If I ask you to think of affluent communities, there are some names that come to mind. One that jumps to the top of my list is Carmel, California. The entire Monterey Peninsula is nothing short of spectacular — and, in many locations in that region, it’s quite expensive and elite.
Now, imagine that you are a custom home builder in the area. Obviously, your product must be spectacular for such a demanding clientele. And, given the high dollars involved, my guess is the competition is quite intense, as well.
In that type of market how do you separate yourself from your competitors?
I received a message from one of the elite builders on the Monterey Peninsula. It read:
“As a contractor in the Carmel/Pebble Beach area, we are always in competitive situations in which our competition is highly competent. Just such a situation occurred a few weeks back on a Pebble Beach home.
All three bidders were:
- close in price range
- close in temperament
- and vetted, quality home builders
(My note here: Isn’t that often the case in your business, as well? It’s seldom that your competition is a bunch of idiots — they are worthy opponents. Which, of course, means that it’s both tougher to stand out…AND critically important!)
As the meetings progressed to find the right contractor, it was clear to me that it was going to be a toss-up. Around that time, I had watched your video interview on YouTube, and was motivated, to say the least!
What I did next was to do something distinctive — I created a Gantt chart on our construction software. All the budget numbers were attached directly to a timeline of the project — and, if done correctly, would aid in the decision-making process along the way in the construction.
(Another interruption from me: Notice that what the contractor did wasn’t just about being “different.” He created something that was truly of value to the potential customer. Who wouldn’t want that if you were building a house — especially a multi-million dollar one like this project! If you want to create distinction, you must provide something of unique value to your customer!)
They were impressed with that! The potential buyers mentioned that the others had not thought it…
We just got the call yesterday that we have won the job! Thanks again, Scott McKain!”
I was hugely honored by the message — but the contractor did all the work!
The idea to create the timeline was brilliant. It provided something that was not only of value to the customer — but, also demonstrated that their business was focused upon the successful creation of a beautiful home…not just closing the sale and getting the cash.
Because of that…he closed the sale and is getting the cash!
What an extraordinary example of how to create distinction! What one thing can YOU provide of unique value to your customer to ensure you stand out from your competition?
