Telling the success story behind your building project makes all the difference to your customers.
Last week in my Mastermind group, I heard a phrase that resonated with me: “The Story Behind the Product.” In this instance, the phrase was used in reference to marketing locally-produced products, but the same can be said for just about any product or project you provide.
Our lives are full of stories, and every day we live out new stories. Some stories are humorous, some are moving and yes, some are even those that you simply can’t share in public (we’ve all got those, too).
Even more important than our lives being full of stories is this: People love to listen to a good story, and I guarantee that your customers love reading your success stories.
When I meet with a potential new customer, they don’t want me to rattle off a listing of specs for my writing services. They want to hear a story about how I solved another client’s problem – one is similar to the one they, too, are facing. This, by far, makes them feel comfortable that this isn’t my first writing rodeo, as they say.
Same is true for builders and remodelers and your projects.
Customers don’t just hire you to build their home or renovate their existing one, do they? Usually you don’t even have to dig deep to get to the heart of why your customer wants to build or remodel. They quickly reveal their pain point – their struggle.
This “pain” they share with you is the launching point for one of your success stories (aka project spotlights). By sharing this success story with others, it will help you connect with potential customers – because it brings out the emotion behind the new construction or remodeling project. It gets deeper than square footage, lot size and EnergyStar® appliances. The story tells the tale of why your customer needed you in the first place. And as a result, the success story will help people know, like and trust you faster – which leads to shorten sales cycles and even more sales.
Every one of your projects is a success story.
Why not tell the story of a young married couple from New York City who wanted a real home for their kids to play and be safe? They wished for a home (and life) that when they look out their windows, they saw trees and sky, and not the concrete jungle.
Tell the story of the wife who has lived for 10+ years without a properly sized silverware drawer – and that little detail was her irritation point that exploded into a complete customized kitchen remodel. (BTW – if you don’t know Jason’s and my story of how we moved into our BRAND.NEW.HOME only to discover that the builder didn’t design the kitchen with a properly-sized silverware drawer, well, you now know the story.)
So stop putting the focus on your spec sheets. Most homeowners understand the value of the high-quality products you are installing into your homes – granite counter tops, natural gas fireplaces, and hardwood floors. Instead, tell the story of how you – Mr./Ms. Fabulous Builder/Remodeler – solved your customer’s pain – with a success story. This, by far, will be the tipping point that is going to make a potential customer take a closer look at you.
