Starting a new career as a business owner can be daunting, especially if you have previously worked for others. You may be used to following orders from managers so it may not be easy to manage your fledgling business in the start. You’re now responsible for your own business decisions and have to devise brave and innovative ways to ensure your new venture is a success for its longevity. 

However, you might not always know where to begin, especially when your primary goal is to stand out. Here are just a few of the many ways you can make your fledgling business shine amongst your competition. 

Prioritize Ethics

Many consumers care about company ethics and want to support businesses that take care of their employees and are careful with who they work with in communities around the world. Make ethics your point of difference among other companies like yours by refusing to work with suppliers linked to Uyghur forced labor, those that fail to take care of worker rights, and even companies that don’t use sustainable materials in their products. 

You might also go one step further by creating an ethics and expectations manual for your current and future employees and clearly defining your values for the general public to see. When customers know that you promote an ethical environment for your team and all parts of the supply chain, they might be more inclined to purchase your goods and services. 

Make Your Brand Story Compelling

Every business has a story, but not every business shares it or makes it a story worth reading. When launching your business, have a brand story that builds trust, forms an emotional connection, and brings customers in. 

Even the most straightforward businesses can develop brand stories that help them stand out from their competition. For example, if your company sells baked goods, your brand story might be about ensuring everyone has to access to food. In that instance, you might align yourself with charities to donate a percentage of your profits to those unable to put food on the table. 

Be Involved In Your Community

Many new business owners struggle to put themselves in the public eye, especially if they’re introverted rather than extroverted. That can be an issue when you’re trying to welcome new customers through your doors. 

Once that ‘open’ sign goes up, make a point of familiarizing yourself with local events that you can be a part of with the goal of ensuring people in your local community know you exist. This might involve providing goods and services at cost or for free for charity events or sponsoring community initiatives in exchange for branding exposure. Every small amount of community involvement that allows you to show off your brand can be one step toward brand recognition and a new, loyal customer base. 

Create a Professional Website

At least 27% of small businesses don’t have websites, and if your business falls into that percentage, it might be time to take action. A professionally-designed website allows you to accept online sales,  show prospective purchasers what you stand for, establish credibility, and appear in online search results. 

While you might be busy focusing on aligning yourself with reputable product suppliers and putting the finishing touches on your new business premises, website development can be equally as important.   

Take the time to think about the type of content that will be important for customers to see and the website style that will be the most appealing. Don’t be afraid to check out what your competition is offering to learn how you can create a point of difference in the digital space. 

Prioritize Marketing

Opening a new business in your town or city used to be a reasonably straightforward process. You could transform your physical location, add an ‘open’ sign, put an ad in the newspaper, and wait for customers to turn up. 

The digital age has opened many new doors, while also making marketing slightly more complex. Now, you have a wide range of advertising options at your disposal, such as email marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, and influencer marketing. 

While it can be stressful trying to figure out which marketing strategies will work the best for your business, a small amount of homework might be how you put your business front and center and welcome new customers through your doors. Set a marketing budget, consider utilizing the services of a marketing company and watch all your hard work pay off. 

Any new business owner can struggle to make their fledgling business stand out, especially when competition is fierce and multiple companies are fighting for market share. However, by taking any of these actions above, you might be well-positioned to launch a successful business that stands out for all the right reasons.

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