What’s your Unique Selling Proposition to the Professional Tradesman?

By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman, Sonnhalter

I recently read an article by Mark Buckshon from Construction Marketing Ideas where he was talking about how contractors need to identify what makes them different from all the rest. It got me to thinking about farther up the food chain (manufacturers) and how they all have a hard time differentiating themselves. How many times have you heard the following:

  • Best in Class
  • Industry Expert
  • Leading Source
  • Industry Leader
  • World Class
  • Award Winning
  • One-of-a-Kind
  • Innovative

The point is, what do these really say about your company that sets it apart from the competition? Phrases like these are marketing hype and nothing more. You need to look hard at those things that really truly set you apart from the competition. Manufacturers typically look at products as the points of difference and in some cases, that might enough. But no manufacturer can say that across their entire product line.

Maybe you should be looking at other points of differentiation such as tech/field support, customer service or distribution policies. For example, in the plumbing fixture category, there are tons of competitors. Yes, some like Kohler and Grohe go after the high-end, but what about the regular guy who needs a new faucet or shower head? If you were a contractor, who would you recommend?

Here’s a good example. Gerber Plumbing fixtures are sold only through plumbing wholesalers and plumbing contractors. Now if you’re a contractor, that would make a difference. They offer similar styles and finishes as their competitors, but they don’t have the hassle of a customer going to Home Depot and telling them they can buy that same fixture for $50 less than what you’re quoting. That’s a competitive advantage. Gerber has the contractors’ backs because that’s their target market.

Here are 3 questions you need to answer regarding your positioning:

  • Is it True?
  • Is it Relevant?
  • Is it Provable?

So I might suggest you take a look at your positioning statement and see if it passes the test.

 

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Do Less, But Do It Better

By John Sonnhalter, Rainmaker Journeyman at Sonnhalter

Outside the box

I don’t know why folks think that more is better. Better than what? Why do you have to focus on the latest and greatest new thing that comes out? From a marketing perspective, I think we’d be better off if we focus on some key initiatives and do them extremely well.

We can’t be all things to all people so identify your USP (unique selling position) and focus on a marketing strategy that addresses your points of differentiation. Once that’s in place, identify 2-3 key initiatives that you can focus on to show your thought leadership in your area of expertise.

Think outside the box when identifying ways to promote your USP. Identify where your business is coming from. Is it from presentations or referrals? If so, you need to nurture them. Do blogs or e-blasts perform better for getting your message out? Then make sure your content is strong and spot on.

By limiting the number of tactics, you can spend more time doing less but doing it better. Not only can you focus on good content, but you can also measure your ROI.

What are your top 2-3 ways of promoting yourself?

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