Stand out in the competitive world of food and nutrition
This decade has seen an escalating focus on food and everything that goes with it, from diet fads to exercise supplements to best home cooking practices and eating out consumer habits. With what would appear to be an ever-increasing growth in interest, the extent of ideas to promote your business within this industry has become limitless.
Your website is a central portal to greet and enlighten a customer’s digital experience and grab the attention of potential customers, as well as provide a familiar space for your existing ones.
The attention grabbing part is the most difficult. With so many competitors out there, how do you stand out without spending a fortune on a flashy advertising campaign from a non-existent marketing budget? Here are three ways to consider:
- Be consistently reliable with your word
You would be surprised how many people don’t keep their promises.
Business owners who think that they are doing their customers a favour by giving them a taste of their brilliant expertise are going to kill their businesses faster than they can say, “we only serve organic”. In other words, offer exactly what you advertise and don’t be arrogant in assuming that closing early to suit an impromptu family gathering is going to be forgiven. Whatever buzzwords you choose to describe your establishment and your food, stick by them and if you really want the edge then over-deliver on your promises. Just remember to be realistic about your promises to begin with.
Sticking to your word will help you build up a strong foundation of followers. Your reviews will be glowing and your business should be able to withstand fluctuating seasons and short-lived fads.
- Be as original as you can in a saturated market
Remember when sushi was the “in thing”? It had actually been around for a really long time, but suddenly it was the only food anyone talked about and sushi restaurants were popping up all over the place claiming to be authentic. Eventually, everyone settled for their favourite spot and the hype died down considerably.
It’s not uncommon for entrepreneurs to read the current markets and copy the success of others, but success actually lies in forming new businesses and ideas, not replicating them. If you have an original idea you will automatically stand out from everyone else.
If you like what someone else is doing then change it up a bit to make it unique. Beware though – the quickest way to lose credibility is to assume consumers are dumb enough to think a stolen idea is an original. So give credit where it’s due and you’ll earn respect for your honesty – a rare trait in business these days.
- Get personal
Like just about everything in life, a business is nothing without trust. Take the bank for example; a real person to speak to when you have a concern is far more comforting than a recorded voice prompting you to key in your details and push certain buttons. Or having the butcher at a grocery store telling you which cut of meat is best suited to the dish you had in mind for your dinner party, instead of doing a Google search while simultaneously staring into a meat fridge.
The king of social media, Mark Zuckerberg knows this all too well, which is exactly why he has made sure that we know him, his wife and his daughter by name, and not just Facebook as a giant faceless corporation. People learn to trust other people and the brands they’re associated with, not buildings.
So be the face behind your business. Answer questions and complaints personally. Get involved in a charity within your community and be there in person, and also in the photographs that are posted on your social media pages. The way to stand out is to be present and always focussing on your customer’s needs:
- Show people that you are listening to what they are saying about you and are asking from you
- Personally apologise for bad service or non-delivery, and be gracious about it
- Thank people for compliments and solve problems immediately
- Don’t just say you will, but actually do it.
The easiest way to get an edge on your competitor is to not lose focus on your own business strategy by concerning yourself with what they are doing. Pay attention and stay true to your brand and loyal to your customer base. While this may all seem like common sense, in the rapacious global food industry, even that is a rarity these days?
