Competitive advantage AND UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

Since being in business for myself, there has always been that awareness of the competition, but I have never thought of them as a threat or felt the need to keep up, because, in fact, I feel I have always managed to keep slightly ahead.

My skills and capabilities as a painter and business operator have developed over a period of over forty years. Besides extensive practical skills, my most relied upon skill is the ease with which I communicate with potential clients for the first time; a selling point that relies on acute listening skills, affirmative communication, quick and informative responses to queries and swift attention to problems.

To market the business successfully to a prospective client means that I have to sell myself and the service I have to offer. Confidence in both must be instilled in the customer in the first phone call or first personal contact with them.

Some of the concepts that are key to a successful customer relationship are:

Customer trust and satisfaction. A customer is seeking a tradesperson who they can trust to be on their property, in most cases without supervision, and someone they can rely on to start and finish the project without any hassles. Keeping good-working relationships with clients means keeping them happy, keeping them informed and results in keeping them coming back. These are the elements that make for a contented client, and creating a balance of these elements as they apply.

Quality workmanship. Quality of workmanship is reliant on our work practices and the premium materials used.

Quality materials. We use products of the highest quality, specifically those of the Dulux brand, and strictly adhere to their recommendations and specifications in order to further ensure quality work.

Reliability. Reliability means turning up on time. It is common decency if we are running late to a meeting or to the job a phone call and a sincere apology will always precede our arrival. Speaking to clients for over twenty five years has shown me that many business operators are reluctant to do this. Reliability also ensures that jobs are run smoothly and customers are treated with the respect that they deserve.

Internal reliance. Internal reliance means that I only ever use my own workers. There are no sub-contractors used. The advantage of this is that I can personally and directly account for all the work produced.

Environmental awareness.

Our environmental awareness extends to the environmentally sensitive materials and the paints we use and our innovative methods of waste disposal. I mention to the client our cleaning process of our brushes and rollers using the Dulux Envirowash cleaning system. I explain to them the reason for this process and they are generally happy for my concern for the environment. The products I use are thoroughly explained with the emphasis on environmentally friendly VOC paints.

Detailed quotes. Provide concise but thorough written explanation of work to be performed, commitment and length of warranty. If you follow these steps also, you will gradually see a continual flow of work coming in either from repeat customers or from recommendations.

Remember:

You need to be good in painting but you have to be exceptional in your service and what you have to offer.

Jim Baker Author of ‘How To Become A Really Successful Painter’ www.mytools4business.com