The classic tale of David and Goliath is one that SMB owners know well. Mom & pops, start-ups, even established mid-sized companies will come to battle a giant eventually and another one after that. Waging a war for customer attention when your resources are merely a shred of your well-funded counterpart can feel insurmountable. How can the little guy be victorious with an unequal playing field? The service makes the difference. Here are a few ideas to help you stand out in a field of giants.Let's Get Personal
Personalization takes time, finesse and attention and you don't need a big budget to accomplish it. Give the feeling of being one-to-one without being a creeper. Using personalization tokens in email subjects, like "Kendra, This Offer Is Perfect for You", can help your customers and prospects feel like they are recognized as individuals. This feature is available in plenty of free email marketing programs so there is no barrier to entry regardless of your company size.
Engage In a Dialogue
Social media is a great resource, and one where we're all using the same set of tools so the upper hand is eliminated. Use your social media channels of choice to share information you think is important, content that supports your brand. It doesn't have to be original, it can be a link to someone else's content. Share it and add your commentary. Ask questions, add polls, pose challenges. If someone gives you a review or comment, respond! Make your social feed a place for conversation, not just sales and marketing. Building that personal connection will win you favor when it comes to customers choosing you or the competition.
Use Free Tools Until You Can't
There are nearly an unlimited number of as-a-Service marketing, sales, and service tools available, and while eventually they'll cost you money to unlock the higher level features, there are generally a hearty suite of free tools available to help you grow and get you hooked on the platform. Take advantage of these offers! For the time being, they may be just the next step you need and if you're successful, then you'll already have a base established to grow on.
Our favorite platform is HubSpot (we're a certified partner agency as well as certified HubSpot trainers). HubSpot offers a full stack of software for marketing, sales, and customer service, with a completely free CRM at its core. They’re powerful alone — but even better when used together. The CRM is a great way to start tracking your client behavior and engage from a more informed angel. The free versions offer you a great opportunity to access as-a-Service features at no cost to you, and you'll quickly learn which paid features are worth your investment.
Successful Service Serves Success!
Let your customers in on the man behind the curtain. You can stand out among giant companies by being a face and personality that your clients can identify and engage with. Add as much personalization to your communications with them as you can without being too big-brothery (which is a common short falling when big companies use personalization). Check out our customer service guide for more ideas on standing out.
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