Not only was it personally rewarding , but it paid big dividends as some of my best clients ( that I still work with today ) came on board as a result of this charity work and my company ’ s interest in our local community . Plus , getting involved in local charity events is great , free PR .
Care about your clients entire business - It ’ s not enough anymore just to do your job well at a reasonable price . You need to be on the lookout for ways to enhance your clients business even if it is not directly correlated to what you are providing them .
Example : If you are a health benefits provider and you are selling services to clients with less than 50 employees the rates for services will be the same with any broker they choose . By offering complimentary services like payroll , education savings , and retirement planning through partners you can help your client with more than they ever expected .
Be different , but recognizable – You want to be able to stand out in from your competitors , whether irreverence is the angle , a slightly different solutions offering or you offer a twist on your delivery method . Whatever angle you use to raise your profile , it should be different enough to be eye-catching and memorable , without confusing your prospects or customers on your product offering .
Example : Several years back , a local limousine service in the northeast was the first one to introduce hybrid cars in to their fleet . They tapped into a burgeoning market of travelers who want to be environmentally friendly . While the upfront vehicle purchase was initially higher , the operating costs are lower than standard vehicles over the long term and this organization made themselves stand out as different and forward-thinking in a sea of lackluster vendors . They appealed to and solidified a solid consumer base in a new , young generation that will use them for years to come .
Do a better job than your competitors in educating your customers – Information is ubiquitous .
You can find anything you want just by doing a web search . While this is true , being a trusted source of pertinent and relevant industry information for your clientele and followers means that they will be happy to use your website and staff consistently as a resource while thankful you did the research for them .
Example : I received a fantastic white paper from an ERISA attorney that was so well written and informative , I called him up and asked him if I could share it with my entire client base . I am sure he was counting of some of the recipients to react this way . The attorney has since done some work for my firm . I would not have looked for this information on my own , but was pleased to have it and share it with my customers . My customers were also happy to have received pertinent information to help them run their business .
My firm quietly took market share for over five years before really being on the industry leaders ’ radar . The reality is that while we are a complete nuisance , we ’ re not really a threat to their existence . That is probably the outcome that most of the entrepreneurs that choose to go head to head with the giants of their industry face . The brilliant and lucky few sometimes find a way to become the big guys . I ask if they are really “ lucky ” to become that big ? I would rather be a company with a Napoleon complex- a smaller company with a big attitude .
Small business and Entrepreneur Advocate , Expert and Author Robert Basso is founder and president of the New York region ’ s largest independent payroll processing firm , Advantage Payroll Services and a regularly sought out small business guest speaker , mentor and media expert .
For more information visit http :// www . RobBasso . com
Strictly Marketing Magazine July / August 2016 17