Feeling overwhelmed with the amount of COMPETITION out there?
If you’re one of many, many jewellery designers, one in a million illustrators, or maybe one of a huge number of ceramicists. Sometimes it’s really hard to not compare yourself to other (what you perceive to be more successful) businesses.
And whilst you do need to have an awareness of the market out there, it’s completely counterproductive to get yourself into a funk of the ‘not good enoughs’ because of it.
The answer, my friend, is to find your secret sauce!
If you want to stand out in a saturated market, the only answer is be clear on what you stand for, and make sure it’s unique to you! That way, people will come to you. You need to stand out for the crows and offer something different.
But what if you don’t know what your secret sauce is? Well, let me help you out!
Here’s FIVE ways to help find your secret sauce and help define your brand:
Ask your customers!
Who better than to know what your secret sauce is that your actual live, paying customers? After all, they’re the ones that have picked you to do business with. You just need to find out from them why! You can either weave it into a conversation (without making it too obvious). Or you could drop them a survey by email using Google forms or a tool like Typeform, where you could ask them.
Go back to the start…
Sometimes when you’ve in business a while you can lose touch with why you started it in the first place. Cast your mind back to the start, what got you excited about your business? Why did you start? What did you want to bring to the world. Get back in touch with your passion as that’s where all the best business ideas come from.
Ask yourself what’s unique about your products and services?
Do you offer something different to other people? Are you offering a unique product? Do you offer a unique proposition – for example maybe you donate a mug for charity for every one you sell?
Ask yourself what’s different about the way you present/package up your products/services?
It might be that your products and services are similar to what other people offer, but maybe you present them, package them or sell them in a different way – maybe this is what singles you out?
Ask yourself about your values – how are you different from others?
It might be that your values are different to others, but your products are similar – so for example – you might make jewellery that’s designed to be easy for new mums to wear (probably a collection of studs, maybe a simple, easy to care for necklace). The jewellery itself may be similar to other jewellery out there – but one of your brand’s core values is around motherhood – so that would be your secret sauce.
So there’s just a few ideas about how to find your secret sauce – remember, it might not be that your products are different – it might be the way you offer them or your brand values.