How to Stand Out From Competitors & Unleash Your Inner Unicorn – Your Sparkly Brand Podcast

Introduction

It’s about to get hella sparkly! On today’s episode of Your Sparkly Brand, we’re talking about the VIP topic every biz owner must pay attention to in their marketing and branding. Given how competitive today’s market is — standing out from your competitors requires that extra sparkle. So we’re covering the importance of differentiating yourself from your competitors and sharing tips that will help you stand out so you can leave a lasting, unique, and unmatched impression on your customers.

Watch The Episode

Key Points For This Episode

• Meg’s taxes are done.
• Lauren creates a coaching consulting package for a client.
• Today we’re discussing how you can use marketing and branding to stand out from competitors.
• Why it’s important to stand out from competitors.
• Some of the ways you can make your business stand out from competitors.
• Focus on one thing.
• Clearly define your added value to stand out from competitors.
• Look at what’s going on in other industries.
• Craft a unique customer experience to stand out from competitors.
• Ask for and pay attention to customer feedback.
• Be bold AF to stand out from competitors.
• Focus on quality of process – this can help you stand out from competitors.
• Emphasize your unique selling point to stand out from competitors.
• Use price as a distinguishing factor.
• Leverage storytelling to stand out from competitors.
• Book a call with Lauren if you’d like to discuss how to attract your ideal clients with magnetic messaging and compelling copy.

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave us a 5-star rating! Ratings & reviews will help this podcast grow so we can make the world a little more Sparkly!

Transcript

Megan: Hello and welcome to Your Sparkly Brand, the podcast for badass game-changing business owners who aren’t afraid to sparkle and stand out from competitors. We’re all about fighting the status quo and marketing and branding so that you can reach more people and make more money. Coaches, creatives, and thought leaders.

Here you’ll discover how to become magnetic AF so that you can build and scale your sparkly empire. I’m Megan Gersch, your resident branding and web designer, and I’m here with my co-host, the magnetic messaging queen Lauren Tassi. Hey Lauren. How’s it going?

Lauren: Hey, Megan. I’m good. How are you?

Megan: Good.

Lauren: So what was your sparkly moment this week?

Megan: My sparkly moment is pretty simple. My taxes are done.

Lauren: Oh, yay!

Megan: And so that’s one more thing off the plate. So what about you?

Lauren: Oh I look forward to being in that spot as well. The thing that’s making me feel good this week I ended up doing sort of like a little coaching consulting package for a coach who came to me and was sort of like without a niche.

And it was one of those things where I was just like, I don’t know. I mean I can help you, but like you gotta help yourself and it’s sort of, kind of threw together some things that I used with other clients. And we just kind of wrapped that up yesterday and like we’re both like so thrilled with how it turned out.

She’s excited about the niche she has and I’m like, maybe I will do this in other capacities. So it just feels good to sort of like something at the wall and be like, you know what? This is actually helpful. No, I love that. Awesome.

Megan: Yeah. Very cool. Well, today we are digging into one of our favorite topics, how you can use your marketing and branding to stand out from competitors.

So first let’s talk about like why it’s important to stand out from competitors. Obviously, this is why somebody might buy from you instead of going to Target or Walmart or going to a big name, to get some products or services. And so there are several different ways that you can stand out from competitors with your branding and marketing, and we’re gonna go through some of those today.

The first of which is focusing on one thing, and this is something that I have in the past year or so, like really been focusing on in my business. When we say focus on one thing, it means you have to become known for something. So what is that one thing that your clients come to you for and what makes you different in that specific niche?

You can also narrow it down based on the benefit or the specific product or service. To give an example, Apple is obviously a great choice if you are looking for a high-quality camera. If you’re looking for that specific experience and that level of service, and there’s just something about buying an Apple product that like, I don’t know, it just comes with like a little bit of that feeling of prestige.

I mean, would you agree?

Lauren: Oh, absolutely. I mean, I think it’s funny that like so much of Apple’s advertising for their iPhone is based on the camera, right? It’s like you’re buying a phone, but really like all their billboards are like, look at this photo that was taken on a phone.

Megan: Yeah, absolutely.

