The 15 Best Strategies for Developing New Business in a Crowded Market
In the quest to uncover effective strategies for developing new businesses in a crowded market, we turned to fifteen Founders and CEOs for their tried-and-true tactics. From the initial step of validating a product idea before investment, to the crucial aspect of prioritizing exceptional customer service, these leaders share their insightful stories and strategies for success.
- Validate a Product Idea Before Investment
- Specialize in Niche Targeting
- Craft an Irresistible Offer
- Differentiate Through Branding
- Learn From Your Competitors’ Failures
- Focus On Your Unique Selling Point
- Seize the Right Place and Time
- Solve Adjacent Problems
- Demystify the Industry for Clients
- Establish Trust With Product Reviews
- Avoid the Expectation of Rapid Success
- Network at Conventions and Exhibitions
- Earn Evangelists and Integrate Software
- Position as a Knowledge Leader
- Prioritize Exceptional Customer Service
Validate Product Idea Before Investment
One effective strategy for developing a new business in a crowded market is to validate your product idea before investing heavily in it. Start by creating realistic 3D renderings of your product concept, which is a cost-effective alternative to prototypes.
Then, build a simple landing page showcasing these renderings and the product’s benefits. Drive traffic to this page using targeted Facebook ads and nurture interested leads through a tailored email sequence.
By analyzing the feedback and sign-ups, you can gauge the demand for your product. Using this strategy, we generated over $50,000 in pre-order sales before even creating the physical product, proving its viability in the market.
Harrison Bevins, Founder, Oak & Rove
Specialize in Niche Targeting
One effective strategy for developing new business in a crowded market is to focus on niche targeting and specialization. This involves narrowing your focus and catering to a specific, underserved niche within the broader market. By becoming an expert in serving this niche, you can differentiate yourself and attract customers who have unique needs or preferences.
Some years ago, a crowded market was encountered for a client who was a fitness wholesaler. Instead of trying to get them visible to a broad spectrum of clients, the focus was deliberately narrowed to a specific group – small, local businesses in their city.
The decision was made to specialize in providing SEO services tailored only to their niche. The primary focus was optimizing their websites for local search, managing their online reviews, and creating geo-targeted content. This way, not only was a profitable niche carved out for them, but it also helped them bring long-term clients on board. Any new local business could try this.
Bruno Gavino, Founder and CEO, CodeDesign
Craft an Irresistible Offer
In crowded markets, differentiation is not merely an option; it’s an imperative. One proven strategy to gain a competitive edge is meticulously crafting an irresistible offer—an offer so interesting that it attracts the target audience and mitigates their perceived risk.
Consider, for instance, introducing a money-back guarantee. While it may initially seem counterintuitive and potentially financially tricky, offering a guarantee can be an effective tool for establishing trust and encouraging customer engagement. After over a decade of successful operation, it was found that in a fiercely competitive landscape, introducing a money-back guarantee set a business apart and eliminated a significant entry barrier for new customers—namely, risk aversion.
An offer must be so compelling that it is a powerful catalyst for customer action, removing all hesitation from the purchase decision.
Geoff Newman, Founder, Starget.co.uk
Differentiate Through Branding
When I started SoFlo, the standardized testing market was already crowded with too many test-prep services and several behemoth ones that were already household names. It was a significant challenge to differentiate SoFlo, but it was our branding that helped us grow to challenge even the most established companies.
Approachability was key to SoFlo’s image, which was reflected in our marketing materials, website, and even the tutors we hired. We wanted to make test prep and the college process less intimidating and promote our youthful leadership and employee base.
Cultivating a focused and strong brand image for us was crucial to standing out in the crowded market.
Adam Shlomi, Founder, SoFlo Tutors
Learn From Your Competitors’ Failures
Outside of being able to illustrate how your business is solving a problem, research where your direct competitors are failing. Look at their negative ratings and reviews, and use those insights to build out value propositions that your business can confidently deliver on and market.
Fey Grimm, Social Media Manager
Focus On Your Unique Selling Point
New businesses are popping up every other day; it’s challenging to stand out in the crowded market. In fierce competition, you need to focus on the USP (Unique Selling Point) of your business.
To identify your USP, research your competitors. Gain a thorough understanding of what attributes or elements differentiate your business from the competition. Another great way is to ask for feedback from customers about why they chose your product.
Doing so will make it easier to identify your USP. Adjust and make amendments to make it unique from your competition. For example, offering free shipping is one option you can give to your customers. This technique has turned out great for many businesses.
Neal Topf, President, Callzilla
Seize the Right Place and Time
Competition is super healthy up to where supply exceeds demand. For example, if you’re going to open a taco truck, for it to do well, you’re going to have to park it in a place where there’s a huge hungry audience and very few options for solving that hunger.
You could have mediocre tacos, but if you’re able to park it in a prime location, say, outside a college football stadium right before the game lets out, you’re going to sell out of tacos. If you can be at the right place at the right time with the right audience, you won’t even need the best product.
That doesn’t mean cutting corners; it just means there are other factors that are far more important. In SaaS, it’s not much different. Figure out where your audience congregates. Figure out their biggest pains that aren’t being solved by your competitors.
Solve it. Hit your competitors where they’re weak, and don’t be afraid to charge every penny you’re worth. There’s a lot of money to be made in a fully validated market.
Justin Smith, CEO, Contractor+
Solve Adjacent Problems
While typical startup wisdom would have entrepreneurs build products to solve one specific problem, it is worth taking a step back and considering if there are other adjacent problems that could be solved at the same time.
