3 Ways to stand out in your industry

When people first have an idea for a project and someone asks, “Why don’t you start this as a serious venture?” the usual response is, “There are already so many people doing this.”

True, but no one else is you. No one grew up exactly the way you did, no one had to overcome the exact obstacles that you have, no one has had the exact experiences you have—and no one communicates, does business, or creates content exactly the way you do.

No matter how different you think you are—perhaps because you are not doing business in your native language, didn’t go to college, or started out with a career in a completely different field—you have strengths that are going to guide you through this process and help you stand out and build a reputation in your industry. Those strengths plus the values embodied in your business will make up the core of your unique selling proposition (aka your USP). 

Your USP is your unique perspective. It will play a huge part in your marketing strategy, both as you launch and as your business grows. The key to identifying your USP is to analyze who you are and where you stand in the market. Doing some market research is a great place to start, but here is where you can get even more detailed: focus on what your competitors do and how they do it versus what you do and how you do it differently.

Here are 3 ways you can stand out in your industry: 

• Using your personal strengths: 
  If you have strong communication skills and easily connect with people, that’s part of your USP. Let people learn a little more about you. If you are providing a service, consider hosting webinars or making short “intro” calls. Give them a glimpse of what it’s like to work with you or use your products; show them who you are and share your “why” with potential clients. 
   
• Create a business model that aligns with your values: 
  If you are creating a mission-driven brand, one way to stand out is to give back. Volunteer some of your skills, give products to charity, discount offerings to nonprofit leaders, or if you can, donate to organizations you are passionate about. People will feel better knowing they are giving to a business that gives back, especially if they perceive your company’s efforts as sincere.  
   
• Make it easy to work with you: 
  Answering messages in a timely manner, giving every one of your clients personalized attention, and forming genuine relationships with them creates a unique experience. When people repurchase from you or refer others, it’s because they felt supported. Just as the previous example demonstrated, people will remember their experience and how you made them feel. That goes a long way! You will see this come up in the reviews people leave, the number of direct referrals you get, and the customers that return. 

Final note: Remember that you have a unique perspective; therefore, you will create a unique business and product. It can be intimidating to see everything else that is out there, and you may even experience a bit of imposter syndrome, but you do deserve a seat at this table—the entrepreneur table. If you need a little bit of support along the way, the IFundWomen community and I are here to help. Matter of fact, I hosted a workshop on this very topic! You can access the replay of my workshop in the IFundWomen workshops library by signing up for a coaching plan—starting as low as $9 per month.

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