| How Do You Stand Out From Your Competition | ||
| Author: Stephanie Taylor Christensen Wednesday, June 8, 2016 |
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Setting yourself apart from the competition doesn’t require a significant investment, change in strategy, or earth-shattering product idea. In fact, you’re already armed with most of the tools you need to start creating a brand identity that customers will notice, and remember. Here are few simple ways you can stand out from your competition.
In today’s crowded handmade marketplace, knowing how to make your business stand out from the competition is essential. Whether you sell soaps, candles, or bath and body products, your success depends not just on making quality products but on creating a brand that resonates with your audience. Small businesses thrive when they have a clear, unique selling proposition (USP), or something that tells potential customers why they should choose you over a similar product.
Standing out doesn’t always require big investments or dramatic changes to your business model. Instead, it’s about consistency, creativity, and focusing on what makes your products and services different. When you identify your strengths and emphasize them in your marketing strategy, you’ll gain a lasting competitive advantage, earn customer loyalty, and build a more successful business in the long term.
Standing out doesn’t always require big investments or dramatic changes to your business model. Instead, it’s about consistency, creativity, and focusing on what makes your products and services different. When you identify your strengths and emphasize them in your marketing strategy, you’ll gain a lasting competitive advantage, earn customer loyalty, and build a more successful business in the long term.
Why Standing Out From the Competition Matters
For makers, learning how to stand out from the competition is more than just good branding; it’s survival in the competitive industry. With so many handmade soaps, candles, and bath products on the market, the businesses that rise to the top are those that create a strong connection with their audience. Simply offering high-quality items isn’t enough. Customers also want memorable experiences, a consistent identity, and brands that feel authentic.
The good news is that standing out doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel. Often, it’s the small, thoughtful touches—your packaging design, a handwritten thank-you note, or the way you tell your story—that create the biggest impact. These details signal professionalism and care, and they show target customers that your brand deserves their attention. Over time, those touches add up to a unique selling point that helps you secure loyalty and drive repeat sales.
If you’re not sure where to start, WSP’s Handmade 101 Business Resources can give you tools and guidance to refine your marketing efforts and sharpen your brand identity.
The good news is that standing out doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel. Often, it’s the small, thoughtful touches—your packaging design, a handwritten thank-you note, or the way you tell your story—that create the biggest impact. These details signal professionalism and care, and they show target customers that your brand deserves their attention. Over time, those touches add up to a unique selling point that helps you secure loyalty and drive repeat sales.
If you’re not sure where to start, WSP’s Handmade 101 Business Resources can give you tools and guidance to refine your marketing efforts and sharpen your brand identity.
Establish Clear Brand Standards
One of the simplest and most powerful ways to create a competitive advantage is to establish clear brand standards. Brand guidelines ensure that your logo, fonts, color palettes, and packaging are consistent across all touchpoints. When customers see your soap labels or candle jars online, at craft fairs, and in local shops, they should immediately recognize them as yours. That kind of consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.
For handmade makers, brand standards should go beyond logos. Think about the textures and materials that represent your identity; do you want rustic kraft paper to highlight natural ingredients, or sleek black jars to communicate luxury? Consider your tone of voice, too: is your brand fun and conversational, or informative and professional? These decisions become part of your unique selling proposition (USP), making your brand easier for potential customers to remember and connect with.
Even in markets where competitors offer similar products, your brand standards will help differentiate you and reinforce your unique selling point.
For handmade makers, brand standards should go beyond logos. Think about the textures and materials that represent your identity; do you want rustic kraft paper to highlight natural ingredients, or sleek black jars to communicate luxury? Consider your tone of voice, too: is your brand fun and conversational, or informative and professional? These decisions become part of your unique selling proposition (USP), making your brand easier for potential customers to remember and connect with.
Even in markets where competitors offer similar products, your brand standards will help differentiate you and reinforce your unique selling point.
Tell Your Story to Connect With Customers
One of the most effective ways to make your brand memorable is by telling your story. Every maker has a journey, and sharing it publicly is a powerful marketing strategy that creates an emotional connection with your audience. Your unique selling proposition (USP) isn’t just about your products and services. It’s also about why you started, what inspires you, and what makes your approach different.
Ask yourself: Why did I open my business? What inspired the products I sell? Why are they superior to a similar product on the market? When you weave these answers into your website copy, packaging, social media, and booth displays, you’re giving potential customers reasons to choose you over others.
For example, a candle maker inspired by wellness rituals might highlight how their products help people relax and reconnect. A soap maker who uses locally sourced ingredients can emphasize sustainability and community ties. These stories reinforce your unique selling point while helping you connect with customers on a deeper level.
Ask yourself: Why did I open my business? What inspired the products I sell? Why are they superior to a similar product on the market? When you weave these answers into your website copy, packaging, social media, and booth displays, you’re giving potential customers reasons to choose you over others.
For example, a candle maker inspired by wellness rituals might highlight how their products help people relax and reconnect. A soap maker who uses locally sourced ingredients can emphasize sustainability and community ties. These stories reinforce your unique selling point while helping you connect with customers on a deeper level.
