes you look at a beer brand with a unique choice based on what category you are in the mood for. It’s a small twist to the beer market that creates separation for each brand.
A small twist works in many categories including cars, marketing services and running shoes to name a few examples. While we would all enjoy the opportunity to dominate a broad market, this is less likely than owning a niche in the mind of the consumer.
Ensuring Your Branding Messages Are Clear With Your Niche
Making a shift to a more narrow category within your industry will likely involve ensuring that every customer touch point carries the unique message. Your website copy needs to be updated and push the narrower niche messaging. It has to be part of what your sales dialogue focuses on.
The battle is happening in the mind of your customer where they can hopefully see you as a clear leader. From there, you are convincing them that your narrow niche category is the solution to what they may not be able to fully articulate. This can be both suggestive and imperative in your sales approach.
The further you can define your niche, the less comparison can be made between you and someone else. It keeps the conversation focused on a uniqueness that you are customized to solve.
Don’t Fall In Line Anymore
Part of what we work on with branding and marketing strategy with our clients is helping them separate themselves from the pack. It is making them remarkable. It means that they have to see themselves and promote a position in the mind of their customers that does not put them in line with others. It is truly creating a brand.
That takes a lot of hard work on strategy and implementation of the customer touch points to communicate a niche with the overall customer experience. Customers learn for themselves online and come to conclusions about who you are from how you position.
If you are in line, get out. It’s detrimental to your own value and keeps you in someone else’s game.
If you look at how you are perceived, are you often compared to others? In what ways can you create changes that would allow you to be more narrow and unique in the mind of customers in your market?
