Red Ocean v Blue Ocean - position yourself away from the competition

 This article is for anyone who is keen to start THINKING more about how to position themselves and their business better in 2023.

 Best grab a few quiet minutes and a tea / coffee and either listen to the video and / or read the text. They are largely the same thing.

During the Lockforce part of the conference in 2022 we discussed the difference between 3 types of service providers in the sector. 

• The Rogues
• The Amateurs
• The Professionals

 As you can imagine we discussed this as a group and unequivocally agreed we fit into the Professional category.

And then we listed out all the reasons why…

Our know how, our uniform, our tools, our ID badges, our liveried vans, insurance, DBS, communication, punctuality etc…..

 There is no doubt that we are a professional outfit and everyone who pulls on a Forces Group uniform should strives for the best and to do their best. If you are not tuned into all the things list above then you have an opportunity to improve even further.

However, there is another level that you should strive for and shout about….. a level that makes you (us) stand apart from everyone else.

You see the way I look at this, our customers, and in particular our best customer, would expect nothing less than all the things we tend to list out (see above). And, while most of the competition appear incapable of doing these basic things really well, there is more you could do to set yourself apart from the competition.

After all, if the competition sorted themselves out they could easily do the basics brilliant well and then you (we) are just like the rest. And, being just like the rest is not a good place to be!!

 So, why not look to take a dive into the Blue ocean, rather than splash about in the red ocean?

In simple terms the Red Ocean is where “everyone” fishes for work – competition is high and prices are low; whereas the Blue Ocean has less (or no) boats on it and fishing is easier, work is steadier and prices are higher. On the Blue Ocean you are the “go to person” for what you do (and how you do it)….

 So how do you stand out and position yourself in your market place……..? How do you stand above the other “professionals”…?

 

1. REVIEWS – we all know this, but are you “the most reviewed Pest controller / Locksmith” in your area..? If so, do you tell people…? Do you celebrate Review Milestones…?

 

2. AWARDS – as a group we have been nominated for some Awards and won an Award or two….. but what about you and your business…? Could you and your business be nominated or even win a local Business Award…? There are lots of opportunities if you look and we will assist your entry…!!

 

The Forces Group Awards – at the conference I spoke about the importance of proper THINKING and taking ACTION to help grow and develop your business. Well here is a real example………. With regards to Awards we realised that we were missing a trick by not THINKING properly…. By Celebrating Success at the conference and handing out Awards we were creating “Award Winning” Business Owners. So we have taken Action and created some Award Logos (and back dated to the start of the Awards in 2018). If you won an Award at the Conference since 2018 then you are now an Award Winning xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. And while it is an internal award, by winning a category, you are in the top 2% of the Group 👀 👍.

 

3. ACCREDITED – Business Accreditations hold weight with different people and customers but they are still a point of difference. BPCA, MLA, CHAS, CEPA, CHECKATRADE, TRADING STANDARDS APPROVED, RING APPROVED INSTALLER, BRISANT INSTALLER ……. Some of these are easier to obtain than others, but don’t dismiss them.

 

4. TNTs – the meaningful things that YOU do that customers TALK about. The little WOW moments that you create in the eyes of the customer. These can be spontaneous things or better still the things you do for all Customers as part of the service you provide. Using the Automated Email sequences from the Customer Care Package would be a good example but you might have other ideas.

 

5. YOUR BIGGER PURPOSE – this is quite deep  but again is dismissed at your peril. As you are aware we have a purpose of “helping others not as fortunate as ourselves” – this is done by raising money for these 3 main areas Mental Health, Cancer and the Environment (Rain Forest). 

 

As you move forward I would recommend that you find time to think about the positioning of your business then I hope it makes you think differently.