Unique selling point/ Ideas

Posted on: Wed, 23/08/2006 - 23:09
Unique selling point/ Ideas

Good evening to you all or morning or day depending when you’re reading this.
Ever since I decided to start up my electrical contracting company I’ve always wanted to be different from all the other companies out there, and while I have a lot of ideas some great, some terrible and some that will cost too much to put into action at the moment, I’m always trying to think of new ones that will make me stand out from the crowd which I think is one of the keys to success!
I need something different to the usual competitive prices! Or we offer a personal/ professional service. Going off on a tangent a little here, I really hate it when I’ve put in a quote and the customer has gone with the cheapest quote, because (and I find this to be true) cheapest is not always the best, you can’t compare Tesco’s finest products with Tesco’s value products they are completely different leagues and priced for that reason and the same is true with any trades. I think I’ll write a log on this one.

So I’d really, really, really, really appreciate any ideas or advice you may have to make company unique and stand out from the rest of them, so here are a few questions to get started.

1. What would make you use an electrical company?
2. What could be my unique selling point?
3. what has impressed you in the past about trades?

I thank you all in advance for your help and hope I can return the favour in the future.

Regards
Paul

ELECTRICAL CONCEPTS
Domestic & Commercial Electricians www.electrical-concepts.co.uk Call on 0800 458 9118

Save Money - www.MoneySaverSite.co.uk Make Money - www.MoneyMakerSite.co.uk


Posted on: Sat, 26/08/2006 - 21:28 #1
Welcome back Paul

Hi Paul

Welcome back to the site - long time no see! I hope business is good.

In answer to your questions here are some ideas to differentiate yourself...

1. Doing a 'late shift' one day a week where you take appointments between 4pm and 10pm (for example), so that people don't have to take time off work when they need some work doing.

2. Having a series of factsheets that you give out with quotations/enquiries. These would set out for each type of job what is involved, what corners shouldn't be cut (ie watch out for the cowboys!), what the law says, safety points etc. It will set out what equipment is needed, how it works and what it does etc. This will show that you are a knowledgeable professional. People get nervous about things they don't understand, such as taking their car to the garage, and if you can demystify the whole thing they will trust you.

3. A marketing idea...Whenever you've done a job, drop some postcards in the neighbouring houses that say 'We've just done an expert job at number 22. When you next need an electrican, why not ask mrs smith if she would recommend us?'

4. Marketing idea again. Get some of those child safety mains socket covers (with the three plastic pins that insert in the socket and the flat cover) printed with your name and number. When you do work for people, offer to make empty sockets safe for them and any children, and insert these covers. Tell them it'll be easy to find your number next time!

5. Offer simple packages. An annual safety check for example. These would be fixed price and you'd diary it in a year in advance like the dentist, then just contact them nearer the time to confirm. At that meeting you could see about any other work they need.

That's all for now but I'll keep thinking

cheers
steve

Posted on: Thu, 31/08/2006 - 13:13 #2
Thanks for this Steve

Hi Steve
Thanks for the welcome and the ideas, hopefully time won't get the better of me again and i'll keep on blogging and helping out the rest of the FSUs comunity where i can.
Can i offer an idea for the website!
i nearly missed your reply to this post and it was only because i looked at my web space and saw a reply. So maybe you could set up alerts (the world needs more lerts) so when we log on we know we have replys to our posts or posts we have marked that we want alerts for!
Right on to the ideas (thanks again, once again you've helped me out. i owe you one or two or three! i'll buy more books and cds from you)

Point 1.I already go out to do quotes in the evening but i'll put it up on the website that we work evenings/weekends if required.
2. I already send out a fact sheet about part p, and have another idea similar to doing factsheets (i'll post on here when i've finished working on it) but will work on factsheets directly.
3. This is something the marketing guy who did my Logo etc suggested and i've sort of put on the back burner because i wasn't too sure about it!
4. The child safety plug idea is fantastic, they would be cheap to produce and could be given out to lots of people with kids.
5. Another fantastic idea. I'm now kicking myself :-)why didn't i come up with that.

I'm now going to work on putting these into action, Thanks again i'm eternally gratefull.

Take care

Paul

ELECTRICAL CONCEPTS
Commercial & Domestic Installation
**NOT SEEN ON TV**
WWW.electrical-concepts.co.uk
call 01992 700 825

Posted on: Thu, 31/08/2006 - 12:38 #3
Ideas

Hi Paul

I love guerilla marketing techniques - so low cost - big impact.

Off the top of my head here goes

1. Free pens with your web address on - next time your in a shop paying by card use your own pen and leave it.

2. Xmas cards to past customers - include a free pen - people love freebies.

3. Articles in your local free papers about the importance of safety checks - perhaps offering discounts for OAPs?

4. Charity work - nominate a charity and make a donation for every referral. For this I would contact the charity itself to see if they produce diaries, calendars etc that would include your details.

Liz

Posted on: Thu, 31/08/2006 - 13:27 #4
Ideas

Hello again Liz,

Those guerilla marketing techniques are down to Steve, Liz

Thanks for the ideas Liz I already try to help out a local charity, the Nightingale Comunity Hospice Trust, www.nightingalehospice.org.uk and have an idea to raise some money for them and promote my company.
I had pens made (about 65) when i first started up and sent them out with direct mail for which i had one response but it paid for the mailing though.
How easy is it to get an article in a local paper, but now you've got my brain rolling and maybe i could write a regular column on complete home safety!! not just electrically.

cheers Liz.

Paul

ELECTRICAL CONCEPTS
Commercial & Domestic Installation
**NOT SEEN ON TV**
WWW.electrical-concepts.co.uk
call 01992 700 825