It is now more important than ever for businesses to have a unique selling point in the online world. With a seemingly unlimited number of choices to consider, customers no longer have to sell for what is closest, most expensive or well-known. Online businesses compete with each other on a global scale to earn new customers and expand their reputations.

If you can provide customers and visitors alike with a unique proposition, then your chances of earning that business – or generating repeat business – increases substantially. Today, we’ll look at three ways you can tap into new audiences and ultimately get them to jump on your bandwagon.

Provide Flexible Payment Solutions

Most businesses aim to streamline the checkout process – both for customers and themselves. If you can make the process more accommodating for your prospective customers, however, then you stand to gain additional benefit.

One such way to stand out from the competition is to offer a wide variety of payment solutions. Arguably the best example here is Bitcoin: businesses that offer their products and services with Bitcoin as a payment option earn a disproportionate share of business from the Bitcoin community, since relatively few businesses accept this payment.

Even if you are not ready or willing to accept cryptocurrency, there are dozens of more standard payment options that can be considered by your business. Pinging your website with indicators that you accept these payment methods makes your business more palatable to the people who use these methods, helping you to earn more business.

Personally Respond

Many online businesses fall victim to the technological machinations that made their models possible in the first place. This means automated responses to inquiries, generic comments on social media and other less-than-personal interactions.

If you want to really stand out in a niche, then be yourself. Try your best to handle as many inquiries via email as possible. Follow up with customers personally to see how they liked their products. Take the reins of your social media accounts and be sure to let people know it is you who is responding.

By taking the time to personally engage with customers, you’ll leave a trail of anecdotes and indicators that your brand cares about its customers.

Always Serve Up Offers

Many online stores only focus on sales every once in a while. If you have an online store that sells many unique products, then every single day is a unique opportunity to have an offer or deal available.

Some successful businesses have “deal of the day” type events, where a single product is on sale for 24 hours. This will encourage more visitors to return more often, looking to see what product is available today. Even if it not a deal they’re interested in, every visit back to your website creates an opportunity for them to ultimately buy something – deal or not.

It’s relatively easy to stand out from the competition, as long as you get a bit creative. Whether you’re pinging your website with constant deals, personally handling customer service or offering unique payment options, giving customers something different is the key to standing out.