Fitting in is Failing

“In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is failing. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.” – Seth Godin's book Purple Cow.

Competition within the construction industry is fierce. The question is no longer if you are different but how are you different? No matter your company’s size, this is an important question to answer if you want to stand out in this crowded marketplace.

Current Strategies That Just Don’t Cut It

A large majority of construction companies do the following things well - actually very well.

• Preconstruction services

• Estimating and budgeting

• Means and methods

• Safety performance

• Construction quality

• Adhering to schedules

• Working within established budgets

• Competent and productive field staff

• Efficient and knowledgeable project management team

Herein lies the problem. Many construction companies believe their ability to do these things well sets them apart from their competition. When in fact, doing these things well makes them a part of the large majority.

Doing these well has become the expectation of clients of construction companies around the globe. The current reality is that a new challenge exists for construction companies - how to stand out in a crowded marketplace.  

The Truth About Differentiation

No two construction companies are alike. Every construction company has unique differentiation points to showcase and use as a catalyst for success. Use your differentiation to highlight the qualities that will position your company above the rest. Make sure your brand and customer experience positions you as the only company in the mind of your potential clients.

This sounds easy but is much more difficult in practice. Companies many times are caught up in emulating what others have already successfully done. Or companies forget to promote what makes them unique. Avoid these pitfalls by being honest with yourself about your company’s points of differentiation. This newfound confidence will help your company create clear and concise differentiation points for you and your team (top to bottom) to share with prospective and existing clients.

Learn Your Differentiation Points

It can be difficult to know where to start when looking for points of differentiation. Make sure you are not only thinking about how you are different but how that differentiation helps your clients. We stress again the importance of true differentiation. Ensure the things you believe help you stand out are not within your clients’ expectations.

There are a few key areas to look for differentiation. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your own journey to differentiation.

• A unique customer experience

• Technology that directly benefits your client

• Communication methods

• Relationship building

• Other areas that drive a closer connection with all stakeholders in your client’s organization

While working through this process, you might find that you have many differentiators, or possibly none at all. Did you find multiple points? Pick a few that help you stand out but also help your clients. Not sure which ones clients might find more important? Ask them. Unable to come up with any ideas on how you are different? Create some. You can reach out to your clients to receive feedback from them. They can be a great resource because they chose to work with you for a reason. Find out why and begin leveraging these against the market.

Next week’s blog will discuss more in depth ways to create differentiation. Or download our infographic to discover more tips about how to stand out.