The Top Three Things Your Customers Can’t Find on Your Website

These days, the only way to get by as a business is to focus on a specific niche because you can’t expect to compete as an all-round generic retailer. However, it’s not simply about the products you sell when it comes to succeeding in a niche business area, it’s about the all-round package you deliver and the unique selling points your brand offers. Setting yourself apart from your rivals isn’t easy, but has to be done to build and run a viable business. This means nailing certain essentials your customers expect, which despite being crucially important are often missing from the equation…such as:

Information and Discussion

Your customers expect far more than a glorified digital vending machine churning out the products/services they’re interested in. Instead, they want an informational, engaging and all-round resource. From blogs to forums to Q&A sections to articles and so on, you need to get across that you and you alone are the authority on the subject. Not only this, but giving them the opportunity to get involved in the discussion can be just as valuable. You have to think way beyond product descriptions and even testimonials – effectively becoming an encyclopaedic reference point for whatever it is you specialise in.

Variety

When working in one specific area, it can be hard to know where to draw the line when it comes to variety. The last thing you want is to stray into generic territory, but at the same time you don’t want to limit choice too much and in doing so limit your appeal to prospective customers. There’s always the option of moving very slightly away from the exact area you specialise in, with related products or services of relevance and value to your target audience.

Your Brand’s USP

Last but not least, the whole point of setting up and running a business of any kind is to provide your target audience members with something they cannot find elsewhere. Chances are that no matter what you do or what you sell, it’s also available elsewhere. Perhaps from major and minor web retailers alike. So why is it that your target audience members should come to you, rather than going to them? There absolutely has to be a reason to choose your brand over others, or you can’t expect anyone to do so. You could be the most informative authority on the subject, have a unique product collection, exclusive special offers, low prices or even just the kind of backstory or working ethos that resonates with your customers. Whatever it is, you need to establish your USP and make sure you customers are made fully aware of it.