The Green Industry's Resource Center

Duekster · #41 01-10-2007, 06:33 PM

Breaking your lawns chemical addiction.

Josh.S · #42 01-10-2007, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team-Green L&L

I almost have to give up here, because no one is getting it

How many deck companies do you know that use "hand picked" lumber? They use whatever lumber is put on the truck because it takes a lot of time to hand-pick each board and inspect it.

Very few companies offer "seamless siding" today because of the material costs. That is why brick is back. Aluminum siding is seamless more often than vinyl.

Both these qualities make them "UNIQUE" and separate their services from the 1000 other contractor in our area. Thus, they have both grown at an alarming rate. It is not "that you can do it", it is "how do you do it better than the next guy". Are we getting somewhere?

I understand what you are saying, and that is the reason I was interested in walker bagging mowers. I would be the only LCO (besides push mowing lawn boys) that bag the grass. Everybody here (including me) has side discharge ZTR's. Unless I have a cost efficient disposal method, this won't change anything.

Do you think that you can convince a customer that you are unque, when really you are the same. I think that many customers feel that they aren't cared for by LCO's. If I could convince them I care (by calling monthly during the mowing season) or something like that, would that set me apart?

In my area, offering what I do. I don't feel that customers really care that much about account management. I send them a bill, they send me a check, I don't even think they would switch to credit cards.

What do you think would be a good cost efficient USP?

Az Gardener · #43 01-12-2007, 01:30 AM

I still think many are way off track. How about we list some popular ones from TV commercials.

Zoom Zoom-Car add
Come and Get Your Love-Phone add
Heartbeat of America-You know
Its the Network-Phone add
Higher Standards-B of A
Grab Life by The Horns
Built Ford Tough

See, they all make suggestions but leave most to your imagination. This is the best advertising companies in the country and this is what they turn out.

I looked in some magazines for local companies and they were all similar to whats on site here. The best this or that, because we care, same stuff over and over. I'm not bashing just trying to raise the bar.

It is supposed to be [B]UNIQUE[B]Selling Proposition not usual selling proposition.

firefightergw · #44 01-12-2007, 02:05 AM

Team-Green, I understand what you mean. We have several. I would rather not say what they are because they do make us unique from everyone else and I would like to keep it that way. I can tell you that we don't use any of them as a "tag-line". We sell them over the phone, in person, and throughout the season to all of our customers.

Team-Green L&L · #45 01-12-2007, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefightergw

Team-Green, I understand what you mean. We have several. I would rather not say what they are because they do make us unique from everyone else and I would like to keep it that way. I can tell you that we don't use any of them as a "tag-line". We sell them over the phone, in person, and throughout the season to all of our customers.

Exactly! This thread has been revived. Even the last guy was off some and he was REAL close. Our account manageability efforts have already been compromised and we have adapted a new USP to compensate. We still use account manageability to set us apart, but that USP is becoming less and less "U" lately.

A tag-line does not sell a service or product like a USP will. An effective USP will be the advantage that ends the negotiations with a client. "We offer..." "Great, where should I sign?"

firefightergw · #46 01-12-2007, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team-Green L&L

Exactly! This thread has been revived. Even the last guy was off some and he was REAL close.

Off some or purposely vague?

jbone · #47 01-12-2007, 05:44 AM

Mine is- "We do a crappy job, but we charge a lot for it!"

Team-Green L&L · #48 01-12-2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefightergw

Off some or purposely vague?

You are being purposefully vague, but everyone else has spat out tag-line after tag-line, core values, mottos, catch phrases, and anything else, other than, a USP.

Being vague about a USP is not necessarily productive because you DO want people to know about it. The thing is that companies very seldom copy a USP because then it is neither one's USP and the funds they used to maximize that service cannot produce the same gains as a true USP.

A USP starts out as "no one else does it" and within a year or two, becomes "No one else does that as well as we do. After all, we were the first and we maintain the lead in development in that area."

By then, you are focusing on a new USP.