A few months ago, we were taking with a client about what makes them different. Their answer: “we don’t really know.”
Later, trying to talk to another prospective client about their uniqueness, the well-meaning voice on the other end of the phone said, “our differentiator is our quality. We really do offer it better than anyone else.”
Oh really.
(Secret: your competition is saying the same thing!)
These are NOT differentiators:
- “Great product” (again, don’t you imagine everyone says that about their product – kinda like what every grandparent says about their kids’ kids at church on Sunday morning)
- “Great customer service” (this is in the eye of the beholder – if your customers REALLY do think this, there needs to be a ton of testimonials that attest to this – not just in writing, but audio or video testimonials as well to lend credibility)
- “Friendliest employees” (well, then why did I walk in the other day and feel like I was interrupting his day?)
- “Best prices” (is this where you want to differentiate yourself? really?)
Tomorrow, we will conduct our FREE teleseminar on differentiation. Listen for the categories where you can really stand out and WOW your customer!
One area we’ll discuss is price. It’s been said that price is the very worst place to compete. Selling apples while competing with other apple sellers will inevitably lead to someone selling them cheaper. And eventually, that “cheaper” leads to less profit for you! But apples-to-apples, other than price, how else will the customer make their decision?
That’s why you have to deliver a fruit basket filled with the best apples plus alot of other good stuff!
- Offer them an added-value service that your competitor won’t ever do. WOW your prospect and make yourself stand out!
- Perform the little extras that cost you little or nothing. It’s these things are memorable to the customer the next time they think they’re comparing apples to apples.
- Bundle your apple with a long-term relationship product. Perhaps an extended service plan, a follow-up visit, or some other engagement that comes with your apple.
You eliminate the price comparison, because now you’ve elevated the decision to VALUE. Yes, they could buy an apple for $1 from the other guy, but they get two apples plus oranges, bananas, grapes and more. Yes, your basket costs more, but you have so much more to offer than just a simple Granny Smith.