Successfully marketing yourself can be a challenge. When you’re new in a competitive market, it can seem almost impossible to stand out from the competition. However, with a smart marketing strategy, patience, and hard work, you can ensure you’re reaching the most potential customers possible. Read on for marketing tips on how to stand out in a competitive market to reach your business goals and do more of what you love.
The First Steps
Before you design your marketing campaign, prepare by researching your competition, understanding your audience, and developing your brand.
Know your competition
To stand out from the competition, you need to first know your competition well. Learn from your competitors to find out what services are already being offered, how you should be pricing your services, and ideas for photos and video content. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, you can often gain insight into what you should not be doing as well.
Know your audience
To create a successful marketing strategy, you should also understand your audience. If you’re a children’s party entertainer, your content, writing, and marketing will be for an audience of parents or teachers of younger children. In contrast, as a motivational speaker, your audience may be primarily corporate professionals, school administrators, and personal development enthusiasts. Based on the audience, you can adjust your style of writing and branding to match.
Know your brand
Branding is the personality, values, and image that you project to the world. Strong branding is crucial for any successful marketing. Define the unique identity that reflects your personality and style. Once you do this, ensure consistency across all platforms and maintain a tone of voice that resonates with your audience. However, remember that authenticity reigns supreme, so always stay true to yourself.
Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms are an excellent way to advertise your product or service while showing your personality. You should use as many of the platforms you’re comfortable managing, and each has its unique benefits to help you stand out in a competitive market.
Learn from others
Before you begin improving or creating your social media strategy, research how successful entertainers or service providers in your field use social media in their marketing efforts. For example, if you’re a comedian, take a moment to find other comedians with a following on social media and really examine how they post and interact. Look at how often they post, what kind of content they create, and how they respond to followers to guide your own content.
Use paid advertisements
Utilize paid advertisements on Instagram and Facebook to reach your target audience. With Meta’s plethora of data, such as age, income, interests, location, and more, for potential customers, you can reach your ideal audience and increase your potential for bookings. Additionally, you may consider paying for influencer marketing, a collaboration with individuals with a following, to promote your online presence. Remember that advertising can become expensive, so set a budget and stick to it.
Try something new
You may need to try a new approach to continue growing your online marketing. If you’re not using TikTok to promote your talent or service, you may be missing an opportunity to grow your business. Due to TikTok’s algorithm, you have a higher chance of being discovered than other social platforms. Take advantage of this by creating quality videos that can help you and your services be discovered.
💡 You may like: Find 10 marketing tips to build your own TikTok strategy from Sprout Social.
Shine Online
When there are many similar types of performers or service providers in your area, you need to express your uniqueness and display the quality of services you provide through excellent media, informative text, and good reviews. Reach your target market and stand out from the competition with these marketing tips to shine online.
Ensure your writing is professional
Any content you post online, whether for email marketing, posts on social media, your website, a blog post, or an online profile like GigSalad, should be carefully written and edited. Make sure your writing is clear, professional, and friendly. Take advantage of programs like Grammarly that can help you edit and proofread your content, and don’t be afraid to use AI software like ChatGPT to help you write in the proper tone and create fresh ideas.
✍️ You might also like: Get more tips on becoming a better writer for your business.
Post only your best media
Photos and videos are one of the main ways a potential client will make their first impression of your talent and services, so it’s important to put your best foot forward with professional photos and videos. Avoid adding photos or videos to your profile that are low quality. We recommend hiring a professional photographer so you have a few high-quality press photos, but you can definitely improve your media while spending very little.
Gather positive reviews
Anyone looking to hire entertainment online wants to read reviews first. When potential clients read about the amazing customer experiences you created, they will be far more interested in booking you. If you feel great about a particular gig, ask the client to write a review for you. Include a review section on your website, and be sure to display your reviews front and center to guarantee everyone understands the joy you bring your customers.
⭐ Helpful review tips: Learn how to handle reviews, both the good and the bad.
Communication and Collaboration
To stand out from the competition, improve your communication by speaking and writing clearly, friendly, and timely to improve your chances of bookings. Additionally, dedicate time to networking with other performers or service providers.
Be clear and concise
Clarity is key when communicating with existing or potential clients. Use simple language and avoid industry jargon so your message is understood by everyone. Keep your writing fairly short to ensure there is no confusion. You don’t need to explain every detail right away. Instead, focus on being clear about how you can meet their goals and rely on your media and reviews to communicate your talent and offerings.
Respond in a timely and friendly manner
When potential clients or current clients contact you, strive to provide the best customer service possible. Try to respond within 24 hours to client questions or inquiries. When responding, approach each interaction with positive assumptions and don’t take questions or ignorance personally. Hiring entertainment or event services is not a regular purchase for many, so they might be unaware of the costs or initially have unrealistic expectations.
Build a community through networking
Network with other similar small businesses or performers as well as the community to increase your success. Make connections with other performers through online groups or local MeetUps to gain tips and insights from those experiencing the same challenges. Additionally, get your name out there in the local community by participating in festivals and school events with larger crowds of potential future clients.
GigSalad Considerations
If you’re advertising on GigSalad in a competitive market like Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and other major cities, there are a few additional steps that you can take to stand out.
Earn Top Performer status
When advertising in a populated area and popular category, stand out from the competition by earning Top Performer status. This provides a number of benefits, including higher search result placement and a badge displayed on your profile. Earn Top Performer status by maintaining an average review rating of 4.5 stars, responding to 80% of your leads within twenty-four hours, and booking at least 1 gig through GigSalad every 3 months.
Maximize your categories
At the Pro and Featured membership levels, you can take full advantage of advertising in numerous categories, each one reaching a new audience. Successful member Austin Ellis recommends maximizing your categories in order to “…spread as wide a net as you can.” You will appear on a new search result page for each new category you add. Take the time to look through all of the possible categories, and you’ll be able to find a way to stand out in a competitive market by reaching new events and audiences.
Upgrade to a Featured membership
Lastly, if you’re advertising on GigSalad at the free or pro level in a popular category and heavily populated area, your profile may get lost in the crowd. To stand out, consider upgrading to a Featured membership. At the Featured level, your profile will receive priority in the search results and appear above the Pro or Free members in your area, creating more contact and booking opportunities.
With careful planning, research, and willingness to try out some new ideas, you will be able to stand out from the competition and do more of what you love. 🙌
Stand out in a competitive market with a profile on GigSalad. Join for free today!
Matt Holland is a Customer Happiness Agent at GigSalad. With 10+ years of experience performing as a jazz drummer, he has gained insights into the life of a gigging musician as well as what makes an event go off without a hitch. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, cooking, and watching the newest TV shows with his wife.