Figuring out what makes your countertop shop unique can be tricky. You constantly have to be asking yourself: “Why should your customers buy countertops from you rather than another company?”
As we know, having the lowest pricing to stand out never works out well. Why make a low margin even lower? But, it can be competitive out there. Your fabrication shop needs to be known for something unique to stand above the rest.
You’re a fabricator which means you’re already creative. So, let’s get creative in our marketing! Start with asking yourself: What is a specific benefit your customers get when they buy countertops from you? Once you can answer that question, you’re well on your way to establishing a reputation, charging higher prices, and earning higher quality customers.
We’ll give you a headstart with some research we did. We did what this generation does best and browsed the internet. Here are some awesome examples of shops that are using a unique feature to their advantage. Hopefully, this can help inspire you!
1. A unique process
If you truly have a unique process, it can most definitely serve as a great selling point. Precision Countertops based in Oregon actually has a term for theirs: The Precision Process.
Precision Countertops manages the entire stone process from start to finish. They import it, store it, and cut it themselves, which allows them to keep prices low. In other words, customers benefit from high-quality results for a lower price.
Precision Countertops also has several other unique benefits mentioned on their site:
- 30 years of experience
- Largest countertop fabricator in the Pacific Northwest
- Unique and exotic stones imported from Italy, India, Brazil, and Russia
Being one of the largest fabricators in your region is powerful because it instills instant confidence and trust. But, when you leave the site, what really sticks with you is that unique process.
Precision’s website explains, “We believe in keeping pricing and servicing competitive, and we do that by controlling the entire process in-house. This is a unique model in our industry so we have called it ‘The Precision Process.’”
This industry-leading knowledge and transparency makes customers feel confident that they will be getting the best service and quality countertops from Precision.
2. Passion for the work
Nixon Granite Installation Services (NGIS) based in Ocala, FL is all about passion. Their tagline is “Pride of work! Passion for Service! Love of Natural Stone!”
Further down on their site, they explain: “NGIS fabricates granite with Pride and Passion, and Love.” On the About page, we see the following line: “[Nixon’s] pride, enthusiasm and passion for the natural stone and acrylic countertop industry separates him from his competitors.”
NGIS has built its business based on the fact that they really care about granite. We live in a world where many contractors couldn’t care less about the job and corners are often cut (no pun intended). A business built on a love for the work does actually stand out. Wouldn’t you want to buy from a company that cares?
NGIS makes it very clear on their website that from the installation to the interactions with employees, every encounter is met with pride, love, and passion for granite.
3. One-stop shop
A huge headache for new homeowners or those in the middle of a remodel is how many different vendors you have to manage. If you’re your own contractor, you’re probably stressed and overwhelmed by how many different shops and companies you have to stay in communication with.
That pain point is what Ray’s Countertop Shop, Inc. in Glenarm, IL decided to focus on. They offer sinks, faucets, cabinets, butcher blocks, tiles, cabinet accessories, and more.
The first thing you see when you visit the home page is “The One Stop Shop.”
It can be a huge breath of fresh air when you realize that one vendor might be the only one you need to contact for your renovation project. If your shop offers more than just countertops, that could be a bigger selling point than you imagined.
4. In-house fabrication shop
For California Tile & Granite, Corp based in Sacramento, they make it easy to find out what makes them unique. They state it plainly on their home page: “We’re a little different from the rest,” they say. “Our facility is equipped with our very own fabrication shop, where we cut your stone exactly to your specifications.”
They continue to focus on the unique benefit to the customer. This includes a higher level of customization and attention to detail that you won’t find anywhere else. They also really emphasize the customization aspect.
They want customers to know that the options are in their hands. Basically, choose the exact stone you want, and even go so far as to explore edge visualizers, stacked stone, floor pattern tools, and more.
Calling out what makes your countertop shop different in plain terms makes it easy for the visitor to become interested in you. They’re looking for a reason to go with you over the big box stores.
5. Credentials and recognition
If your countertop shop has any special credentials or awards, that’s a great way to stand out from your competitors. It shows that your shop is trustworthy and has proven to be high quality.
For example, Smokey Mountain Tops based in Nashville, TN uses its accreditation with the Natural Stone Institute as well as some Houzz awards to gain customer trust.
Their work has been displayed on Houzz and won in both the Design and Customer Service categories. If you can show outside proof that your work is credible and reliable, it gives customers peace of mind that you’ll do a great job on their countertop project.
6. Innovative products
If you’re offering countertop options that no one else in your area is, that’s definitely unique! For The Countertop Shop in Monclova, OH, their differentiator is environmentally-friendly countertop options.
On their website, they display front-and-center that they offer sustainable and recycled surfaces. In several places, they mention that this kind of countertop option is emerging in popularity, which shows that their shop is on the cutting edge.
They also have a few other unique benefits to offer, including precise and reliable service as well as on-time delivery. However, without any kind of gutsy guarantee or proof to back up those statements, these claims can fall a bit flat.
How many times have you worked with a company that advertises on-time delivery just to experience a major delay? However, if a company promises on-time delivery or you’ll receive a $250 Visa gift card… now we’re talkin’!
Standing out and offering something that no one else has is what it’s all about. Challenge yourself to shy away from generic promises unless you can really back them up.
7. Choose a niche
This is the polar opposite of being the one-stop-shop. When you choose a niche, you specialize in something very specific, and customers come to know you as the experts for it. For Artistic Granite & Cabinet Designs based in Conyers, GA, that niche is remodeling existing kitchens and bathrooms.
They heavily advertise their in-house designers who will work with you to create your dream kitchen and bathroom for a fraction of the replacement cost. They also get specific with how they go about doing this, including simple tweaks like adding backlighting or giving existing cabinets a facelift.
By shifting the focus away from the product itself and moving it towards the end result, they’re able to capture their audience. After all, the idea of a modernized kitchen for a fraction of the price is much more exciting than learning they have 200+ granite options.
8. Time-saving tech
Mega Marble, based in New York, offers an online showroom that allows customers to view slab options without ever leaving their home. This time-saving online showroom is equipped with photos and videos of granite, marble, quartzite, and quartz slabs.
They also offer a unique service where customers can send a photo of their kitchen cabinets, and their team will take care of the measurements.
By bringing technology into your countertop business, you’re instantly setting yourself apart. You show that you know how important time is to your customer and are going above and beyond to make their lives easier from the start. This allows them to relax and trust that you will have their backs throughout the entire process.
9. Lifetime warranty
During our research, we found that hardly any countertop shops offer a warranty on their website. However, SolidTops, located on the Eastern Shore, not only offers a warranty, but they offer it for life. Not only that, but they also advertise a 6-day installation.
We also see some other unique features of the company, such as the fact that they’re the only Natural Stone Institute accredited fabricator on the Eastern Shore, and they have a Kohler Authorized Showroom.
All of these unique benefits and credentials help customers move along the buyer’s journey. What objection can you have to moving forward with a purchase when you trust the company? All that’s left is price, but when you offer unique benefits like these to your customers, you can charge more and demand higher quality clientele.
What’s your angle?
Now that we’ve had a chance to look at several countertop shops across the country, do you have any ideas about what makes your specific shop unique?
What unique benefit or offer do you have for your customers that no one else in your area does? We’d love to know!