Lauren: So let’s go into some other ones. Positioning is a huge thing. That’s kind of like how Apple goes. Okay, well, look at us. We have the best camera. It’s clearly defining your added value, and what makes you different. So you wanna consider how your business fits into the market. You wanna determine where you stand compared to people in the market, your competitors, your direct competitors, like kind of looking at people who are maybe ahead of you or people who are maybe behind you can really give you some ideas for that. You also wanna know like what’s going on in the industry, and what are your clients struggling with.

What is actually happening to show how you can position yourself differently? You know, we just did like that episode on AI, right? And so I see a lot of marketers sort of changing things up and you know, maybe teaching a course on how to use AI in your business. That’s one way to do that.

That’s a good example of that. using all of the points I just mentioned, you wanna kind of put those all together and determine your added value and what makes you different from everybody else.

Megan: Absolutely. Yeah, like I think one of the things too is the personality element adds a lot to it as well.

People are drawn to similar people in a similar vibe. And so, you want to see yourself with somebody similar. I don’t know if, you feel the same way, but when I’m looking for a coach or when I’m looking for somebody to learn from, I tend to gravitate towards certain types of personalities and you know, it’s a personality thing as well.

Yeah.

Lauren: I think that it’s what we talk about all the time. It’s attraction, right? Like, I don’t want to talk to somebody every day who’s not in some ways like me or in some way that I aspire to. You know, we don’t all have to like stay in our own bubbles, but it’s just like that “it” factor, you know?

Yeah, absolutely. So then, another thing to consider, and this is kind of the opposite of what I just mentioned, but this is really to me where the magic happens, is to look at what’s going on in other industries. This is always my favorite thing to talk to clients about when we’re really getting digging into their brand voice or how they wanna position themselves is like, okay, no, I don’t wanna hear what other coaches are doing.

Tell me like, you wanna be like Apple or you wanna be like this fashion brand, something completely out of the box that we can do and we can really have you stand out from competitors. So I think it’s just like really helpful to pay attention to what you like, even if it has nothing to do with your business. Because there can be some really golden nuggets in there and it will help you think outside the box and do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.

Cuz everyone else is doing what the other coaches are doing. They’re doing what the other copywriters are doing where if you can change things up, you’re gonna stand out from competitors and be memorable.

Megan: Yeah, that’s totally making me think of one of my recent clients who is in the Nutrition space and basically one of the people that she brought up while we were doing her branding process was a musician that she really aspired to and she loved, like her visual aesthetic.

She loved how punchy her marketing was. She loved how everything that she was putting out online was like very much planned and very much like – a whole vibe. She aspired to look like that on social media, and that’s like the kind of thing where obviously she’s not doing music, but like, you know, that gives me a strong indicator of like, okay, this is a direction that the brand needs to go.

Lauren: Yeah. I, I love that. It just, and it, it’s so fun to play with too. Like, it’s what makes you stand out from competitors.

Megan: Absolutely. So another thing you wanna think about is crafting a unique customer experience. So this is one of those things where you have to think about like that magic moment.

It’s not just the actual product that you’re delivering to your client, it’s the whole experience of working with you. So maybe that means, you know, delivering them a gift when you start working together. Or maybe it’s some little surprise that you give them at the end of working together. You have to really think about all of the different touchpoints that go into working with you, and then figure out how you can, you know, infuse your branding into that as well as you.

Really think about that customer delight, like so think about. If you were on the other end of that product or service, like what would put a smile on your face? Like what is like that surprise or like that, that little element of magic that you can bring? Apple, again, going back to this example, like Apple is an amazing example of the overall experience. You walk into the Apple store, it’s a whole thing. There are like white countertops. Everything is very clean. There’s like people walking around to try to help you buying the actual iPhone. Like then you, like, some people save the box. It’s a whole experience to actually buy an Apple product.

And you feel like you’re a part of this. I don’t wanna say community, but it’s like, it’s definitely like an experience to purchase an Apple product.

This goes with too, like if you have a brick-and-mortar business, maybe this could be something where you welcome people, or even in a digital sense, like sending them an onboarding document. Like what does that look like? What does that come with? Like, is it a PDF or is it a personalized video?

