Commentary ON THE PRICE OF BUSINESS SHOW, MEDIA PARTNER OF THIS SITE.

Recently, Christy Kiltz spoke on the Price of Business.

The Christy Kiltz Commentaries

Do you feel overwhelmed when you look at the competitive field? Do you have a clear plan on how you can stand out from your competition and win clients?

There are 3 elements that will set you apart from the crowd as a unique business with a fantastic offering. Christy Kiltz is joining us to unpack those for you and give some action items you can implement.

#1 – Who is Your Favorite Customer?

It’s easy to hear the term “target market” and be tempted to skip and move on. But, when it comes to standing out from the competition, really knowing your market is the secret sauce. Ask yourself these 2 questions:

1. What type of person do I love to work with; do I love having come through my shop doors?
   1. Go beyond the demographics and look at the psychographics
      • What type of person are they?
      • What do they like to do?
      • How do they typically make purchases?
      • What are their wants/needs?
      • What are their fears?
2. Why do these customers choose to do business with you?

The more clarity you get around these questions, the better you can position yourself.

#2 – What Pain Point Does Your Service or Product Solve?

Too many businesses float around the surface by “selling a widget that does X”. That is why you have a sea of competition with no one standing out.

Take time to sit with the question: What pain point does my service or product solve?

If you haven’t seen Simon Sinek’s Ted Talk “Start with Why”, I recommend you watch it as he does a great job of outlining the principles you need in order to fully identify the pain points you solve. This isn’t rocket science – if you take the time and energy to dive deep and understand the fundamental pain point you’re solving, you will shine. Why? Because most of the competition is focused on the surface.

#3 – Differentiate Yourself from the Competition

Even if your competitors are truly solving problems, you can still dig and find a gap in the services they provide. Pick your top 3 or 5 competitors and study them, asking the following questions:

1. What does my competition offer to customers?
   • Are they focused on what they do, or on the deeper problem they solve?
2. What do I do differently from my competition?
3. Why should a customer buy from my competitor?
4. What can I do to differentiate myself?

Pro Tip. Because most businesses only focus on what they do instead of the problems they solve for people, it is easy to find a gap. Your competition may have a better product or service, but, if you shine at customer service and are truly focused on solving their problem – people will love working with you because you meet their inner needs.

Your Unique Value Proposition – Uniquely YOU!

1 – Get laser-focused on who your customer is.

2 – Be super clear on the deeper problem that you solve for your customer.

3 – Identify the gaps and differences between you and your competition. These should be related to the first 2 elements.

Combine these three elements and make them a deliberate and strategic part of all your marketing. Work the message into your website, your social media, your signage, your conversations…everything! The result is that you’ll stand out like a brightly colored umbrella in a sea of black ones.

If you’d like my quick tip worksheet that walks you through these steps, send an email to christy@designbykiltz.com with the subject line UVP quick tips.

Read more about your Unique Value Proposition.

Christy Kiltz is the owner of Design! By Kiltz Internet Solutions and has been taking care of business owners online since 2001. Her high-touch digital agency is located in Southern Oregon and provides comprehensive online marketing services and technology solutions that free up business owners to focus on what they love to do instead.

According to Christy, “Service-based business clients come to us spinning their wheels trying to make money online. We form a partnership to turn their websites into lead-generating machines. Our White Glove Growth program is designed to help you get more leads and grow your business.”

In addition to building websites and offering technical support, Christy’s primary focus is education and empowerment. By toning down the “geek” and offering practical tools easily understood by non-technical folks, Christy opens the black box of technology with classes, webinars, and web tips developed to demystify digital marketing. With ease and a bit of humor, she reminds us that while technology continues to move forward at warp speed, many foundational marketing principles remain.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE