What Makes Your Remodeling Company Unique?

One of the keys to any kind of marketing is communicating your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

Like any other business, as a remodeling business you need to set yourself apart from the competition.

As someone who spent many years as a builder and remodeler—and as someone who helps remodelers market themselves, I can let you in on a little secret: In your prospects’ eyes, you’re not that different from your competitor. If you don’t believe me, check out the website of your three biggest competitors. How do they describe themselves?

• More than 20 years experience
• Highest quality craftsmanship
• Incredible customer service
• Family owned

Sound familiar? The thing is, all of those things may actually be true! It’s probably true of you. But to the clients you’re trying to reach, you all look alike. Let’s talk about what actually makes you unique—really different from the other remodelers in your area.

First, let’s revisit the three characteristics I mentioned above. Those three things (experience, craftsmanship, and customer service) are important—and every remodeler knows it. But when everyone uses the same words to describe their business, those words begin to lose their luster. How can you overcome that?

Experience

Don’t just tell customers how long you’ve been in business (it’s OK to mention it), but demonstrate what your experience has brought you. What does the experience you’ve gleaned let you bring to the table? How will it benefit the homeowner? Tell people how it’s made you a better.

Craftsmanship

It’s one thing to talk about your commitment to quality, but it’s much more effective to show it. Tell prospects where they’ll see the difference and then show them examples. For more on the importance of high quality photographs, click here. 

Customer Service

Telling a prospect that you have excellent customer service is a non-starter. Everybody claims to put the customer first. Talk about some specifics. What is it that you do that your competitors don’t do? Give specific examples of how your customer service is superior.

Focus on Uniqueness

If your remodeling company has a strong design element, talk about that as a distinguishing difference. Explain how that will make the homeowner’s life easier and how it will improve the outcome. Maybe your company’s strength is in creative solutions for “finding” space. Talk about how you’ve helped others take advantage of hidden spaces in their home—and the difference it makes. If you’re particularly strong in a particular area (say, kitchen remodeling) make that the focus of your marketing.

Get Past Clients to Talk

Prospects expect you to talk about how good you are and about what sets you apart. But when actual clients talk specifically about why they chose you (and why they’d choose you again) that has a lot more impact. But you’ll want to go beyond the “We’re happy with our new kitchen” comments. Get clients to talk about specific things you did (even if it’s just one thing) that really made the difference for them.

If you talk about your experience, your craftsmanship, and your customer service as concepts or commodities, your potential clients aren’t going to care that much. You’ll sound like every other remodeler out there. But if you can show them how you’ll make their remodeling experience better for them you can really set yourself apart.