The area in which I live is known to have character. Each house is different, or has historic presence, and stands out among other places nearby. There really is no “big business” in our area overcrowding every street corner and making their over domineering corporate-America presence known. This is a place that embraces entrepreneurs.
So when driving down a road I haven’t traveled in a while, I noticed something out of the ordinary; cookie cutter houses. A new development was being built and each house looked exactly the same. Their yards were the same, with the same tree in the same spot, and the grass all the same length. Nothing about these houses or this development had anything exceptional to them. They lacked character.
Character has several meanings. It can mean distinctive quality, attributes and features that distinguish an individual, or moral excellence and firmness.
When it comes to your business, do you stand out? Or do you model yourself in the same sameness as your competitors? What makes you distinctive from the others? In which ways do you show your moral excellence?
While you could sell exactly the same product as the business down the street whose storefront has the same look as yours, there are ways to distinguish yourself from your competitor.
First and foremost, know your customer and listen to them. I could walk into Target and get any random employee to help me find what I am looking for that could care less about what it is I need, or I could walk into your business where your employees know me by name, they know what I like and dislike, they know my needs, and they provide a willingness to help. It’s called Exceptional Customer Service. I have bought makeup from big named companies and I have bought makeup from lesser-known companies. While the product may be exactly the same in quality, what distinguished one from the other is the willingness of the smaller company to get to know me as a customer. This exceptional customer service sold me, and now when I am in need of a good eye shadow, I turn to them.
The set up of your store should set the tone. Just like walking into Barnes and Noble or Borders, as soon as you walk through their doors, the mood changes. You automatically feel the relaxed atmosphere exude in each corner and each aisle. Use relaxing fragrances and light music, you want your customers to feel a mood change and want to stay in your store to browse, but also to associate that great feeling with your name. If they feel good about their experience in your store, they are more likely to return.
Finally, you should show honesty and integrity. If a customer asks a question and you don’t know the answer, admit it. One thing I dislike is watching an employee fumble for an answer that I can see they clearly do not know. Your customers will respect you more if you admit you don’t know the answer, but provide the willingness to help by offering to do the research to find out. Not only does this show honesty, but also it shows exceptional customer service for your willingness to resolve their issue.
If you are a business owner, tell us what you do to show character to make you stand out among your competitors.
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