--- description: Are you looking for ways to market your small business and make it stand out from your competitors? If so, this article is going to help you make the... title: Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself image: https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/blog_post_imgs/Small-Business-Marketing.png --- [Blog](https://www.leanlabs.com/blog)/ [Growth Marketing](https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/topic/growth-marketing) # Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself 4 min read time ![Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_post_imgs/Small-Business-Marketing.png?width=765&height=430&name=Small-Business-Marketing.png) _How do we stand out in a crowded space?_ It’s perhaps the oldest marketing question of all time. OK, maybe not, if we’re going back to the days of bartering in quaint villages along the countryside – _Yes, I’ll take two sheep in exchange for 50 pounds of salt please –_ there probably wasn’t much competition! But, ever since the dawn of the Industrial Era, businesses of all stripes have been asking themselves how they can get noticed. Thanks to modern technology, and the widening of competition from here to Istanbul, companies are still asking themselves the same question (albeit, slightly modified): How to differentiate yourself online? ## Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses Upon first inspection, one would think this was a _horrible_ thing. If you had a hard time competing against two or three well-known competitors in your area, how are you going to do with 22 or 23? But here's the thing: **The Internet has evened the playing field more than ANY other time in history.** Got a million dollars to throw at an advertising campaign? OK, great. **Got $20,000? OK, great.** **Got $200? OK, not as great... But _you can do something_ with that!** No matter [your budget](/blog/23-content-marketing-tips-for-small-budget-companies), you have easy access to _the same tools_ used by the world’s largest companies to get your message in front of prospects: [Websites](/blog/5-reasons-your-website-sucks), social media, [SEO-optimization](/blog/8-ways-to-improve-your-seo), Online Analytics, etc. It’s an incredible thing, really! The key to maximizing such reachability? Changing the way you think about competition online and moving from – “How can I stand out from the competition?” to “How can I be more myself and forget about the competition entirely?” Put simply, standing out begins with creating a [_Unique Value Proposition_](/blog/how-to-effective-website-unique-value-proposition-examples) (UVP) and developing a clear _brand voice._ Your UVP and brand voice should be emphasized in everything from your user experience to your content marketing strategy to your customer service and everything in between. Let’s break these definitions down: **UVP:** The succinctly summarized core message or [brand promise](/blog/25-companies-who-absoluteluy-nailed-their-unique-value-proposition) you want to be associated with. **Brand Voice:** The consistent tone, personality and subject matter communicated by your business through written, visual and verbal means. **UVP + Unique Brand Voice = Differentiation** OK, let’s discuss how to create that memorable UVP and how to begin developing a brand voice unique to your small business so you can hopefully stop Googling “How to differentiate yourself online?!” ### How to Build a Memorable UVP The reality is very few businesses truly sell unique products or services: Hardware stores, sporting good stores, air conditioning installers. Even B2Bs are fairly standardized in their offerings: SAAS, manufacturing, consulting. But that doesn’t mean such businesses can’t be unique unto themselves. Creating a memorable UVP begins with the remembrance of a forgotten truism – _people don’t do business with companies; they do business with the people behind them._ Even the largest enterprise is nothing without the founders and team behind it. Conversely, your customers aren’t just faceless prospects; they’re people with unique motivations, needs, and concerns. **Thus,** **an original UVP will come from a). An honest assessment of your company values and b). A clear understanding of your customers.** You can begin by asking yourself the following: * Why was this company founded? * What aspect of the business do I most enjoy? * What are the top 3 values we as a company hold? * What ONE thing can we potentially do better than anyone else? * Why do our repeat customers continually do business with us? * What is our target customer’s primary concern or goal, as related to our offerings? Once you’ve answered the questions, you can begin looking for patterns that emerge. Continue by refining that one defining pattern, or customer promise, into a succinct, repeatable message. It should be broad enough to expand upon, but specific enough that it differentiates your company from competitors. ### How to Develop a Stand-Out Brand Voice Again, your brand voice is the defining factor of your content marketing strategy. In addition to the overall feeling, vocabulary, and cadence you