Amazon is being blamed for the demise of many brick and mortar stores, but still there are many brick and mortars that are opening their doors and others that are thriving. How to set yourself apart from Amazon is something that business owners need to consider when opening a store front — whether physical or virtual.
You may not be able to compete head-to-head with Amazon, but you can certainly still thrive in this marketplace.
How To Set Yourself Apart From Amazon
- Offer a wide variety of items. No longer can a business rely on selling one item and one item only. Amazon thrives because of its diverse mix of items. What can you do to expand your offerings?
- Embrace a niche. You can’t be everything to everyone — like Amazon is — unless you have the budget to do so. Do you? It not, you need to embrace a niche and market the heck out of that unique niche in the marketplace.
- If you’re a brick and mortar, become a destination. Give people a reason to come other than to buy a product. Host events. Make shopping an adventure. If you’re in a tourist town, truly make your store a destination. Offer lessons, host parties, bring in speakers.
- Reduce your expenses by leveraging technology. Look at how you connect with customers and find ways to leverage technology to make it more cost effective and keep yourself in front of your ideal client.
- Be on social media.
- Have a social mission. What does that mean? Partner with a charity or group whose mission you and your business embrace and make sure your customers know that when they shop with you they are also supporting XYZ.
- Tell your story. People don’t have a connection with Amazon — they shop there because it’s easy. Build a connection with your customers by sharing your unique story. What sets you apart from Amazon? It’s your personality! Share that!
What are you doing to set your business apart?