How to ensure your website stands out in a sea of sameness

Is there anything as boring and monotonous as a long, family car ride? Now imagine it at a time before personal electronics, when the radio and conversation were your only available entertainment. 

Somehow, in an attempt to break up the monotony, it had become a standing family tradition to have each of us alternate lines for a rousing sing-a-long of “99 Bottle of Beer on the Wall” (hey! It was the 80’s, don’t judge!) I’m sure you would be shocked to know that by the time we were on that 72nd bottle of beer, each of us sounded way more miserable than excited when it was our turn to sing. 

Then, as 12-year-olds are known to do, I decided I was going to rock my parents’ world and switch things up when it was my turn again. This time, as my turn rolled around, I loudly exclaimed, “43 cans of coke in a fridge!”

“43 cans of coke in a fridge!”

“42 glasses of water from the sink!

Instead of being met with frustration or anger, things immediately livened up and my sister enthusiastically followed with “42 glasses of water from the sink!” As the numbers went down, the ideas got sillier, and what would normally have been a boring time, turned into a core memory which has stayed with my family and I many years later.

You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this story and just how it ties back to making your website stand out. 

Easy.

It shows how much excitement can come from even the simplest moments when you just Switch. Things. Up! 

Pretty much every marketing article you read these days will give you a variation of the same thing: No matter your market or product, showing you are different SELLS. 

But why?

Logically, shouldn’t you be concentrating on making sure a client knows you are better than your competition?

After all, everyone’s main goal is to get the best product at the best price… right?
But let’s think about it for a minute. Every business will sit and tell you how great they are, how happy their clients are, and what the awards they may have won are, but how exactly can every business be the best?! All the “why I’m better” information gets lost in a sea of similar websites and advertisements. After a while, all anyone hears is just, “blah… blah…blah.”

Showing you are different excites.

Just like my switching up the words to the song, breaking up the monotony of a client’s product search creates a spark that will hold their interest. 

Let’s be real. When I changed the lyrics, I didn’t come up with anything special. It was 100% the fact that it was unexpected and done at a time when we had all become completely uninterested. If I had used the same line at bottle 97, it would not have garnered such an enthusiastic response.

Your clients are no different.

“Many business owners are frustrated because they feel invisible in a crowded marketplace. They know they are better than their competitors, but when they focus on that fact, they get little in return. That’s because, to customers, better is not actually better. Different is better. And those who market differently, win.”   

~Mike Michalowicz, “Get Different”

Even though he is talking about marketing in general, we can also apply the same idea to your website.

It’s important that your website stands out from the crowd. 

Part of my job is to help you find what differentiates you and provide you the content needed to ensure your website best highlights your uniqueness. We’re talking your photography, colors, layout, language- the works!

Beyond that, you can think of what truly differentiates you as a photographer. 

A lot of my clients get stuck here thinking it has to be something huge.

It really doesn’t. 

I have one client who is a family photographer and always insists that the kids bring their favorite “lovey” or stuffed animal so she can get some shots with them together. Does this mean she only takes pictures of kids with the stuffed animal? Of course not. Does she have a web design that is fun and vibrant, mixes in adorable pictures of kids with stuffed animals, and has copy that tells about why she does it in a way that totally pulls at her clients heartstrings?! YUP!

The key is to find something that sets you apart and run with it. 

Do you run the risk that you may not be everyone’s cup of tea? Of course! But you also put yourself in a position to ensure you have made an impression, making taking the chance worth it. 

The key is to grab a potential client’s attention long enough that they go from mindlessly searching to actively looking at your website and all you have to offer.

THAT is how you make an impression and, with it, the sale. 

Want to know more? Reach out and I can help you create the marketing and website you need to differentiate yourself from your competition and thus, stand out and get noticed.