Ways to Get Ahead of Your Competitors

Business competition can be quite fierce, especially when you are selling in a marketplace that has active and aggressive competitors. It gets quite difficult to defend your position in the market and get that competitive edge over others. However, there are a few ideas you can implement to differentiate your brand from other sellers and get more customers!

1.   Know who your competitors are

If you don’t have enough information regarding your competitors, how will you be able to outdo them? It is really important to know what your competitors are offering and at what price. Also, learn about their strengths and the areas where they lack. This will help you discover the areas where you can get an advantage over your competitors and provide you with a platform to differentiate yourself from your rivals.

Conduct your research in two ways. First, evaluate the businesses that are doing better than you and find out their unique selling point. Second, keep an eye on weaker competitors and figure out how you can take advantage of the situation and get ahead of them.

2.   Learn more about your customers

You are trying to win the race to attract more customers and retain them- so you must know what your current as well as potential customers value.

Customer expectations are rapidly changing. Find out what your customers care about at the moment- is it cheaper product price, flexible customer service, or the trendiest products? Use the data from your existing customers and learn about their buying behavior. Which product of yours are they attracted to the most? Do they go for the one with the lowest rates? Which products are they not interested in? Such questions help you identify your target market and know about the category you can be most competitive in. If you think your customers are attracted to lower rates, then repricing is the way to retain them.

3.   Differentiate your brand

It is critical to provide compelling reasons for customers to choose you over a competitor. This can be accomplished by knowing about customer value and learning how to give customers what they want. It can be the best product prices, low-rate or free shipping, bundles, attractive discounts, and offers, or exceptional customer service. However, it should be evident, and clear-  no one should have to inquire what makes you unique. You can easily win customers when you offer them more than they expected.

4.   Increase your marketing efforts

Put more effort into marketing your products and let customers know about your brand, what products you offer, and why they should come to you to purchase those items. You don’t have to set a large budget to carry out marketing activities- there are various cost-effective ideas to promote your products, which include running campaigns on your social media sites and emailing your customers.

5.   Work on your content

Your content on Amazon should reflect your USP. It is really important to write creative product descriptions, utilize high-ranking keywords, and upload the best product images. Product images are the first thing your customers notice about your product, of course, after the title. Make your listings and products look more inviting and modern. Also, make sure your packaging is attractive as well. Customers love when they receive a little *thank you for shopping* note in their packages.

6.   Take care of your current customers

Your existing customers are going to be the target market of your competitors. Increase customer satisfaction by listening to them, and being responsive towards their inquiries and complaints. Consider offering better credit terms or loyalty cards for your existing customers. Retaining existing consumers is significantly less expensive and easier than finding new ones.

7.   Offer your products in other markets as well.

Expanding your business online is always a great idea. It helps you increase your customer base and sell more. If you are already selling on Amazon and are satisfied with the experience, then consider shifting to other similar platforms as well such as eBay, Walmart, and Facebook marketplace. Moreover, if you are offering your products to your local customers, then switch to selling overseas as well. In short, make sure you reach a wider audience by selling on multiple marketplaces and offering products worldwide.

8.   Keep your product prices competitive

Apart from expanding your product line and offering the best quality products to your customers, it is equally important to offer them the best price in the market. On Amazon, price changes occur within seconds and you must keep an eye on your competitor’s product prices to get ahead of them. It can be quite tough, but you can always choose to sign up with repricing software to make repricing easier for you. The software would change your product prices as soon as it gets the notification of a price change and also wins the Buy Box for your business so that you get maximum sales and profit.

9.   Get the best employees, tools, and services on board.

You will never be able to provide the best customer service if you fail to delegate tasks properly. It is really important to have skilled employees working for you if you are running an Amazon business. Get reliable suppliers that deliver the products to you on time, so that you don’t give your competitors a chance to get ahead when you run out of stock. However, if you don’t want to hire people to manage your tasks, then automate them. There are tools you can find online such as the best inventory management tool, Amazon repricing software, product and keyword research tool, and more. Get yourself the best tools to work with, and you will automatically get a lead above your competitors.

10.  Plan for the future

Businesses that have a clear goal to grow have a better chance of succeeding than those that do not wish to bring any changes and stand still. Keep up with the changes in the industry, latest trends, and invest in developing your business. Update your listings regularly, and invest in modern technology to help you stay successful. Have a clear vision of where you wish to see your business in a year, two years, or six years.

In conclusion,

By following all the tips above, you can easily make your way to the top. However, always remember that determination is the key to achieving whatever you wish to. Stay consistent, don’t lose hope, and always try harder to get to the top of the game.