communicate with, your brand voice IS the stories you tell. If you haven’t already, begin maintaining a master document of brand characteristics. It should include, but not be limited to, the following: * The tone of voice (i.e.,. folksy with a Texas twang to conversational corporate boardroom). * Adjectives used to describe company culture _(IMPORTANT: Do NOT make this up. If you don’t think your company culture is appealing to begin with, it’s time to regroup)._ * Examples of appropriate cultural references that will be appreciated by your target customers. * Examples of personal, company stories that illustrate brand values and promises. * The primary questions and concerns prospects come to you with during each stage of _The Buyer’s Journey._ Once you’ve organized your answers into **Editorial Guidelines,** you’ll want to provide copies to your writers, staff and anyone else who will be representing your company. Refer, refine and edit often. ### How to Incorporate Them Into Your Marketing Finally, you’ll want to begin incorporating your UVP and brand voice into your marketing materials so you can begin differentiating your small business online. This includes: * A professionally designed Website with a user experience that supports your brand persona. * Clear copywriting that emphasizes your UVP and company values. * Topical content marketing materials that use on-target language, illustrative examples, and unique company stories. * Blog articles, white papers, eBooks, email newsletters, videos, slideshow presentations and other forms of content that ALL exemplify the same brand voice and UVP. As you’ve probably guessed, there is no one formula on how to differentiate yourself online. But it is something that can be done regardless of industry, competition or experience level. **The Key Takeaway: Focus less on what the competition is doing and more on consistently creating your own unique messaging for your ideal customers!** **[![inbound-marketing-mountain](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275827/367c8116-5457-4d10-b63f-48eca429056b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275827/367c8116-5457-4d10-b63f-48eca429056b)** ## Latest, related and recommended posts [ ![What is closed-loop marketing? Definition, process, and examples](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2022%20blog%20featured%20images/26%20(2)%20(1).png?width=500&height=500&name=26%20(2)%20(1).png) Growth Marketing What is closed-loop marketing? Definition, process, and examples Read more ](https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/what-is-closed-loop-marketing) [ ![Loop marketing vs. inbound marketing: what changed and what didn't](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2022%20blog%20featured%20images/37%20(4)%20(1).png?width=500&height=500&name=37%20(4)%20(1).png) Growth Marketing Loop marketing vs. inbound marketing: what changed and what didn't Read more ](https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/loop-marketing-vs-inbound-marketing) [ ![How to implement loop marketing: the 90-day roadmap](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2022%20blog%20featured%20images/32%20(1)%20(1).png?width=500&height=500&name=32%20(1)%20(1).png) Growth Marketing How to implement loop marketing: the 90-day roadmap Read more ](https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/how-to-implement-loop-marketing-90-day-roadmap) [![About Lean Labs](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20V4.1/logos/LL%20Logo%20Dark.svg)](https://www.leanlabs.com) Lean Labs builds growth machines that take 7-figure startups to 8\. → [**See How!**](https://www.leanlabs.com/approach/why-lean-labs) Share [ ![Share on facebook](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Icons/Facebook.svg) ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leanlabs.com%2Fblog%2Fmarketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself%3Futm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial%26utm%5Fsource%3Dfacebook) [ ![Share on linkedin](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Icons/LinkedIn.svg) ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leanlabs.com%2Fblog%2Fmarketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself%3Futm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial%26utm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin) [ ![Share on reddit](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Icons/reddit.svg) ](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.leanlabs.com%2Fblog%2Fmarketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself%3Futm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial%26utm%5Fsource%3Dreddit) [ Grade my site![chevron-right](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Icons/chevron-right.svg) ](https://cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/click?