Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/105596
SALES&MARKETING; (continued from page 47) Quality of work, presentation, customer service, and prompt arrival are some of the categories. The ratings or grades are provided by the homeowners that have actually used the contractor's service. The best part is that the homeowners have to pay to subscribe to Angie's website so it is easy to assume that the grades given are legitimate. Angie's model is a good parallel to establishing your brand. Branding requires that you take a long hard honest look at each area of your business and rate how you are doing. If you are professing to offer world class service, do you really? Are your deliveries really on time? Do your installers and service tech reflect your brand? These and other questions need to be answered honestly and routinely to make sure the message you are sending is consistent with the brand you want to build for your business. What're you selling? Are you selling solutions are just selling "stuff"? Apple is selling easy to use, hip computers and Smart phones that are cool. Costco is selling guaranteed low prices on a variety of household products, food and electronics. Nordstrom's is selling high end clothing and jewelry in an upscale and friendly environment. What are you selling? You can choose from within a fairly wide range of brand identities. Your company can be the garage door company that gives outstanding service, has very high quality products and has a money back guarantee. Or your company can be the guaranteed lowest price guy in town. You choose. As I said earlier either can work as a brand. But once you choose, stick to it. Cultivating your brand takes time, energy and money. Branding can build an expectation about the company services or products, and can encourage the company to maintain that expectation, or exceed it, bringing better products and services to the market place. In other words the more successful your brand gets the higher the bar gets raised. Of course you jump the next hurdle and in the process strength your brand. That makes your company better and drives your competition crazy! 48 International Door & Operator Industry™ Dan Apple is president of The Apple Group LLC, a consulting firm located in Bonita Springs, Florida. His focus is assisting garage door dealers with profitability and marketing. Dan served as president of Apple Door Systems in Richmond, Virginia for 33 years which grew to a statewide dealership with eight locations. He was the first president of the Institute of Door Dealer Education and Accreditation where he was responsible for creating the industry's first national accreditation program in 1998. Dan also served as a director of the Door & Operator Dealers Association and the International Door Association from 1994-1998. For more information, contact him at 804.640.4253 or email: danielapple@me.com or visit the website at www.AppleLLC.net. Summary The most important asset your business owns is its brand. Develop it, nurture it and protect it. Your brand has the single largest impact on your profitability. Apple has a generation of computer users asking for a Mac when they need a new laptop. What are customers in your market place asking for when they need a new garage door? An Acme? If you have done a good job of branding your company the chances are good that your company's name is synonymous with the phrase garage door. Is it? If the answer is 'yes', great. Just don't let up. Protect and promote your brand and enjoy your business success. If the answer is 'no', don't worry, there's still time. Creating a solid brand is an adventure and a slow process but the rewards are great. The best news is that you can start building or improving your brand today! Dan Apple is managing partner of The Apple Group LLC, a consulting firm located in Bonita Springs, Florida. His focus is assisting garage door dealers with profitability and marketing. Dan was owner and president of Apple Door Systems in Richmond, Virginia for 33 years which grew to a statewide dealership with eight locations. He was the first president of the Institute of Door Dealer Education and Accreditation where he was responsible for creating the industry's first national accreditation program in 1998. Dan also served as a director of the Door & Operator Dealers Association and the International Door Association from 1994-1998. For more information, contact him at 239-494-3505 or email: dan@applellc.net or visit the website at www.AppleLLC.net.