Customers are happy to switch brands if they see the value in doing so. It is up to you to give them good, sound reasons why they should choose your business over your competitors. You not only have to win them over but cultivate their loyalty by the way you treat them if you want to retain them. Here are five ways to win them over.
1. Make sure you display your differences
The businesses that stand out are the ones that get customers. For example, Talkroute offers a virtual phone system with many features and you can get a virtual phone number for your business that will help you to stand out from the competition.
If you are very specific about how you’re different from other businesses, you will win clients. Perhaps your product is unique and fills a gap in the market. Maybe the competitor’s product does not offer the functionality of your product or it may be more expensive and yet offer the same results.
2. Use your knowledge about competitors
If you want to woo your competitors’ clients, you need to understand how they’re finding them. Where are they marketing and what pitches are they using? Is there anything they are doing that you haven’t tried yet?
A thorough competitor analysis can give you a clearer idea of what’s happening in the market and give you a solid foundation on which to develop your own strategies.
The more you know about your competitors, the more authority you have when you promote your own products. For example, if you know about a certain challenge a client may have when using a competitor’s product, you can demonstrate why your product is better.
3. Encourage and nurture brand advocates
Consumers want to be part of a group and show people in their network that they support the values of a certain brand. You need to create a community and encourage individuals who show a strong interest in your brand. They could make recommendations on social media that influence many other consumers.
A word-of-mouth recommendation is credible and one of the most powerful ways to attract clients away from competitors. It is an extremely cost-effective way to attract new clients.
Clients will often stick with unsatisfactory vendors simply because they know a product and have invested time and energy into it. Even if they don’t like it that much, they don’t want to go to the effort of learning something new. However, a recommendation from a trusted colleague may be exactly what they need to make a move.
4. Form a strong base of loyal clients
Thanks to social media, consumers can easily contact the brands they buy from and brands can make personal connections with them. Creating emotional ties with clients is critical to retaining them over the long term and gaining high levels of loyalty.
Clients who have an emotional connection to a brand are less sensitive to other factors like price. When you have a strong base of loyal clients, it is easier to persuade others looking for a similar connection and not getting it from your competitors to join them.
5. Invest in the mobile space
The app economy is booming and businesses with apps are more attractive to consumers. Nearly 50 percent of sales are being completed from smartphones today. Businesses with mobile-friendly websites and apps will gain clients who want to keep doing more with their phones and tablets. Investing more in the mobile space could give your business an advantage over your competitors.