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLUGeyXuIFe4n%2B1E42IAXAWWgWgkkHKyylkCaC53TFA5LXNKHbY1ByeZ7mNZ9WHFS1WfZ1VrTarTazLKDbOc%2Btc%2Bg%2BBT11oQTrJhYOQyf5sCqDNGXudXVDytcA7Jb2UdS%2FC5xT4BZA6pMCL%2BHU0XpBYZ%2B0d78FOiUQsXv09XXmngTg%3D&portalId=275827) ![grader laptop](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/grader%20laptop.png?width=552&height=454&name=grader%20laptop.png) ### AI Website Grader Uncover what’s working, pinpoint areas that need improvement, and get trained AI's recommendations on how to turn your website into your brand’s #1 salesperson. Grade my site ## TAKE THE FIRST STEP ### Turn your marketing from a cost center into a self-funding growth machine. ![work](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Icons/work.svg) ### Our work & results Hear what our clients have to say about their results. **Read our 5 star reviews on HubSpot.** [](https://www.leanlabs.com/approach/success) ![programs](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Icons/programs.svg) ### Programs & pricing **Find out how much it costs** to work with us. We have various programs available starting at $2k per month. [](https://www.leanlabs.com/pricing) ![kevin](https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/kevin.png?width=64&height=64&name=kevin.png) ### Get your free strategy session Find out exactly what **we’d do if we were your growth team.** Select a day and time on the calendar. Request a meeting [ Request A Meeting![right arrow icon](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20V4.1/icons/Right%20arrow.svg) ](https://cta-service-cms2.hubspot.com/web-interactives/public/v1/track/click?encryptedPayload=AVxigLKguQz1pHGVkA3wdiTS9EE1O5E3Ct1K0Z80gm18lqpbpOzOOhixlWF3vFwSXsk5ZFPTer64z0Z%2BsMdxMcIozeqRS%2FeTnT1Fi%2Fenbbx6QM4lYwwHLgnazScch60YGZ8O7N48nP3dy51Pb162YfiwSq4Ucdk22w3H648JgH6iTgejT3TgMXeeL19riQjd&portalId=275827) ### Ask AI about Lean Labs [ ![](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Logos/chatgpt.svg) ChatGPT ](https://chat.openai.com/) [ ![](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Logos/googlegemini%201.svg) Gemini ](https://www.google.com/search?udm=50) [ ![](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Logos/perplexity%201.svg) Perplexity ](https://www.perplexity.ai/search/new) [ ![](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Logos/claude%201.svg) Claude ](https://claude.ai/new) [ ![](https://www.leanlabs.com/hubfs/LL%20v5/Images/Logos/copilot.svg) Copilot ](https://copilot.microsoft.com/) Ask AI ```json { "@graph": [ { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com#organization", "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com", "logo": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/favicon.ico", "@type": "ImageObject", "width": 60, "height": 60 }, "name": "Lean Labs", "@type": "Organization", "sameAs": [ "https://www.entities.org/entity/lean-labs", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-labs", "https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/lean-labs-eed8", "https://twitter.com/leanlabs", "https://www.youtube.com/@LeanLabs1", "https://www.facebook.com/LeanLabs", "https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/solutions/lean-labs", "https://clutch.co/profile/lean-labs", "https://www.g2.com/products/lean-labs/reviews", "https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_fl/P23000000218", "https://www.agencyspotter.com/lean-labs" ], "slogan": "We help companies on HubSpot Drive Growth", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "postalCode": "34638", "addressRegion": "FL", "streetAddress": "16703 Early Riser Ave, Suite 111", "addressCountry": "US", "addressLocality": "Land O' Lakes" }, "memberOf": { "name": "HubSpot Diamond Partner", "@type": "Organization" }, "legalName": "Brandvious, Inc.", "knowsAbout": [ { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/answer-engine-optimization-agency", "name": "Answer Engine Optimization", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/growth-driven-design", "name": "Growth-Driven Design", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/loop-marketing", "name": "Loop Marketing", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/hubspot-projects", "name": "HubSpot", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/lead-generation-website", "name": "Lead Generation", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/website-redesign", "name": "Website Redesign", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/expertise/saas-marketing-agency-hubspot", "name": "SaaS Marketing", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/expertise/healthcare-marketing-agency-hubspot", "name": "Healthcare Marketing", "@type": "Thing" }, { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/expertise/fintech-marketing-agency-hubspot", "name": "Fintech Marketing", "@type": "Thing" } ], "description": "Lean Labs boosts marketing ROI for SaaS and B2B companies, driving significant growth through expert strategies, lead generation, and website optimization.", "contactPoint": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/schedule", "@type": "ContactPoint", "email": "hello@lean-labs.com", "telephone": "+1-913-871-6500", "contactType": "sales" }, "foundingDate": "2013", "hasOfferCatalog": { "name": "Lean Labs Services", "@type": "OfferCatalog", "itemListElement": [ { "name": "Marketing x