7 Simple Tips that are Proven to Help You Stay Ahead of the Competition

So you’ve created a successful business, congratulations! You probably did it by providing an unsurpassed level of customer service that not only meets customer expectations but exceeds them in a way that has made you stand out from the rest. As anyone can tell you, starting a successful business is not easy.

Now comes the even harder part. Not only sustaining that high level of performance, but continuing to grow and outpace the competition. There is no resting on your laurels in a competitive business market. Companies that stay successful for the longterm, make an active effort to keep on top. Here are just a few ways you can do the same.

1. Know the competition

It’s not enough to know what you excel at or what makes you unique, you need to know what your competitors are offering that makes them stand out. This serves two purposes: it will allow you to more clearly define your differences, or it may help you identify an area that you hadn’t considered before, opening up a potentially new way in which you can excel above the rest.

2. Know your customers

You might know your clientele very well, but as economic conditions change, so does your customer’s needs. What might have been a priority a year ago, won’t be if we are in the midst of an economic downturn, for example. As a business owner you should always be evaluating your strategies in every area constantly, knowing what your customer wants and needs from you is key. In fact you should be using your expertise to analyze potential market changes and anticipate those needs to stay ahead of the curve.

3. Have a strong understanding on what makes you unique

Once you accomplish the first two, you should have a clear idea of what unique advantage you offer people. This needs to be clear to everyone, so you can then take that idea and run with it. Find your niche and then market yourself with a focus on that idea. If you have a clear thing you’re selling, it is well worth the investment to market yourself to the hilt with that in mind.

4. Keep up to date

This goes for everything from technology to systems, marketing, and even your own personal image. If you have a brick and mortar location, you want to also keep things looking fresh and modern there, as well. First impressions are important for a reason. Everything about your business should tie into your marketing and branding. What are you selling and does everything line up to support that, from your business cards to your social media pages. Remember the key to branding and marketing is a consistent message.

5. Think like your competitors

One way your competitors looks to gain customers is by potentially taking yours. It goes without saying, you don’t want to let that happen. You’ve probably built great relationships, so really maintain those relationships by not only providing great service, but service that truly goes above and beyond. Find ways to give more to your customers. You might even want to start offering surveys, where your clients can tell you exactly what they’d like to see.This makes your clients not only feel heard, but blown away when you implement any changes they suggest.

6. Look for untapped markets

Don’t settle for maintaining what you have, there could be untapped markets out there. If you don’t get to them, your competitors will. So even if they come eventually, hopefully you’ll already be the dominate force in that market.

7. Be a great boss

One of the best things you can do to keep ahead of the rest, is by being a company where top talent and motivated newcomers want to be. Be the company that offers more than a competitive paycheck. Be a place that fosters talent, and offers scheduling and compensations packages that appeal more to people who think outside of the box. This will attract more innovative thinkers who value flexibility. Not only will you benefit from their talents, more importantly, your competition won’t.

Heather Jones of Corona, California, combines her professional background in advertising with a passion for organic, grassroots business interdependence to fuel her real estate business. “I love using my digital presence to bring the spotlight to small businesses in my community. Any time I’m out with my family, I’ll find an opportunity to submit photographs and reviews on Google, just to boost them and help give them a view. I know how hard these small business owners work – if I can bring just one more customer through their door, then I’m happy. Helping them grow helps everyone in the long run.”

Before entering the world of real estate, Heather enjoyed a career in marketing. “I worked at an ad agency for quite awhile,” she recalls, “and then my husband got relocated to Texas. That transplant opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and during that whole process, we purchased a home. The REALTOR® who sold me that home inspired me and got me started!” While she was simultaneously learning the industry and raising a family, Heather started to build an enterprise by diligently networking, leveraging her past career, and prioritizing client satisfaction. “I already knew I loved marketing and advertising – but more than that, I discovered I love working for myself and making my clients my number one priority.”

Since her initial tutelage and launch five years ago, Heather has since returned to California, bought a house in South Corona, and she presently services Corona, Riverside, Eastvale, and surrounding areas throughout the Inland Empire, as a solo agent with eXp Realty. In 2022, she cleared a collective $5 million in volume, and she is steadily building her book of business by amplifying her (already robust) digital footprint. “Marketing is different today than it was even five years ago,” she explains. “I still do open houses for sellers if they want, and I like to make phone calls to keep in touch with people; but in the past two years I’ve immersed myself in digital marketing programs with my real estate business coach, Krista Mashore, which has taught me even more marketing knowledge to keep myself educated, evolving, and stay ahead of my competition for my clients. I’ve built an audience through social media that helps me target and retarget to potential clients who might be looking for a house I know is available, and because I create professional videos on all my listings, regardless of price, they get a lot more traction than simply posting a property on the MLS and calling it a day.” In addition to her digital marketing, Heather keeps in touch with past clients by sending video messages on birthdays, home anniversaries, holidays, and ‘just because.’ As her business grows, she is excited to bring her sphere together for community hosted events in Mountain Gate in South Corona, California.

While she prides herself on her ability to leverage her past profession, Heather attributes much of her success to her dedication to client education. “At the end of last year, I did something new and sent a full, in depth, forty-page evaluation to all my past buyers –just to show them how market changes impacted their investment. I got a lot of positive feedback from that, and it made me realize that people rely on me as a resource and advisor much more than as a salesperson. Being able to provide that information as part of my service has become a huge part of my business. To be able to serve my clients and community long-term brings me so much joy and motivation to keep working harder and harder.” With ever expanding professional networks on the horizon, Heather is excited to share what she’s learned with clients and colleagues alike.

“I think Corona has a lot to offer for future REALTORS® – I plan to build a team to join Heather Jones Homes, and we can grow alongside the community. I’m really passionate about what I do: helping people become homeowners through buying real estate, or assisting them in maximizing their wealth and equity through selling real estate, owning my business, marketing, advertising, and teaching small businesses how to do all of that for themselves!”