The vast majority of businesses do not operate in an industry where they are the only supplier so competition is going to be evident in every industry.  The trick is how do you stand out from the crowd so that you attract clients but also keep those valuable clients - it is a fact that it is easier to sell to your existing clients!

One of the things you can do is look at what added benefits you provide and compare it to your competitors to see what you are doing better and what they are doing better.

You need to be very honest with yourself and also objective as this is a very important exercise to do - there is no point getting emotional over your business, you need to think like your client.

Once you have done the analysis, have a think about what other benefits you can give to your clients.  Think about:

One stop shop - do you have a supplier database that you can recommend reputable companies to match your clients requirements.

Referral system - do you reward people who refer work to you?  Think about offering an affiliate system to your clients and associates.

Proactive service - do you provide a really proactive service or do you just respond to client requests?

Discounts - have you got products that you could offer discounts on for valued clients?

Think about what you could offer your clients so that you can stand out from the crowd in all your marketing material.