AI", "@type": "OfferCatalog", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/loop-marketing", "name": "Loop Marketing", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/answer-engine-optimization-agency", "name": "Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/hubspot-website-schema-rocket", "name": "AEO Schema", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/aeo-genie", "name": "AEO Genie", "@type": "Service" } } ] }, { "name": "Web x AI", "@type": "OfferCatalog", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/lead-generation-website", "name": "Lead Gen Websites", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/websites", "name": "Website Design", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/growth-driven-design", "name": "Growth-Driven Design", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/website-redesign", "name": "Website Redesign", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/web-migrations", "name": "Website Migrations", "@type": "Service" } } ] }, { "name": "HubSpot x AI", "@type": "OfferCatalog", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/hubspot-projects", "name": "HubSpot Projects", "@type": "Service" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/solutions/hubspot-breeze-agents", "name": "HubSpot Breeze Agents", "@type": "Service" } } ] } ] }, "numberOfEmployees": { "@type": "QuantitativeValue", "value": 12 } }, { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com#website", "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com", "name": "Lean Labs", "@type": "WebSite", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com#organization" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "description": "Lean Labs boosts marketing ROI for SaaS and B2B companies through expert strategies, lead generation, and website optimization.", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.leanlabs.com/hs-search-results?term={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself", "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself", "name": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself", "@type": "WebPage", "about": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself#article" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com#website" }, "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself#breadcrumb" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "description": "Learn how to differentiate your small business online by building a memorable Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and developing a consistent brand voice.", "dateModified": "2026-06-03", "isAccessibleForFree": true }, { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself#breadcrumb", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "item": "https://www.leanlabs.com/", "name": "Home", "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1 }, { "item": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog", "name": "Blog", "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2 }, { "item": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/topic/growth-marketing", "name": "Growth Marketing", "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3 }, { "name": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself", "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4 } ] }, { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself#article", "@type": "BlogPosting", "about": [ { "name": "Small Business Marketing", "@type": "Thing" }, { "name": "Unique Value Proposition", "@type": "Thing" }, { "name": "Brand Voice", "@type": "Thing" }, { "name": "Content Marketing Strategy", "@type": "Thing" } ], "author": { "name": "Kevin Barber", "@type": "Person", "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/thekevinbarber", "https://www.thekevinbarber.com/", "https://www.entities.org/entity/kevin-barber" ], "jobTitle": "Head of AI Growth" }, "headline": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses: How to Differentiate Yourself", "keywords": "marketing ideas for small businesses, how to differentiate yourself online, unique value proposition, brand voice, small business marketing, content marketing strategy", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com#organization" }, "wordCount": 1200, "inLanguage": "en-US", "description": "Learn how to differentiate your small business online by building a memorable Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and developing a consistent brand voice.", "dateModified": "2022-06-16T18:55:20.656Z", "datePublished": "2016-02-26T00:28:13.000Z", "articleSection": "Growth Marketing", "potentialAction": { "@type": "ReadAction", "target": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@id": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself" }, "isAccessibleForFree": true } ], "@context": "https://schema.org" } { "@type": "BlogPosting", "@context": "https://schema.org", "articleBody": "How do we stand out in a crowded space? It’s perhaps the oldest marketing question of all time. OK, maybe not, if we’re going back to the days of bartering in quaint villages along the countryside – Yes, I’ll take two sheep in exchange for 50 pounds of salt please – there probably wasn’t much competition! But, ever since the dawn of the Industrial Era, businesses of all stripes have been asking themselves how they can get noticed. Thanks to modern technology, and the widening of competition from here to Istanbul, companies are still asking themselves the same question (albeit, slightly modified) How to differentiate yourself online? Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses Upon first inspection, one would think this was a horrible thing. If you had a hard time competing against two or three well-known competitors in your area, how are you going to do with 22 or 23? But here's the thing The Internet has evened the playing field more than ANY other time in history. Got a million dollars to throw at an advertising campaign? OK, great. Got $20,000? OK, great. Got $200? OK, not as great... But you can do something with that! No matter your budget, you have easy access to the same tools used by the world’s largest companies to get your message in front of prospects Websites, social media, SEO-optimization, Online Analytics, etc. It’s an incredible thing, really! The key to maximizing such reachability? Changing the way you think about competition online and moving from – “How can I stand out from the competition?” to “How can I be more myself and forget about the competition entirely?” Put simply, standing out begins with creating a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and developing a clear brand voice. Your UVP and brand voice should be emphasized in everything from your user experience to your content marketing strategy to your customer service and everything in between. Let’s break these definitions down UVP The succinctly summarized core message or brand promise you want to be associated with. Brand Voice The consistent tone, personality and subject matter communicated by your business through written, visual and verbal means. UVP + Unique Brand Voice = Differentiation OK, let’s discuss how to create that memorable UVP and how to begin developing a brand voice unique to your small business so you can hopefully stop Googling “How to differentiate yourself online?!” How to Build a Memorable UVP The reality is very few businesses truly sell unique products or services Hardware stores, sporting good stores, air conditioning installers. Even B2Bs are fairly standardized in their offerings SAAS, manufacturing, consulting. But that doesn’t mean such businesses can’t be unique unto themselves. Creating a memorable UVP begins with the remembrance of a forgotten truism – people don’t do business with companies they do business with the people behind them. Even the largest enterprise is nothing without the founders and team behind it. Conversely, your customers aren’t just faceless prospects they’re people with unique motivations, needs, and concerns. Thus, an original UVP will come from a). An honest assessment of your company values and b). A clear understanding of your customers. You can begin by asking yourself the following Why was this company founded? What aspect of the business do I most enjoy? What are the top 3 values we as a company hold? What ONE thing can we potentially do better than anyone else? Why do our repeat customers continually do business with us? What is our target customer’s primary concern or goal, as related to our offerings? Once you’ve answered the questions, you can begin looking for patterns that emerge. Continue by refining that one defining pattern, or customer promise, into a succinct, repeatable message. It should be broad enough to expand upon, but specific enough that it differentiates your company from competitors. How to Develop a Stand-Out Brand Voice Again, your brand voice is the defining factor of your content marketing strategy. In addition to the overall feeling, vocabulary, and cadence you communicate with, your brand voice IS the stories you tell. If you haven’t already, begin maintaining a master document of brand characteristics. It should include, but not be limited to, the following The tone of voice (i.e.,. folksy with a Texas twang to conversational corporate boardroom). Adjectives used to describe company culture (IMPORTANT Do NOT make this up. If you don’t think your company culture is appealing to begin with, it’s time to regroup). Examples of appropriate cultural references that will be appreciated by your target customers. Examples of personal, company stories that illustrate brand values and promises. The primary questions and concerns prospects come to you with during each stage of The Buyer’s Journey. Once you’ve organized your answers into Editorial Guidelines, you’ll want to provide copies to your writers, staff and anyone else who will be representing your company. Refer, refine and edit often. How to Incorporate Them Into Your Marketing Finally, you’ll want to begin incorporating your UVP and brand voice into your marketing materials so you can begin differentiating your small business online. This includes A professionally designed Website with a user experience that supports your brand persona. Clear copywriting that emphasizes your UVP and company values. Topical