5 tips to stand out in a crowded market
One of my biggest learnings as a repeat founder:
It's way easier to build a successful business in an existing market where demand and willingness to pay are already validated (see Linear, Zoom or Figma).
It's waaaay harder though to cut through the noise.
Let's dive in:
🍰 Find your sweet spot: What's something that existing players are lacking or not prioritizing?
Focus on that. And do it 10x better. This will be your initial wedge. Your value proposition should be just that. Focus on an underserved niche and let's go!
🚢 Ship, ship, ship: Build trust in your ability to outperform the competition.
You might be lacking 5 features when you start -- your customers might still choose *you* over the competition because they know you'll be catching up sooner rather than later.
💖 Show you care: Surprise & Delight
Especially in parts where the competition is lacking. This may be things like design, simplicity, brand/storytelling, or customer service. The more you delight, the more people will voluntarily spread the word about you. Free marketing.
🫱🏼🫲🏽 Build community: Listen carefully and take them along for the ride
People can copy your product, but they won't be able to copy the relationships and trust you've built. Also: the closer you are to your customers, the better you'll understand what to build and prioritize.
📣 Share your story: Build an emotional connection beyond the feature set
What sets you apart from the rest? An authentic and opinionated brand. People follow people and ideally, your customers will be able to relate to your story. Make them feel something. Kinda special these days.
That's a wrap! Hope these tips were helpful 🙏
Let me know if you have any questions, feedback, or additions.