Parker Conrad, the founder of Rippling, coined the term “Compound Startup” for this approach. At first glance, Baxter, the product in question, mainly helps users unsubscribe from and clean up their inboxes—something dozens of startups have tried to do over the years.
However, by also enabling users to organize other aspects of their digital lives, such as their browser bookmarks and cloud storage, Baxter is turning into more of a holistic “digital organizer,” not a mere inbox clean-up tool.
If potential customers can see how the solution goes beyond just solving one specific pain point, the perceived value of the product will increase, and it will gain market share.
Alec Lindsay, Founder, Baxter, Inc.
Demystify Industry for Clients
In the saturated world of SEO, my guiding principle has always been, “There’s always room at the top.” A strategy that has proven indispensable to me as an SEO consultant is transparency through education.
When I stepped into the SEO landscape, I was acutely aware of the murkiness and technical jargon that pervaded client interactions in our industry. Rather than obscuring details with complex terminology, I aimed to demystify SEO for my clients.
Empowering clients with knowledge means they can make informed decisions about their digital future. I broke down complex SEO strategies into digestible insights. This transparency not only built trust but also made clients more invested in the SEO process, as they could clearly see the rationale behind every move.
This approach transformed my business. Clients appreciated the honesty, and the clear communication set me apart in an industry often shrouded in mystery. In crowded spaces, authenticity and clarity always carve out a distinct place.
Tim Pelletier, Owner and SEO Consultant, Tim Pelletier Consulting, LLC
Establish Trust With Product Reviews
We’ve always placed a high priority on customer relationships at Lone Wolf Paintball. The reason for this is simple—regardless of your niche or industry, competition is fierce, and customers have a plethora of choices.
To stand out and build a loyal customer base, we realized we needed to do more than just offer great products; we needed to connect with our audience on a personal level.
One way we’ve done this is by creating product-review videos. These videos not only serve as valuable resources for our customers, helping them explore and understand our products better, but they also establish a sense of trust and transparency.
We make it a point to address common questions, demonstrate how our products perform in real-world scenarios, and provide honest feedback.
Tony Angeleri, Vice President, Lone Wolf Paintball
Avoid Expectation of Rapid Success
As a business specialist, there is one mistake that I have encountered in startups, and that is the expectation of rapid success. This is an unrealistic expectation, and it can have detrimental effects on your business plans.
A lot of startups believe that success will come overnight, and when this doesn’t happen, frustration sets in, leading to self-doubt, rushed decision-making, and compromise on the quality they aim to deliver to their consumers or customers.
Impatience can lead to inadequate planning, which will affect their long-term vision, taking away their focus from important aspects like customer feedback and product refinement. This will almost always harm their teams and morale.
Success requires time, willingness to adapt, and a lot of persistence. Understanding this will lead to a measured approach, which will enhance a startup’s chance of success in the long run.
Brett Downes, Founder, Haro Helpers
Network at Conventions and Exhibitions
As a leader who has attended multiple conventions and exhibitions, I highly recommend these events as an excellent platform for networking. Not only do they provide an opportunity to showcase your startup’s products and services, but they also serve as a breeding ground for valuable connections and partnerships.
You can also meet like-minded individuals, industry experts, potential clients, and future collaborators. So, take part in these events, have your business cards handy, and be ready to engage in meaningful conversations. This is the best way to build your network effectively.
Mark Chang, Founder and Head of Design, Intenza Fitness
Earn Evangelists and Integrate Software
No matter how crowded the market is, if your product is better than the other players, then you will win. One of the sure-shot strategies is to earn evangelists on your side.
Who does your product market to? Are there consultants in the market with whom you can partner? Are there umbrella software with which you can integrate? Think along these lines.
Umbrella software are large software platforms like CRMs or HRMS/HRIS, etc., where you can integrate with them and enhance their offering in one of the verticals.
For example, if you are an Employee Engagement company, you’d want to integrate with an HRMS company that has a generic employee engagement module where you can integrate and make that module better.
This gives their client an added benefit, a revenue-sharing opportunity for HRMS, and more clients for you. Now, integrate with multiple umbrella software like that, and they will only push your product into the market.
Akshay Dipali, CEO, Nasch
Position as a Knowledge Leader
Positioning your brand as a knowledge leader in your domain fosters trust and credibility in saturated markets. This strategy involves establishing clear objectives that address the needs of your target audience and creating high-quality content in various formats, from blogs to webinars.
Collaborating with industry experts, engaging regularly with your audience, and ensuring content is search-optimized are crucial components. Offering courses or certifications can deepen user engagement, and by staying updated with industry trends, your brand maintains its authoritative stance. Examples like Cloudflare’s Learning Centers and Aleyda’s LearningSEO demonstrate how educational platforms bolster brand authority and trust.
Executing this strategy goes beyond conventional marketing—it’s about genuinely striving to educate and support your audience. With consistent effort and a genuine commitment to providing value, brands can stand out, establishing lasting loyalty and trust.
Dan Taylor, Partner, SALT.agency
Prioritize Exceptional Customer Service
In a crowded market, one effective strategy for business development is to prioritize exceptional customer service and relationship-building.
Serenity Brews, a coffee shop, succeeded by creating a unique, welcoming atmosphere, remembering customer preferences, actively seeking feedback, and hosting community events.
Their emphasis on personalized service and community-building helped them stand out and attract a loyal customer base, illustrating the power of exceptional customer service in differentiating a business in a competitive landscape.
