To stand out from the competition, you’ve got to offer what they can’t. Get these five things right and your service business will grow.
No matter where you operate, I guarantee that you will have competition. There are service business owners out there who claim that they can do the things you do – only bigger and better than you can.
And if you’re not careful, they’re going to swallow you whole.
They’re going to take away all of the clients you want and leave your service business in the dust.
But you’re not the type to let that happen, right?
That’s why you’re going to find a way to get ahead of the competition. And after that, you’re going to pull away from them and build a service business that they can only dream about.
But to do that, you need to understand the three stages that somebody goes through when they buy something:
- The need for a product or service arises.
- The person decides who they’re going to buy from.
- The person makes the purchase.
It’s the second stage that I’m going to focus on in this article. Once the need arises, how do you make sure that your business is the one that the person chooses?
These five key factors will put you ahead of the competition every time.
Factor #1 – Value
Okay, so this is a pretty typical buzzword in the industry. Every service business owner out there knows that if they don’t deliver value, they lose the customer.
The point I want to make here is that value means different things to different people.
For example, if I go into Nordstrom, my perception of value there changes compared to if I go to Walmart.
With Nordstrom, there’s some exclusivity. They sell some things that other people don’t sell. And they have quality merchandise, which means I always know that I’m getting my money’s worth.
So when I say “value”, I don’t mean offering the same service as every other business but for less money.
Instead, you need to establish what value means to you and your potential customers. Make sure they know that they’re getting something from you that they can’t get anywhere else. Then, deliver on the value that you promise them.
Factor #2 – Simplicity
Everybody’s super busy these days.
They don’t want to jump through hoops to purchase something. And that means they’re not going to tolerate some arduous process just to make use of your services.
If you require customers to come to your site to book a call, sign a bunch of forms, and get bounced around a call center, they won’t stick around.
People want simplicity in their transactions.
And every obstacle that you put in the way is just another reason for them to say “no”.
Make sure your marketing tells them how simple working with you is. Tell them exactly what you offer and how easy you can make it happen for them. Most importantly, make it clear that they’re saving time and effort if they go with your service business.
Factor #3 – Speed
Have you ever been in the line at Starbucks and heard sighs from the crowd? Something’s slowed down the line and people are already getting impatient.
That’s because people expect speedy service. Even though this delay only adds a minute or so to their day, they still find it a frustrating experience.
The simple fact is that customers want what they want and they want it right now.
They don’t want to wait.
And they definitely don’t want you to keep them in the dark about when you’re going to provide your service.
Your marketing needs to reflect how quickly you can get the job done. You can get in and out efficiently and give them what they need, without cutting any corners. In doing so, you provide the customer with that all-important speed of service that they want.
Factor #4 – Confidence
It goes without saying that you should have confidence in the level of service that you provide.
But I think a lot of service business owners fail to project that confidence through their marketing materials.
You either don’t think to give that impression or you make the mistake of coming off as arrogant.
Think about all of the stuff you read in traditional marketing.
“We’ve been in business for…”
“We’re the experts in the field of…”
It’s all cookie-cutter stuff that doesn’t speak to your real qualities.
Confidence comes from the way your technicians carry themselves. (That’s why we recommend that you call your technicians “experts” instead of “techs”.) It comes from the words that leave their mouths. And more importantly, it comes from knowing that you can get the job done and that nothing’s too big for you.
Telling people that you’re the expert won’t mean much if that’s not the impression they get when they see you.
Factor #5 – No Judgments
People don’t want you to come into their homes and judge them.
Think about it this way…
Most people have a sense of vulnerability in their own homes. When they let you in, they’re introducing you to their personal space.
Somebody may have a messy home because they’ve got a bunch of kids running around. If you make a comment about it, you’ve probably just lost that customer.
Others may feel self-conscious about the TV hanging on the wall, or the type of furniture that they have.
Your marketing needs to make it clear that you don’t care about any of that. You honor and protect your clients and will not cast any sort of judgment on their homes.
Master the Factors
Building just one of these factors into your marketing and your service will make a difference to your business.
But mastering all five? That has a massive impact.
By doing that, you show potential customers what makes you different. You give them messages that you provide something they can’t get from every other service business owner out there.
And that leaves you in prime position to pull ahead of the competition.
Now, I just have one question to ask you…Has success been elusive and you feel stuck? Book your FREE Strategy Session NOW!