Deliver an Exceptional Customer Experience
No matter how strong your branding is, the customer experience can make or break your business. If you want to know how to make your business stand out from the competition, think about the details that make customers feel valued. A smooth checkout process, thoughtful packaging, and follow-up messages all demonstrate that your brand goes beyond selling quality products and that you’re more committed to creating a relationship.
Small touches matter. Adding a handwritten thank-you note with a soap or candle order, responding quickly to customer inquiries, or offering flexible return policies can all set your business apart. These gestures show your ideal customers that you care about them, building trust and encouraging repeat purchases. Over time, they turn into long-term fans who advocate for your brand and drive referrals, creating lasting customer loyalty.
Investing in packaging and labeling supplies also enhances the unboxing experience. Beautiful, consistent packaging not only protects your products but also reinforces your unique selling point and strengthens your brand identity.
Small touches matter. Adding a handwritten thank-you note with a soap or candle order, responding quickly to customer inquiries, or offering flexible return policies can all set your business apart. These gestures show your ideal customers that you care about them, building trust and encouraging repeat purchases. Over time, they turn into long-term fans who advocate for your brand and drive referrals, creating lasting customer loyalty.
Investing in packaging and labeling supplies also enhances the unboxing experience. Beautiful, consistent packaging not only protects your products but also reinforces your unique selling point and strengthens your brand identity.
Create Interactive Experiences to Engage Your Target Market
Standing out is about how customers engage with your brand and about your products relative to other crafters. Interactive experiences can help you connect with your target customers and leave lasting impressions that a similar product on the shelf can’t match. For makers, this can be as simple as offering product samples, hosting soap or candle demonstrations, or setting up a scent-testing station at a craft fair.
These experiences do more than boost sales in the moment. They also strengthen your marketing efforts, give your brand personality, and provide valuable feedback about what resonates with your audience. When customers feel included in your process, they’re more likely to remember your brand and share it with others, creating a built-in competitive advantage.
Workshops, pop-up classes, or live demonstrations are also effective for building awareness and trust. They position your business as approachable and knowledgeable, reinforcing your unique selling proposition (USP).
These experiences do more than boost sales in the moment. They also strengthen your marketing efforts, give your brand personality, and provide valuable feedback about what resonates with your audience. When customers feel included in your process, they’re more likely to remember your brand and share it with others, creating a built-in competitive advantage.
Workshops, pop-up classes, or live demonstrations are also effective for building awareness and trust. They position your business as approachable and knowledgeable, reinforcing your unique selling proposition (USP).
Use Pricing Strategy as a Differentiator
Your pricing strategy can be just as powerful as your packaging or storytelling when it comes to how to stand out from the competition. While many makers focus on keeping prices low, the reality is that customers are willing to pay more for high-quality products that feel unique, authentic, and worth the investment. The right pricing not only covers your costs but also reinforces your unique selling proposition (USP).
For handmade businesses, there are several approaches to consider. Value pricing allows you to attract a wide range of target customers by balancing affordability with perceived quality. Premium pricing positions your products as luxury items, appealing to ideal customers who want exclusivity and are happy to pay a premium. Economy pricing, or keeping costs as low as possible to sell in bulk, is less common for makers but can work for certain product lines.
Whether you sell soaps, candles, or other products and services, pricing should align with your branding and presentation. For example, a soap wrapped in simple kraft paper may work best at a value-friendly price point, while a candle in a sleek glass jar with elegant packaging supports higher-priced positioning. Your pricing becomes another way to communicate your brand identity and build customer loyalty.
For handmade businesses, there are several approaches to consider. Value pricing allows you to attract a wide range of target customers by balancing affordability with perceived quality. Premium pricing positions your products as luxury items, appealing to ideal customers who want exclusivity and are happy to pay a premium. Economy pricing, or keeping costs as low as possible to sell in bulk, is less common for makers but can work for certain product lines.
Whether you sell soaps, candles, or other products and services, pricing should align with your branding and presentation. For example, a soap wrapped in simple kraft paper may work best at a value-friendly price point, while a candle in a sleek glass jar with elegant packaging supports higher-priced positioning. Your pricing becomes another way to communicate your brand identity and build customer loyalty.
Bringing It All Together
Figuring out how to make your business stand out from the competition isn’t about reinventing your products, but rather presenting them in a way that highlights your strengths and creates an emotional connection with your audience. By establishing clear brand standards, sharing your story, elevating the customer experience, offering interactive opportunities, and using pricing as a competitive advantage, you create a holistic approach that sets you apart.
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is the combination of these efforts: consistent branding, meaningful storytelling, thoughtful pricing, and experiences that help you connect with customers. Together, they create a business that feels authentic, trustworthy, and worth supporting for the long term.
In crowded markets, the makers who succeed are those who understand their target market, deliver quality products, and go the extra mile to make their customers feel valued. With intention, creativity, and consistency, your business will stand out and grow into a successful business with loyal customers who keep coming back.
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is the combination of these efforts: consistent branding, meaningful storytelling, thoughtful pricing, and experiences that help you connect with customers. Together, they create a business that feels authentic, trustworthy, and worth supporting for the long term.
In crowded markets, the makers who succeed are those who understand their target market, deliver quality products, and go the extra mile to make their customers feel valued. With intention, creativity, and consistency, your business will stand out and grow into a successful business with loyal customers who keep coming back.