Last week, we talked about choosing your unique angle. If you want to have a reputation of being better than your competitors, sometimes just being different is all it takes.
There is something unique about what you offer, and step 3 will help you position yourself that way to your customers.
Add a negative promise and a time frame
In Step 4, we’re going to find two more ways to differentiate your business by adding a negative promise and a time frame.
Most businesses are different because of what they do. Today, we’re going to establish why you are different because of what you don’t do.
A great example of this is the restaurant Baja Fresh. Instead of promoting their fresh ingredients and unique salsas, they position their chain based on what they don’t have:
- No Microwaves
- No Can Openers
- No Freezers
- No Lard
- No M.S.G.
For Baja Fresh’s health-conscious target market, these statements create a lot of appeal.
What do your customers NOT want?
With countertops, think about what it is that your customer doesn’t want. For starters, they don’t want to wait. They don’t want their kitchen or bathrooms under construction and inaccessible. They also don’t want to waste money, materials, or time.
What negative promise can you make that will strike a chord with your customers? Choose one that your competitors can’t compete with, and you are set.
First, make a list of everything you don’t do, require, waste, or have. Choose the one that is unique to you and appealing to your customer.
Add a time frame
Now, your next step is to add a time frame.
Domino’s Pizza used to promise a pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less. They were the only one in their business to do so. Let’s determine what time frame you can promise that is better than your competitors.
Here are some questions to consider:
- If you hired more employees, can you promise an install within a certain amount of days?
- If you offer a 5 year warranty, are you able to make it 20?
- Would you promise 100% customer satisfaction for the lifetime they are in their home?
These are all ideas to help you establish a unique selling proposition based on time. Promising a pizza delivered to your door is great. Promising a pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less is game changing.
They key is to give your customers something they want that your competitors aren’t willing to give. This may seem too risky at first, but it is a surefire way to grow sales.
My hope is that you are one to take risks. If so, read Step Five