Like, is there a way that you can get a bit more personal with it, and provide that, just again, that little extra magic for your customers? Also thinking about like on your website, what do your customers see on the homepage? Like what are the first things that they see? How do they access your services?

Like thinking about like how they can access your customer reviews, how do they contact you? And thinking about that level of service, like how does that align with your brand, like, are you positioning yourself as a high-end service? Then your customer is probably expecting a certain level of communication, a certain level of attention to detail when you are delivering.

The other thing with this is to not neglect the post-purchase, point of contact. So like, think about what happens after the service is done. Do you send a follow-up email? Do you send them a little gift in the mail? Like what does that look like in terms of your brand?

And really crafting a unique experience to your brand is gonna be so key. And this is ultimately one of the things that’s gonna help you to create that community. And, Help people to feel a part of what it is to work with you and your business.

Lauren: Yeah, I mean, beyond even just standing out in the market, everything you just said is what will like get you a million-dollar business because it’s all about delivering if it’s a product, like can you create packaging where people wanna keep the box? Like, can you do something there? Can you like a post-purchase situation, once they’re already your customers, keeping them in your world, getting them to buy from you again, that’s where like the real magic happens is the increasing a customer’s lifetime value, increasing their working with you longer.

That’s how you grow. Absolutely. All right. So another thing that’s really important is to ask for and pay attention to customer feedback. You wanna be super proactive about asking for feedback. Automate as much as you can. But you also wanna keep your questions short and simple.

Not so short and simple that it’s just a yes or no. Especially if you’re getting like a review or a testimonial, but something that keeps them isn’t too complicated. That doesn’t make them stop and go, what is, what are they asking me? You wanna ask good questions? How could we improve on this product instead of, did you like our product?

Starting any question with how is always a smart thing to do, it’s always gonna get you a more interesting answer than a yes or no question. and you wanna make sure you take that feedback and then turn it into action. If they give you some ideas for improving your service, for improving, you know, your website, take that feedback and, and do something with it.

And then follow up with your customers and let them know that you did this. Like, how cool would that be? It’s like, oh, well I suggested you do this. It’s like, yeah. Oh, you’re right. That does look good. Thank you.

Another thing that we talk about is to be bold. Be bold AF – don’t be afraid to do something drastically different than what everyone else is doing. That’s how you stand out from competitors. That’s how you differentiate yourself in your market, and that’s how you will get ahead of your competitors.

You want to maybe lean into controversy. You know, we all know that. Attention on social media these days. So do it like, I mean, as long as it’s aligned with you and your values, lean into it. Focus on the one thing you think others are doing incorrectly or not doing at all. I mean, call people out. Don’t, don’t be afraid to, like, this is, This is you owning who you are and what you stand for.

You wanna consistently demonstrate that you are bucking the trends and doing away with the status quo, and you wanna create awareness in all of your marketing and communication. Like, it’s like write those, you know, controversial subject lines. Do those things that are gonna make people go, Yeah?

Megan: And I think it’s worth noting too, especially when it comes to social media, like if you’re reacting to something or if you are, commenting on something that somebody else has said, like do it in a, in a tasteful manner, that kind of aligns with your core values. Just make sure that it’s in alignment with your brand because, you know, sometimes I feel like people come at this from like a combative kind of state and that doesn’t look good for the brand as well. Either that, or I’ve also seen like, businesses will start to like make fun of their customers in a way. Like being like, this is a terrible customer.

And like playing that up on social media, which I don’t think is a good look either.

Lauren: Yeah, I, there’s, I think like in your own content and in your own, what you’re putting out there, it’s good, but in a reactive state, you know, it, you’re still running a business. You’re not, you know, trying to make, you’re not a, a troll out there trying to make enemies.

Megan: Totally. So the other thing that we wanted to mention here is focusing on the quality of the process. So you can make it super easy for your customers to do business with you. You know, automate as much as you can, make payment gateways. Like, have it be super simple for people to pay you.

I know that this sounds a little bit like common sense, but it’s like a lot of the times I’ve come up and tried to work with people and it’s like four or five DMs back and forth or emails, and then I have to like apply and then I have to do all these things. And it’s like by the time you actually get to the payment part, it’s like, okay, like am I really, do I really wanna do this?

