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Be An Orange

Written by: Cidnee Stephen

Article Overview: When a prospective buyer is looking at your product or service, he or she is really comparing you to the competition. So the question is, are they comparing an apple to an apple or an apple to an orange? It is vitally important in marketing that you find a way to be THE orange! In other words, what is it about you that makes you completely DIFFERENT from your competitor?

Be An Orange

When a prospective buyer is looking at your product or service, he or she is really comparing you to the competition. So the question is, are they comparing an apple to an apple or an apple to an orange? It is vitally important in marketing that you find a way to be THE orange! In other words, what is it about you that makes you completely DIFFERENT from your competitor?

If you can't find a way to be different, you will constantly find yourself being pressured on price, and small businesses can't survive on constant price cutting. So how do you differentiate?

First understand that these are NOT differences

1. Great Service
2. Great Quality for the Price

These are expectations for all businesses!

Secondly, just because your product or service is unique doesn't necessarily mean you are automatically an orange. If others can find another product or service out there that can still give them the same end result then you REALLY aren't that different! Think about these possibilities:

• Serving a Niche
• Different Form of Distribution
• Unique Process
• Special Offer
• Guarantee
• Unique Service

If you're not sure what makes you different, ask your top clients, why they chose you and why they keep coming back. They may start with watered down answers like, "you're great." Probe a little deeper. Nine times out of ten, what makes us different is the "little things" we do that we didn't even know mattered!

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Article Tags: apple, competitor, end result, marketing, niche, nine times, orange, possibilities, prospective buyer, small businesses, special offer, unique service



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