In my last column I said everyone is using digital media to shout the same, copycat message: here’s our name, here’s what we sell, here’s how to find us. You’ll never win the customer-acquisition game in a toe-to-toe match against the big boys using this approach. So, what can an independent retailer do? Let’s look at some strategies.
Create powerful messaging
One way to create powerful messaging is to figure out how to answer the unspoken question on the mind of every prospective client: “Why should I choose you versus every competitive option available to me, including doing nothing?” You’ll give yourself an advantage over competitors, including box stores, because the overwhelming majority of flooring dealers fail to answer that critical question.
Multiple answers to the unspoken question
Every interaction with prospects—whether online, in print, in your signage or in person—is an opportunity to answer the unspoken question.
Dealer “X” knows this. Which is why she made a list of every touchpoint where a prospect interacts with her business—from her website, to her store, to the phones, to the measure. She came up with a list of over 40 touchpoints. She then went through each interaction and figured out how to answer the unspoken question in that situation.
Dealer X has crafted a message that gives a strong, compelling answer to the unspoken question. Based on the strength of the website alone, shopper Suzy is now leaning toward choosing Dealer X. But she decides to go ahead and visit all four stores she researched online. At the stores owned by you and your two competitors she has similar, copycat experiences. She’s greeted the same way, asked the same questions, shown the same samples, blah, blah, blah.
She then visits Dealer X’s showroom. From the way she is greeted by the salesperson through the in-store consultation, every interaction is completely and totally different. Every step has been engineered by Dealer X to answer the unspoken question. By this time Suzy is probably going to buy from Dealer X, but she decides to get estimates from all of you and schedules in-home measures.
You and your two competitors arrive at Suzie’s home the same way, ask the same questions, measure the rooms the same way, give her an estimate the same way, blah, blah, blah.
Then Dealer X’s salesperson arrives for the measure. What she does before arriving, the way she stands outside the door, what she does in the first 30 seconds after being invited inside, what she says to the prospect, what she does in each room, how she presents the quote and a dozen other small interactions have been carefully engineered by Dealer X to answer the unspoken question.
So, throughout the prospect’s buying journey, throughout every touchpoint—from online to offline—Dealer X has repeatedly and powerfully given compelling answers to the unspoken question. Which dealer do you think Suzy is going to choose?
Jim is the founder and president of Flooring Success Systems, a company that provides floor dealers with marketing services and coaching to help them attract quality customers, close more sales, get higher margins and work the hours they choose. For more information, visit FlooringSuccessSystems.com.