Like, I don’t know, there’s been a lot of back and forth. And so anywhere where you can streamline that process for your customers is just gonna make it easier for them to purchase. The other thing to consider is, your refund policy as well as your satisfaction guarantee. Now, Lauren, I know this is a thing that you talk a lot about with when it comes to like funnels and stuff like that, but making sure that there are, the least amount of barriers in place for doing business with you as possible.

You also wanna check your reviews to see if there are barriers that people have you know, noted in your process or if there are opportunities there to streamline your process. And one of the things that is super helpful for businesses to kind of get nailed down straight away, especially like if you’re talking about the branding process is emphasizing your unique selling point.

So this is going back to like what makes you different, right? Like highlighting the factors of what it is that actually makes you different from the competitors. Maybe you have eco-friendly packaging or you are passionate about a specific cause.

So the more difficult your USP is to imitate, the greater your competitive advantage is. So like if you’re really standing out in the market, it’s gonna be that much easier to be like, there is no one else like me. Like I am not doing this like anybody else In the market. Some examples that are coming to mind are like, I know quite a few designers that do like, website in a day or website in a week.

And so it’s like, that’s the kind of thing where typically you would think like, oh, this is like a month-long process, or two months or whatever. But those are the types of folks that are saying like, Hey, we can actually get it to you in a quicker amount of time. And then if you find it difficult to identify what your USP is, you can try asking your previous customers, why they actually went with you over some other business.

What is the deciding factor that, you know, drew them to you? Like what, what is the personality trait where they were like, I absolutely have to work with you over somebody else.

Lauren: Yeah. You mentioned the price in there. And I think the price can be a great distinguishing factor. And it’s not as simple as just I’m the most expensive or I’m the cheapest.

Today’s market allows for all sorts of pricing models. There’s like freemium, there’s subscribe and save. I saw somebody mentioned today, like instead of having a retainer, they have a subscription. You know, like it’s there, it’s different ways. It’s kind of the same thing, but we’re just calling it different things and we’re making it more appealing to our customers.

Right? You can, it’s the way you package your services. It’s the way you, you know, where you’re showing up. So do your research and determine the best pricing model for your business. It, maybe it’s higher prices in exchange for like the most top-tier service. You know, you’re always available, you’re always, you know, there if somebody’s website crashes or something.

So just get creative with that and do something different. Don’t just do what everyone else is doing.

Megan: Yeah. And I think it’s also word noting too, to leverage storytelling. So, you know, tapping into like how you started your business, like why you started your business, like what does that look like?

Was there some type of transformation there that you can talk about? Like usually, you know, people that are telling stories online have like the beginning state, then maybe something has happened, then they. Made a change and then they go up to this kind of climax and then there’s some kind of resolution, right?

So, the brand story can help to build trust with your customers and your target audience and it can also help you to stand out from competitors.

Lauren: Yeah, that’s the one thing we all have that is truly unique about us is our story, how we got to where we are, why we started our business, and the more we can put that out there, the more that will.

Activate these other things we’re talking about, like, you know your personality and attracting those clients that you’re looking for. Absolutely. and that’s our episode for today. Are you ready to uplevel your business and stand out from competitors?

Then let’s chat about how magnetic messaging and compelling copy can attract your ideal clients like bees two, honey. Book a call with Lauren here.

Or if you need help with creating memorable branding that will help you stand out from competitors, get in touch with Megan here.

Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, stay sparkly.

About The Your Sparkly Brand Podcast

Your Sparkly Brand is a podcast for badass, game-changing business owners who aren’t afraid to sparkle and stand out from competitors. We’re all about fighting the status quo in marketing and branding so you can reach more people and make more money. Coaches, creatives, and thought leaders —  here you’ll discover how to become magnetic AF so you can build and scale a Sparkly Empire. 

Let’s Connect

Is there a topic you’d like us to cover in an upcoming episode? Are you a business owner who wants to join us on the podcast to share your story? Send us an email at yoursparklybrand@gmail.com to get in touch. 

Find Lauren at laurentassiagency.com or on Instagram

Connect with Megan at megangersch.com, on TikTok and Instagram