Top 3 Ways to Make Your Business More Awarding

Unless your selling something that no one else is, you've got competition. They have experience, you have experience. They have selection, you have selection. They have good prices, etc. But how do you tip the scales in your favor?

Show your prospects that everyone else think you're the best! It's one thing to say you're the best, it's another to prove it. Ideally, this is through word-of-mouth, but the following suggestions are actions your company can take to build your social proof. Remember that the key is relevance - winning an award that no one has heard of (or is in an unrelated field) won't impress anyone. Instead, figure out how people research companies/products like yours' and ensure you've got the edge over your competition.

Here are the top 3 ways to get the advantage:

Third place: A high search engine position conveys the information that you're either highly ranked because others think you're great or that you've spent the resources to make yourself well-ranked. In either case, a prominent position conveys the sense that you're a leader, and therefore should be considered.

Second place: Showcase testimonials from your customers, either directly in your marketing or indirectly on third-party websites (such as: Yelp , Amazon reviews, or Angie's List ).

First place: Win awards that your prospects care about by independent organizations that select the "best of" among your peers - whether that be an Emmy award, Consumer Reports "Best Buy" rating, Diamond Certified , or though independent testing labs.

Since most people aren't early adopters of new products or services, they need to feel like their choice is well-considered. By showing that others value your offering, you make people feel like their making the "safe" or "smart" decision.