4 Ways To Stand Out As An Entrepreneur
Consistency
Consistency is so important in standing out as an entrepreneur. A consistent entrepreneur displays this quality in a couple of ways.
Brand consistency. People need to know what you do, how you do it and why you do it, with each business that you own. Marketing and social media should all consistently tell us what you do.
Messaging. This is closely connected to Brand consistency. Is your message consistent? It’s important not to follow trends that don’t align with your message. People will stay a client or customer because of their experience with you. So it’s important that you don’t change that experience for them because you are following every “hot” trend in the market.
Competitiveness
This can be tricky. Entrepreneurs will often find themselves in fields where there are existing players dealing in similar goods or services. When faced with this challenge, successful entrepreneurs re-invent themselves and challenge their competition head on. This calls for a thorough calculation on how to have that competitive advantage over their competitors. Here’s what it does not mean. It does not mean duplication. Watching someone else and doing what they do isn’t competitive; it’s copying. This can actually have the reverse effect. Instead of building brand loyalty, this may appear insincere and push your clients away. People are drawn to authenticity even when you are in a market that has similar products and services. Reinvent yourself authentically staying true to your mission.
Strong Work Ethic
Ethics are the moral principles which propel an individual to behave the way they do. An entrepreneur would definitely stand out if their ethics were positive and unquestionable. Here are a few things that will show a good work ethic.
Good Communication. We can’t emphasize this enough. As a business owner, your word is your brand. Be clear about what you can do and what you can’t do. When a deliverable has to be delayed, communicate this to your client. In such communication, be sure to provide the solution. A client or partner can understand delays and mistakes, but a lack of communication soils your brand.
Timeliness. Simply put, not respecting someone else’s time is an obvious message that you don’t value them or their time. Build in the time for projects so that you can deliver appropriately. It’s better to over deliver than to under deliver so when dealing with clients, estimate a longer time than you expect it to take so that your client feels you over delivered.
Good Work/Life Balance
We recently had a client share they chose not to work with a business consultant because of that person’s lack of good work life balance. He stated, “How can he help me with time management, systems and procedures, if he isn’t modeling that himself?” Balancing your work and your life not only prevents burnout, illness and anxiety, but when lacking can actually turn clients away. When someone trusts you with their business, they believe you can manage your time and business effectively so that they can feel as though they are valued. When you are missing appointments from being worn out, missing deadlines, or making commitments you can’t keep, potential clients will not see you as someone that will provide excellent service. And even if a person continues to work with you, they won’t feel comfortable bringing other business to you. Taking time for you, building in breaks and time to rest, eating balanced meals and getting plenty of rest helps you enjoy your business and it increases the opportunity for more business.
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