Being normal is boring

Be unique, be more Vivienne

February was the month we saw creatives from the world of fashion and arts join family and friends at Southwark Cathedral for the memorial service celebrating the life and achievements of one of the most unique and influential female fashion designers of our time, Dame Vivienne Westwood.

Responsible for bringing the phenomenon of modern punk and new wave fashions into mainstream, and never one for being average, Vivien Westwood was a trailblazer, iconic, with an unmissable personality, the perfect example of what can be achieved with clear goals, a strong purpose and utter uniqueness.

But how can the independent business owner be “more Vivienne”? One of the main attractions of a small business is its individuality. How can you stand out from the crowd, create a competitive edge, and like Dame Westwood, get noticed for all the right reasons?

Turn up and show your true colours

Be yourself, after all there is only one of you and no one can copy that! Let your individual personality shine through. Your shop, café, restaurant, bakery, and butcher shop are an extension of you and reflect your individuality. Customers love to know more about the face behind the business and people who get to know you will trust you, leading to repeat business and increase in sales.

Make the most of a plain wall by jazzing it up with fun photos of you and your team. Recognising the real you and the people behind the business makes customers feel more at ease, builds credibility and more personal connections.
Take advantage of your social media channels to connect and forge relationships with your customers. Host live videos, introduce them to your business sharing your background story. Keep your audience up to date with informed and exciting news and offers, remember it’s not all about posting pretty pictures.
Your handwriting is as unique as your personality, and keeping it personal with handwritten tags, labels, and menus helps showcase your seasonal creativity

You’re informed and with sustainability being a “hot topic” now is the perfect time to showboat your knowledge of the origins your locally sourced products. Stand out from the crowd, share how, as a business owner, you continually look at ways to make positive changes benefiting the environment and community, your relationships with customers will be stronger, where they trust your choices and regard you as an expert.

Go paperless with the emailing of receipts, reducing your contribution to waste and carbon footprint.
Using biodegradable bags and packaging in your small business demonstrates your commitment to reducing plastic pollution.
Easily sourced and cost-effective vintage and recycled items from second hand and charity shops can be used to create unique window displays, look for retro items such as black and white photos, well-travelled suitcases, vintage cameras, and other items that match your chosen theme.

You’re a listener, not a new concept but a platform to uncover what customers really want. Are they looking for gift inspiration, the ideal outfit for that special event, or do they have dietary requirements? Listening and giving them your unique personal touch, improves customer loyalty, customer retention and provides the opportunity to upsell/cross-sell. The more you listen the more they will value their relationship with you and your business.

You’re a planner, and the customer is at the heart of everything you do. From your inspired menu to the quirky interior design of your shop or your curated product range. Be strategic in your offering to set yourself apart from the competition. Make customers feel comfortable, not overwhelmed by choice, less is more. Your products should sit well and complement each other. Don’t confuse your customers with never ending ranges that could have been curated by anyone. The simpler and easier you make their experience the longer they will stay in your business and the more they will spend.

You’re a supporter of the local community. Giving back or partnering with a local environmental group or charity is a great way for you, your business, and customers to connect, support amazing causes and gain a unique sense of purpose.

Offer something different and better than your competitors.

Start at the heart of your business, with your employees, a happy and valued team makes your small business stand out from the competition, essential for a great retail experience. Creating an awesome business culture helps you attract and retain staff who will give your shopping experience that magic touch and keep customers coming back again and again.

Give the “white glove” service.

Break out the balloons and celebrate birthdays with a cake, a day off or donating to a charity of their choice, identify what works best for your team.
Go public with thanks and appreciation for your staff on your social media channels.
Say “thank you” with rewards and incentives tailored to individual interests.
Bring treats to share at work, just because!
“Give back to the community” days, encourage employees to volunteer in the community, spreading that feel good factor.
Embed a core set of your business values within the team. Show them by example how to behave to embody your business. How do you greet customers? How can they be as helpful as possible? What should they know about your product etc. Then reward them when you see them showing those values.

Finding creative ways of making your staff feel valued will maintain a committed and motivation team and ultimately filter through to the experience your customers receive.

And for your customers, use imaginative ways to demonstrate how they are valued by focusing on the customer experience and service you provide.

Go back to basics, offer a service that they will not find elsewhere, a concept that plenty of high street businesses claim, but never deliver on. Treat your customers like friends, from the first minute they walk into your business. I will always return to a shop, café, bakery, butcher shop or restaurant that makes me feel ‘special’ and treats me like a returning friend far more than a retailer who looks upon me as just another transactional shopper. Remember your making customers not sales.

Get creative, find solutions for your customers problems. E.g., embrace the “get & go”café culture by offering a walk-up window service for busy customers looking to grab snacks and drinks on the move. Offer a call and collect service for those who only pass at certain times of the day.

Host “sit and sip” or “talk and taste” events where people can sample new menus, or selections of wines, teas & coffees, show those specialities that set you aside. During school holidays consider introducing insta-worthy themed events, substituting wines for mocktails attracting families looking for something different to entertain their children.

Think outside the box, go off-piste and take to the high street, attend local markets and events, showcasing the best of what your café, bakery, shop, or restaurant has to offer.

Preparation is key use your social channels before, during and after, creating an online buzz, spreading the word and a little bit of self-promotion will stand you in good stead.
Connect, connect, connect, in an informal and fun way, have a chat, use this opportunity to have “real” conversations with “real” people and gain valuable insight on their preferences and shopping habits.
Be social and share the love, use hashtags, tag and connect with other independent business, at and posting about the event.
Create a buzz and get people over to your stall by ensuring you stand out from the crowd, wave goodbye to subtle and say hello to daring, be bold, be bright, be different, and above all be memorable.

(If using an A-board, hosting or attending a small local event having a good level of Public Liability is crucial for protecting your valued customers. Expression Insurance packages start at £2m Public Liability for small shops and moves up to £5m Public Liability cover for medium and large.

If you are thinking of getting even more creative with an event such as entertaining shoppers with fireworks, bouncy castles, discos and other higher risk activities additional cover maybe required. Please give the team at Expression Insurance a call and we will happily talk it though with you.)

Be a haven for home and remote workers by promoting your café or restaurant as a space for co working. Provide newspapers or board games encouraging customers to sit and stay have an extra cup of tea, coffee, or slice of cake.

Shout all about it through the medium of “The Newsletter” emailed monthly or quarterly covering discounts, hints and tips, gift guides and recipes but with your own unique spin on it. With customers constantly being inundated with social media, news, and emails, every day can seem like information overload, so break from tradition, seize the opportunity to make it stand out..

Keep in simple and catchy.
Included trending topics.
Create anticipation with social media teasers, for example "look out for news on something big happening in next month's newsletter".
Write for your audience making it relevant and interesting to them.
Run special additions, for example a “coronation special” or a themed edition when a popular TV series airs its final episode.
Stick with it.

Surprise and delight customers with an unexpected handwritten thank you note slipped into their bag alongside their purchases, or a handwritten message of appreciation on a serviette or coffee cup, without the customers noticing. It’s the smallest things that leave the biggest impression.

Keep prices competitive, when customers find a good deal, they’re more likely to choose you over your competition. Take time to research and find out what the average prices are so you can stay within those parameters.

Final thought

By taking inspiration from the Vivienne Westwood brand of how with a strong vision, solid business plan bucket loads of creativity your high street business can stand out from the crowd and competition and be a “high street staple”.

Don’t hide what makes you unique, your never remembered for being average, let’s embrace difference, lets embrace uniqueness, lets me more Vivienne!

If you want to find out more about how Expression supports independent business owners who love their business visit www.expressioninsurance.co.uk