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My Site is Bigger than Your Site.....

By: Lauren Hobson, Thu Dec 8th, 2005 08:16:49 PM

Surfing around the 'net can be interesting, informative, and sometimes a little intimidating. When you run across sites that offer similar products and services to yours, it's nearly impossible not to compare how your site "stacks up" to theirs. But, the good news is that you can make your web site stand out from the crowd with a little effort and planning ahead.

Gaining some sort of advantage over your larger competitors can be a huge challenge. If you are a small business in a competitive market, it is quite easy to be ignored or even pushed out during your first few months of building your online presence. Patience is your best friend here, but there are also some other tactics to consider that will help differentiate your web site from everyone else.

Find Out What Your Customers Need

Filling a need or solving a problem almost always turns a prospect into a customer. So get back to basics - find out what your customers' problems are and what you can do to solve them. Then, emphasize this information in your marketing strategies, especially on your web site. Do a little research to find out what customers are looking for, then make a list of things that you do better than the big guys to solve customer problems. For example, do you have excellent customer support? Offer discounts or special pricing? Have you been recognized in your industry or won awards? All of these things can make you stand out from your competitors.

Do Your Homework

You need to find out what your customers want, but how are you supposed to get this type of information? Try short customer surveys, either by telephone or on your web site. Offer a free gift or discount for filling out the survey to increase participation from your customers. Do you know what blogs are? Blogs (short for Web Logs) offer information on all sorts of topics, and by joining the discussion you can find out from real customers what they like and dislike about certain products and services. There are several blog directories available to help you find the right topic for your business. Subscribing to newsletters and news feeds that pertain to your business can also help you keep up with what's going on in your industry overall.

Get a Little Personal

Many people find it much more appealing to directly interact with the owner or employees of a business during their purchasing experience. A personal response to an order beats an auto responder any day! This can be a huge differentiator between you and a larger competitor. The idea here is to be available to your customers and help build trust in the relationship. Customers want to know you and trust you before they buy anything from you!

Bigger Isn't Always Better

Small businesses have an excellent opportunity to understand their customers and what their problems are. Show them how your products and services solve their problems, and be sure to take advantage of the unique qualities that small businesses can offer, like personalized service or stability in the community. Add some of your own creativity and initiative, and you may be surprised how easy it is to make a great impression on the web!

About the author: Lauren Hobson is editor of Biz Talk Newsletter, a free, subscription-based e-newsletter sent to our clients, friends, and associates interested in tips for helping small businesses make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is a publication of Five Sparrows, LLC, a web site

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