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Economic Update – January/February 2018
February 26, 2018
Economic Update – September/October 2018
October 17, 2018

Are you creating a memorable impression of your business to your customers and prospective customers?  Many times businesses do not communicate the right message when marketing themselves. As a result they are not making that memorable impression although they may believe they are.

Too often businesses that are not big billion-dollar brands believe they do not have to work hard to differentiate their brand image, values, mission and messaging from other companies. When your company is not comparable to the likes of Coca Cola, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and other big brands we know, business owners incorrectly think the same rules of marketing for those companies are not applicable to them. It’s the belief “we are just a small company…we are not Coca Cola” that makes small and medium-sized companies believe their message of differentiation to the public is not as important as those of the big brands. As a result the message becomes solely about pricing, under the assumption that it is the most important factor in the customer decision-making process. Too many businesses believe that the “the best pricing” makes them memorable. Products are another factor – “we only use the best products”. However, this raises questions that many customers ask when they are looking to engage with a home improvement company.

Doesn’t every company try to provide the best value to their customers when it comes to pricing? 

Doesn’t every company use the best quality products when providing their remodeling services?

The answer to both questions is – yes, of course they do. Any reputable company will not purposely gouge customers when quoting prices for their products or service.  The same goes for the products included in a quote. One contractor may prefer Moen faucets, while another chooses Delta. Yet another may prefer Kohler or American Standard. All are quality brands but it really does not speak to why one company is better than another.

The fact is – neither of these factors will make your company stand out from the vast field of competitors. Pricing is the least memorable aspect about any business, unless the project does not go well, and then it will become the most memorable factor in a negative way. When pricing is number one, there is an added pressure to not become a company known as “You get what you paid for”.  From the customer’s perspective the final result of the home improvement work is the lasting memory and how you uniquely provided what others could not.

So how can companies differentiate themselves from their closest competitors and other reputable companies, taking away the focus from lowest pricing and other common, non-memorable factors? Your messaging should focus around:

  • Company culture – Who do you hire? What are your values? Are there social causes near and dear to your heart?
  • Personality – Is your company diverse in generations, heritage, gender, and work processes?
  • Unique niche – Does your company do something that no other company does? It may not be something glamorous but it could give you a competitive edge.
  • Service – What do you do that goes above and beyond the expected levels of service?
  • Ability to solve problems – Are you an expert in a particular area where others are not?
  • Customer service – Is this one of the most important priorities in your company?
  • Provide a unique value – Are there additional skills that you can include in your business offering that others cannot?
  • Your company’s qualities – Are you better qualified than others in a particular area?

Building your brand by communicating your best qualities, those that differentiate your company from your many competitors, is the best marketing you can implement. Remember, you want to be memorable. You want to provide a good value that goes beyond just pricing. You want to provide worth that customers and prospects are willing to pay for, even if the pricing is higher than another contractor’s proposal. You never want to be known as “the cheapest game in town”. But this takes work on your part. You must sit down and develop your brand, messaging and values and implement them company-wide.

Then, communicate your message of uniqueness and differentiation. You will find that customers are willing to pay the price for value and often price is not the number one factor in the decision-making process. But it’s up to you to make them feel this way!

Here are some related articles on the topic: 

Cult of Culture, Company & Personality

Don’t Compete — Differentiate

10 Ways to Make Your Business Stand Out

How to Eliminate the Competition