Six Proven Ways to Make Your Small-Town Business Unique (You Don't Have a Choice)

Your customers will decide who's unique and who's not.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

If you took high school physics, you learned that two objects can't occupy the same space simultaneously.

The same is true in business marketing. No two companies can simultaneously share the same perception in the customer's mind.

We're not talking about a physical presence but an image that comes into customers' minds when they think of your business.

If I were to ask ten different customers where to find the lowest price, highest quality, or most selection for women's clothing

I would get ten different answers for each niche.

Each customer might have a different perception of low price or highest quality. But each customer will usually only have one answer per niche.

Here are six back niches a business can occupy.

Is your business among them?

1.     Low price/low quality – 

If you have the lowest prices, you can talk quality all you want, but you'll have an uphill climb to convince the customer. We’re suspicious of low prices. Does the phrase, "What's the catch." ring a bell? There’s nothing wrong with having competitive prices for comparable products. Businesses that consistently have the lowest prices usually just match competitors’ prices. Many name-brand products will not allow a company to sell them below a specific price. They don't want to be perceived as cheap.

2.     Top of the Line, Highest Price/Best Quality – 

Rolls Royce, Rolex. Top-of-the-line products not only have a perception of high quality but can also be prestigious. Also, keep in mind high price can carry the perception that it's overpriced. Does "You pay more for the name." ring a bell? It's much easier to justify a higher price by pointing out the quality than trying to explain the price.

3.    Large Selection – 

Go to any big-name department store, Macy's or Nordstroms, and compare the size of the women's clothing department to the men's clothing department. The women's section is always three to four times larger than the men's section. Why? Women demand selection. It's fashion suicide for a woman to be caught at a social function wearing the same outfit as someone else. Men don't care if someone else has the same tie. Do your customers demand selection? If so, how does your choice compare to your competition? Keep in mind selection doesn't always mean inventory. One flower shop may carry exotic flowers while another shop doesn't. The shop with the exotics has a more extensive selection with one flower than the one with none.

4.    Service – 

Ask any significant retail chain who has the best customer service, and chances are they will say, Nordstrom. They’re the team to beat in retail customer service. In small towns, families and small businesses can usually offer better individual customer service than national chains. Always call customers by name. See: Don’t be a salesperson be an assistant buyer.

5.    Be Friendly –

Small businesses usually excel in this area. Small businesses can get to know their customers by name. Large enterprises have more restrictions and rules than small businesses. Workers in small companies have more sense of ownership of their job than in large faceless corporations.

6.    Convenient – 

We hate to go out of the way for things. We shop, eat, and buy gas where it's easiest. We pick something up on the way home from work. We seldom go out of our way to go to a specific business if another is more convenient.

With which of the six does your business coincide?

I know what you're thinking, "We do all of the above."

You can't occupy all the positions at the same time. Only one will be dominant in the minds of the customers.

You Don't Have a Choice

Unless you're a brand-new business, your customers already have a perception of your business. It may be right or wrong, but they have it.

If you don't do anything, your customers will pigeonhole you and your competition.

You don't have a choice.

They may not do it the way you want, but they will do it.

Doesn't it make more sense to find the most substantial niche, promote it, and establish your uniqueness to your customers?