In the world of entrepreneurship, standing out from the competition is key in gaining new clientele. Yes, it is true that no-one can do your craft like you, but when a person is trying to choose from five different caterers or hairstylists it can make you wonder how you can have that extra edge to stand out. Here are a few tips on how you can stand out from the competition and attract new and loyal clientele.
Tip #1: Be Diligent With Your Social Media Presence
These days social media is a dictator for how people, both strangers and familial see you. It is always a great idea to separate your personal and business social media. Especially if your personal accounts is a little less than professional. While you do not want to create a fake account, let’s be honest a person might be hesitant to hire you as her child- care provider if they see you online arguing with someone or constantly sees pictures of yourself drunk on the weekend. While these things do not outright determine your ability to provide a quality product or service, perception is key, and you always want to create a stable, professional presence online. If you decide not to separate your business and social, it is best to be cautious of what you post. Having others see you at the beach or the hike you just climbed can make you seem more personable and attract clientele. Just remember to keep your posts, pictures and engagement at a PG-rating.
Tip #2: Reviews go a long way
Word of mouth goes a long way. And the best way for potential clientele to see the quality of your work is to have access to reviews from past clients. Setting up a yelp page or having a reviews section on your website is a great way to prove you are not all talk when it comes to your passion. Express to clients that leaving a review does so much to help your business. You can even offer incentives like a small discount off a customer’s next order can be a good way to increase reviews.
Tip #3: Show off your work
Don’t be shy! Show off your work. And that’s where we go back to social media. Your pages should show a good amount of work you have done. People are visual creatures. It’s one thing to say you are a party planner, but if you have pictures of parties that you have planned it is a great way to show the public that you really are the best at your work. If you don’t have steady clientele, ask friends or family members can they allow you to experiment with them. Ask if they will allow you to do a manicure or bake desserts for your portfolio. The more visuals you have, the better.
In the end there is only so much you can do to stand out from the competition. But if you stay consistent, plug your business at every appropriate time and hang in there the opportunities will keep coming.
