5 Ways to Make Your Product Stand Out

4 min readOct 5, 2023

It is a highly competitive market, where one’s decline often becomes another’s opportunity to thrive. So what do you have to do? You have to make your offering stand out. Do something unique that nobody has done before. Follow the trends, follow the footsteps of your competitors closely and then decide on your plan of action. Take the best aspects and tailor them to your business. On one of the latest episodes of my podcast, Figuring Out, I had a conversation with the founder of Purplle, Manish Taneja. We discussed various marketing strategies among which one of the most important was making the product stand out! Here are a few ways you can do so.

1. Product packaging

Most customers will prefer buying your product because it is neatly wrapped and comes in a cute packaging or simply looks cute! So, instead of using plain brown paper wrapping, consider something unique; it can make a significant difference. Because the product you are selling is probably available on other websites and apps, so why should a customer prefer your brand? Maybe because of the free stickers you provide or the thank you card or the small gifts if it’s their birthday month.

2. Ingredients

If you are making a beauty product or wellness product, you need to be mindful of your ingredients. You cannot claim something just for the sake of it. All your ingredients should be of high quality and mixed in the exact ratios you advertise, while ensuring they’re not at toxic levels. For that you need to invest in R&D and find out what works best for your customer base. The potency of your products will directly impact your consumer’s happiness.

For example, if you are making a skin care product you should cater to different skin types like acne-prone, oily, dry, very dry, combination and normal skin. Clearly listing the ingredients and specifying which product suits each skin type is essential.

3. Shifting your audience focus

Some brands have a fixed audience. Like some high end beauty brands and products will target only metro cities and tier- I cities. Similarly, food brands often go for cities known for their culinary taste. However, it’s essential not to be too predictable. Choose a different kind of audience — which may be small today but showing signs of growth. For instance, you could focus on tier-II and tier-III cities. Initially, the response may be modest, but it’s important to promote your products, assess your audience’s willingness to pay, and adjust your product offerings accordingly.

4. Understanding the nuances of your audience

India is not a unified market. It is a combination of various markets sub-divided into various belts. While we are a unified nation under the constitution, every 200–300 kilometers bring variations in taste, demand, and beliefs among people. So if you want to tackle Indians with just one product, your business will fail. You have to talk to natives of various places to understand what they want. Obviously, hiring people from all parts of India is not a practical option. So what can you do? You can survey a certain number of Indians from parts and then draw out conclusions to brew your content accordingly.

5. Engaging marketing and storytelling

Effective marketing and storytelling can transform a mundane product into a captivating one. Craft a compelling narrative around your product that resonates with your target audience. Share stories about its creation, the problem it solves, or the journey of your brand. People connect with stories, and an emotional connection often leads to brand loyalty. Leverage various marketing channels to reach your audience, including social media, email marketing, content marketing, and influencer partnerships. Use engaging visuals, such as videos and infographics, to showcase your product’s features and benefits. Highlight user-generated content and customer testimonials to build trust and credibility.

Other than these, your customer service needs to be exceptional. There are people who would not prefer to buy from you, simply because you have no infrastructure of customer service. You need to make sure that doesn’t happen. The price of your product needs to be within range. You may be launching a terrific sunscreen but if the cost is at INR 1500, it will be a flop in the Indian market. So basically, to make your product stand out, you have to tap into your creativity and think from the perspective of a customer.

Want to know more about the nuances of business and marketing? Tap here.