HOW TO STAND OUT IN A DIGITAL WORLD

If you are like most business owners today, you are involved with more than one form of social media to update your clients or customers. Guess what? So are your competitors. In droves. But the good news is that you don’t need to spend more money to get more exposure and stand out. You just need to think smarter.

Get Real

The very best way to really stand out and rise above the clutter is to be real. That means authenticity is the goal of every post. Walt Disney said that the more you’re like yourself, the less you’re like anyone else. And that’s true. Behind the scenes antidotes, staff stories, and customer reactions are what people are looking for. You don’t need fancy production values here either. Your phone can do most of the work. People want to make connections, not just be talked to. High touch over high tech wins the day.

Participate

Being part of your community is not only good for you, but also for business. This is where you get involved in a good cause, or program, and then share your experience. Look for causes that are close to your heart. Ones that make sense for your business to be a part of. Whether it’s helping other business owners, participating in community events, or providing volunteer hours, people take notice of people giving back. Then post about it online. And that alone encourages others to do the same. Community involvement is authentic and has resonance that commercials or promotions don’t have.

Build an Army

Word of mouth is the best advertising you can have, only today it happens in person and online as well. People love sharing stories and pictures of themselves, especially when they’re posted by others. Share your customer feedback, testimonials, and repost any pictures or comments forwarded to you. You don’t have any? Customers will gladly provide them, but you must ask them first.

Get Bigger by Being Smaller

There’s one sure road to business failure, and that’s trying to be all things to all people. Businesses get stronger by narrowing their focus and trying to be specific. Customers respond when you speak their language and let them know you cater just to them. That’s why a strong focus equals more customers. Make personal appeals by using the word ‘you’ in your content. Let people know it’s about them.

Be the Source

A good way to leave an impression on a personal visit is to bring something of interest with you. People want information they can read now and use tomorrow. Give tips, “how to do its” and ‘before and after’ scenarios in your posted content. Quick points and simple instructions that can be quickly scanned help get your message out to time pressed prospects. Get your posts known as a placed to stop for useful info.

Be There

People stand out when they’re consistent. In a world where many move on after a lackluster attempt, those who stay the course are well rewarded. Many social sites fade away due to inactivity. What starts strong doesn’t always continue. Why? Because it’s hard to post regularly. Especially when you run out of information of value. So, plan a posting schedule that you can meet consistently. Two to three times a week is plenty– and don’t take extended posting holidays. Stay consistent and interested prospects will be that way as well.

Spotlight the Community

Have you been around for awhile? Is your location well known? Tell the world what’s unique about your backyard and why you like it. A successful leather furniture store in an out-of-town location would always sign off their ads with, “It’s worth the drive to Acton”. In other words, come out and find out what’s unique about us and see our community at the same time. Saul Korman, the owner of Korry’s menswear, would do all his radio ads live and talk about the local teams, the Danforth area of Toronto, or just about anything other than his clothing. His ads seemed more like updates than commercials. Look for opportunities to weave your community into your message.

Joining Forces

Joe Cossman is a Hall of Fame marketer. I remember him talking about having a terrible time at a trade show until he ended up selling the person next to him a big order. Businesses around you are not competitors– they’re possible promotion partners. Can you feature a compatible business in your posts for similar reciprocal posts by your collaborator? That’s double the exposure for no cost.

Here’s the secret power to all about the above ideas. It’s not about adding more content. It’s about making more meaningful connections. People want high touch not high tech. They want reality and authenticity, not AI and templates. Before posting, ask yourself, is this something that would give me real value? Is this something that I would want to share with others? If the answer is no, spend more time thinking about what to post instead of how often. If you do the steps above, you have a good chance of rising above the clutter.