What really makes you different than the competition? I am not talking about ‘service’ or price…but what really makes you stand out from the rest? Think about it…what is it about your brand that convinces someone to hire you or buy your product? What are you putting out there for your potential clients to see?
How do you separate yourself from the competition? What makes you stand out? This is what differentiates you from everyone else. It is how others recognize who you are, why you matter and how your clients that you have something of value to offer.
So why is this so hard to articulate for most of us? This is the heart of your business! Why do you do what you do? And more importantly, why it matters to your customer.
Does your brand communicate the value you offer? Do they know you care about enriching their life, not just selling to them? Do they know why you matter?
Dig into the heart of why you do what you do and let that come out naturally!
My friend Dave is a realtor. He began as an investor who enjoyed flipping houses. He became a realtor after one too many frustrating experiences with agents who he felt never actually listened to him and his needs. One experience after another led him to believe agents didn’t actually care about his needs, but just about closing the deal.
His solution: Become an agent too! He genuinely cares that someone looking for a home finds the perfect fit for their family. Once he started listing his own properties and meeting potential buyers, he found he thoroughly enjoyed the sales too. Why? Because he loved real estate and he loved people!
Dave is what I call a helpaholic (trust me, I know one when I see one because I literally coined the term!). He thrives off of helping people find the absolute best fit. He spends hours just getting to know his clients and goes out of his way to get them into the home of their dreams. Dave is constantly invited to birthday parties and family dinners. He has poured his soul into what he does and his passion is felt by those he helps. His clients know he’d do anything for them!
So, Dave has really set himself apart from the competition. He is known as the realtor who wants to get you into the right home, not just sell his property to the highest bidder. Dave has created a personal brand for his business where clients trust him and refer him to their friends and family because they know he listens to them, their desires and truly wants to help.
When you think about it…what differentiates you is basically what you want people to say about you when you are not in the room. So, how do you market this? Here are some steps on how to stand out from the competition.
Stop being generic.
Do not advertise the obvious. Think again before you advertise your great customer service. That’s a given! Shouldn’t every customer expect to be treated with kindness and respect? Advertising like this can be borderline insulting! Instead of promoting the main aspects of business, promote your heart. What makes you different? WHY do you do what you do and how does it help your customer?
Separate yourself from the pack.
Along with not being generic, take the time to be unique. Embrace what makes you different! In a world where everyone tries to conform, your best success comes by standing out. A colleague of mine uses the tagline, “If I can’t help you, I’ll find someone who can!” She promotes herself as the best, but also the most helpful. She isn’t competing for business, she’s helping clients with all their needs.
Be passionate about listening to people.
Don’t fake it. Nothing is more off-putting than fake sincerity. Take the time to listen. Decide how you are going to meet the needs of your client, not how you are going to close the deal for yourself. Be willing to let a client walk away if you know you can’t best meet their needs. In fact, see it as an opportunity to network and refer them to someone who can help them. That alone makes you different! It goes a long way in telling them you care more about them than the bottom line, which can benefit you even more in the long run.
Create a win-win scenario.
Do all you can to have the happiest clients possible. If they get more than they bargained for, and you close a deal, that’s a win-win scenario! Dave, the realtor, promises every client that if they end up not loving the home they buy anytime in the first year, he’ll sell it for them for free! This potential risk for him could mean thousands of dollars. But he cares so much about his client finding the perfect home to begin with, he has never once had to do it! Every transaction Dave creates is a win-win for everyone!
Bottom line? Find a way to communicate to your prospects and clients that you care more about them than just about winning the business. Be different. Putting your heart out there and offering them the value they are looking for will lead clients to you!