The world of retail is one that is both small and vast at the same time. Customers have options and choices — they can go bulk, wholesale, imported. They’re constantly being peppered with advertising that sells them the next big thing. What can we do as business owners to take that attention and cut through the noise. How do we beat the endless competition and stand out amongst the crowd?
Pricing —
Pricing is usually a race to the bottom. We see what everyone else is charging, and charge a little less. This ultimately ends in people losing their businesses. No one should want to be the lowest priced shop. It’s not sustainable and it gives your products an air of cheapness. Customers get leery and wonder what is wrong with the product. People are willing to pay more for quality.
Uniqueness —
Find out what is unique about your product. What do you feel sets you and your shop and products apart from your competitors? This is something you want to focus on in your listings. You should write about it in your descriptions. You should make sure that it comes across in your photos. A majority of people don't read. They shop visually. You want a thumb stopper when someone is scrolling through your photos. If your emphasis is on quality, make sure you take close ups of the details so your potential customers can really see it for themselves.
Bring value beyond a transaction —
You don’t want a customer to spend $10 and never come back again. You are building an audience that should last a life time. Now with that perspective — what can you do to bring value to your customers every day? Look to options like creating content on how to use or care for your products, show them what is unique and special about your work. No one wants to be sold to all of the time. The people who will be repeat business and bring their friends along are the people that you bring the most value to without asking anything of them at all.
Consider Charitable Donations —
People are willing to pay more if they feel like their money is going to a cause to help others. Find a charity that aligns with your business that you can donate products or a portion of your profits to. If you run a kid's boutique, or make accessories for kids, a children's hospital could be a good fit. If you make soap, maybe you could donate some of your product to a local homeless shelter. If you make pet accessories, a local animal shelter could be a good fit. You can charge a little extra and do a 1 product purchased, 1 product given, or just do a percentage of profits to be donated monthly.
Customer Service—
Good customer service is the best way to get your name out there through word-of-mouth. It's easy to be kind and cordial to everyone when everyone is happy. It can be hard to deal with unhappy customers, but it's important that we give all customers the best possible experience. Customers want to be heard and have their problem genuinely validated. A simple “I'm so sorry this happened,” can go a long way. Most of the time, the solution is clear. The cost of solving a customer's issue is the cost of doing business. Customers aren't trying to personally attack you. Learn from the experience, pay the price once, implement a plan to prevent the problem from recurring, and move on. Customers that are treated properly will be more likely to recommend your business to their friends.