content marketing materials that use on-target language, illustrative examples, and unique company stories. Blog articles, white papers, eBooks, email newsletters, videos, slideshow presentations and other forms of content that ALL exemplify the same brand voice and UVP. As you’ve probably guessed, there is no one formula on how to differentiate yourself online. But it is something that can be done regardless of industry, competition or experience level. The Key Takeaway Focus less on what the competition is doing and more on consistently creating your own unique messaging for your ideal customers!", "articleSection": ["Growth Marketing","ll-no-index"], "keywords": ["Growth Marketing","ll-no-index"], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Scott", "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/author/ryan-scott" } ], "dateModified": "2026-07-22 09:19:40.000Z", "description": "How do we stand out in a crowded space? It’s perhaps the oldest marketing question of all time. OK, maybe not, if we’re going back to the days of bartering in quaint villages along the countryside – Yes, I’ll take two sheep in exchange for 50 pounds of salt please – there probably wasn’t much competition! But, ever since the dawn of the Industrial Era, businesses of all stripes have been asking themselves how they can get noticed. Thanks to modern technology, and the widening of competition from here to Istanbul, companies are still asking themselves the same question (albeit, slightly modified) How to differentiate yourself online?", "headline": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses How to Differentiate Yourself", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "contentUrl": "http://www.lean-labs.com/hubfs/blog_post_imgs/Small-Business-Marketing.png", "url": "http://www.lean-labs.com/hubfs/blog_post_imgs/Small-Business-Marketing.png", "caption": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses How to Differentiate Yourself", "sourceOrganization": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Lean Labs" }, "width": "600", "height": "315", "creditText": "Ryan Scott/Lean Labs", "dateCreated": "2016-02-25 07:28:13.000Z" } ], "thumbnailUrl": "http://www.lean-labs.com/hubfs/blog_post_imgs/Small-Business-Marketing.png", "inLanguage": "en", "isPartOf": { "@type" : "Blog", "@id": "https://www.lean-labs.com/blog/", "name": "Lean Labs Blog", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.lean-labs.com", "name": "Lean Labs" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@context": "https://schema.org", "url": "https://www.leanlabs.com/blog/marketing-ideas-for-small-businesses-how-to-differentiate-yourself", "dateModified": "2026-07-22 09:19:40.000Z", "inLanguage": "en", "additionalType": "article_leaf", "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Lean Labs", "@id": "https://www.lean-labs.com/#organization", "logo": "https://www.lean-labs.com/hubfs/LL%20V4.1/logos/LL%20Logo%20Dark.svg", "url": "https://www.lean-labs.com/", "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-labs/", "https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/solutions/lean-labs", "https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Lean-Labs-Reviews-E3982766.htm", "https://www.youtube.com/@LeanLabs1", "https://www.facebook.com/LeanLabs/", "https://x.com/leanlabs?lang=en", "https://rocketreach.co/lean-labs-profile_b5f5471df42d3400", "https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/lean-labs-eed8" ] }, "name": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses How to Differentiate Yourself", "headline": "Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses How to Differentiate Yourself", "description": "How do we stand out in a crowded space? It’s perhaps the oldest marketing question of all time. OK, maybe not, if we’re going back to the days of bartering in quaint villages along the countryside – Yes, I’ll take two sheep in exchange for 50 pounds of salt please – there probably wasn’t much competition! But, ever since the dawn of the Industrial Era, businesses of all stripes have been asking themselves how they can get noticed. Thanks to modern technology, and the widening of competition from here to Istanbul, companies are still asking themselves the same question (albeit, slightly modified) How to differentiate yourself online?", "datePublished": "2016-02-25 07:28:13.000Z" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Lean Labs", "logo": "https://www.lean-labs.com/hubfs/LL%20V4.1/logos/LL%20Logo%20Dark.svg", "url": "https://www.lean-labs.com/", "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/lean-labs/", "https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/solutions/lean-labs", "https://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/Lean-Labs-Reviews-E3982766.htm", "https://www.youtube.com/@LeanLabs1", "https://www.facebook.com/LeanLabs/", "https://x.com/leanlabs?lang=en", "https://rocketreach.co/lean-labs-profile_b5f5471df42d3400", "https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/lean-labs-eed8" ] }, "wordCount": 1304, "datePublished": "2016-02-25 07:28:13.000Z", "isAccessibleForFree": true } ```