There is one thing above all else that can determine how successful you can be as a carpet and upholstery cleaner.
That one thing is ‘Positioning’.
According to Jack Trout and Al Ries in their book Positioning, The Battle for Your Mind, ‘positioning’ all takes place in your customers mind. It'’s how the marketplace perceives you.
It’s likely that they already have a view on you and your service. They may think that you’re a ‘budget’ cleaner or a ‘high-end’ cleaner.
If you’re their ‘budget’ cleaner they may be very happy with your service for what they’re paying you. But if they have an insurance claim for example (and someone else is paying the bill) they may choose one of your competitors to do the work because they perceive them to be much better. It doesn’t matter whether they really are or not. In the client’s mind, they are....and that’s all that counts!
So are you viewed as just a carpet cleaner? Or as a consultant who can advise them of how to take care of their furnishings?
A carpet cleaner will only get paid so much. But a consultant, a trusted advisor will get paid much more.
Why is this? Simply put…people value consultants. If you’re taken into Accident and Emergency with severe chest pains and the consultant says “we need to operate immediatelyâ€, you don’t say “well, my brother-in-law knows a bit about heart conditions...†You trust his recommendation and go along with it. You’re relieved that you’ve found someone who knows what he’s doing. That’s exactly the same view that you want your clients to have.
But what if you feel that you don’t have this ‘expert’ status? Then simply appoint yourself as an expert. That doesn’t mean simply pretending to be one. Instead, get all the training you need to become an expert and then convey that to the marketplace.
The best way to do this is to use ‘Education-Based Marketing’. Write reports or other educational material that can be given to interested homeowners that shows them that you are indeed an expert. For example, write an information guide that educates homeowners on why they need to have carpets cleaned regularly and how to choose a reputable carpet cleaner. Don’t make it a sales pitch. Simply present information that the homeowner can learn from and they will automatically view you as the expert. And people are desperate for information to help them make the right decision.
Other strategies could include:
- Having an educational recorded message telephone line.
- Acting with an air of authority (as a doctor addressing a patient) when speaking about their cleaning problems. No hesitating or pausing...just honest, confident advice from a trusted consultant, acting with their best interests at heart.
- Giving the perception of being ‘in demand’. You want your prospects to have the attitude “I’m so glad I’ve found you. Now, how can I get on your waiting list?â€
Your ultimate goal should be to position and market your business so that your prospects and customers have no choice but to come to the inescapable and undeniable conclusion that...â€I would have to be thinking completely irrationally and be totally out of my mind to even consider doing business with anyone else but you regardless of price or the relationship I have with my current carpet cleanerâ€