Keeping Your Small Business Unique

October 21, 2013 by Christine

One of the biggest things that many small business owners struggle with, especially in the early stages of their business, is creating a unique identity for their business. Uniqueness is an extremely important quality to have, especially if your business is in a crowded market, because you need something to differentiate yourself that gives customers a reason to come through your doors.

But how exactly do you achieve uniqueness, especially if you’re in a type business that has a lot of competition?

Consider the things about you and your business that no one else has

No matter what, there is going to be some aspect of you or your business that is completely unique to you. Possibilities include:

·         Your story. What is your personal background? How did you decide to form this business, and what is the business’s history so far?

·         Your skill set. Everybody is really good at something. What are your strongest skills?

·         Your personality. Everything from your style to your attitude goes into this. What are some adjectives that you would use to describe yourself as a person?

Once you have identified these differentiating factors, you can really start to make your business unique. For example: if you create a business that reflects your own personality, it will seem so much more natural when it comes time to market your business. If you are a naturally compassionate, helpful person, then you want a marketing campaign that is down-to-earth and personal. If you are a dynamic extrovert, talkative and flighty, you want an advertising campaign that is fun and boisterous. You get the idea.

The same thing goes for your skill set. You want your business’s strengths to match up with your own personal strengths in the early going. This will make it easier for you to establish a level of success, because you won’t be “working against the grain” by trying to force it in aspects of business that don’t fall within your skill set.

Finally, let’s talk a bit about your story. Your story is what defines you. It is a collection of the moments and decisions in your life that have made you who you are today. While this personal history might not always have a direct impact on your business, it certainly has helped to shape your personality. Keep your story in the back of your mind at all times, and make sure that what you do and accomplish with your business stays in line with the narrative you’ve created for your life.

Because your skill set, story and personality are unique to you, allowing your business to take advantage of those areas will make your business unique as well!

Prior to joining Viral Solutions, Christine held executive leadership roles at some of the largest small business consulting firms in the USA. Her experience includes leading direct reports of over 130 remote sales agents who generated $38mm in annual revenue. She obtained her Marketing degree from British Columbia Institute of Technology. Bring her C-Suite experience to your small business. Although our company is virtual, and we can work with you wherever you are located, she is located in Denver, Colorado and owns a second home in Vancouver, BC Canada.

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