Question: How do we differentiate ourselves in our customers”™ eyes?
Thoughts of the day: Know how you can meet your competitors”™ offers, and then plan to exceed them.
Look at what your competitors are not doing to meet your customers”™ wants and needs. Introduce something new every year ”“ innovation can be one of your differentiators as you focus on keeping up with evolving customer needs. Do some good in the world and people will notice. Tell a compelling story about your product, your company, your mission ”“ and do it in 30 seconds or less.
Be the best at what you do. Uniforms, truck detail, employee presentation and skills, use of technology, a no-excuses attitude and the ability to save money by doing it right the first time ”“ these all add up to a compelling offer for your potential customers. Pay attention to the basics and do them better than anyone else. That, in itself, will make your company stand out.
Know what your competitors do well ”“ and where they fall down. Fill the gap. Find ways to solve customer problems that your competitors can”™t or won”™t address. Talk about your company”™s ability to tune in to customers. Know what your customers want better than anyone else, and then supply those wants.
Teach everyone in your company that “the customer comes first” is not just a slogan, it”™s a way of life. Always ask what else the customer needs. Give people the freedom to go outside the box to supply those needs. If in doubt, do it. If really in doubt, check in and then do it. Teach your company to be nimble and customer-centric by encouraging innovation and problem-solving.
Keep track of regular customer requests and turn them into new product offers.
Package into a standard offer things that your company has done to serve customers throughout the year. Teach people how to deliver that new offer. Tie products together under a strong brand that says what your company stands for. Pay attention to entry price points and online offers to draw in new customers.
Make it easy for customers to do business with your company. Build a relationship with customers by being predictable. Tell customers what you”™re going to do to take care of them, and then do exactly that. Saying what you do and doing what you say builds trust. Script it out for employees and then practice, practice, practice until everyone who touches the customer, and the people behind them, know how to say, and do, what is expected.
Think about how to make the world a better place, or at least your customers”™ slice of the world. Then talk about your company”™s role in making that happen. Build a team of believers whose mission is to deliver a superior experience to every customer who comes in contact with your company. Get vendors to promote your company because they, too, have a superior experience when they work with you.
Teach employees stories of heroic performances as examples of jobs well done. Use case studies and customer testimonials to be relevant. Talk about being on a mission to serve your customers in every way possible.
Distill customer accolades into a few words that describe what your company stands for. Use your customers”™ words to explain what makes your company stand out. Once you think you have a 30-second elevator pitch, try it on current clients to see if they bond to it. Then go to work building buzz about what your company does.
Looking for a good book? Try “Reality Marketing Revolution: The Entrepreneur”™s Guide to Transforming Your Business by Building a Marketing Machine” by Mike Lieberman and Eric Keiles.
Andi Gray is president of Strategy Leaders Inc., strategyleaders.com, a business-consulting firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial firms grow. She can be reached by phone at 877-238-3535. Do you have a question for Andi? Send it via email to AskAndi@strategyleaders. Visit AskAndi.com for an entire library of Ask Andi articles.
