How to Differentiate Yourself as a House Painter: 17 different ways to set yourself apart.

As a house painter, you know that there are many ways to differentiate yourself from the competition. You can specialize in a certain type of painting, such as faux finishing or Venetian plaster. You can also offer additional services, such as carpentry or drywall repair. And finally, you can build a good reputation by always doing quality work and being reliable.

Differentiating by choosing a niche or adding additional services is the easy part. Only a small portion of this post will be dedicated to this.

The main purpose of this post however is to show you different ways to set yourself apart from other painters and gain a huge competitive edge by the quality you offer in everything you do as well as being reliable in all areas of your service.

Clear Communication

One of the best ways to set yourself apart as a house painter is to have clear communication with your leads and customers. This means being upfront and honest about what you can do, what your prices are, and what the customer can expect from you.

It also means being responsive to inquiries and keeping communication channels open. If a customer has questions, you should be willing to answer them promptly. And if there are any changes or delays, you should let the customer know as soon as possible.

Building trust is essential in any business relationship, and it starts with clear communication. By establishing yourself as someone who is trustworthy and reliable, you will make customers more likely to choose you over your competition.

Show you Care

Another way to really make an impression on your (potential) customers is by showing you truly care. This will differentiate you from other painters as the majority will feel they are too busy for something trivial like showing care.

A good way of accomplishing this is by truly listening to them. Whether they are still leads or already customers, what they have to say should be important to you. Especially since what people say and mean isn't always the same thing.

When we truly listen we can pick up on things such as the tone of voice. How things are said is as equally important as what is being said.

When people see you are genuinely listening they will entrust you with more information. You can then use that information to either make your bid stand out or wow your customer by adding touches you know they value.

Lead With Service

As a business owner, it's important to always lead with service. This means going above and beyond for your clients and ensuring they're always happy with your work. Here are a few ways to do this:

1. Always be on time and ready to work. Don't make your clients wait around while you finish up another job or get ready to start working.

2. Communicate with your clients throughout the job. Let them know what you're doing and answer any questions they have.

3. Take care of any problems that come up. If something goes wrong, take care of it immediately and don't make the client deal with it.

4. Finish the job on time and to the client's satisfaction. Make sure everything is done correctly and to their liking before calling the job done.

Commit to Excellence

Since starting my own painting business, I have always made a commitment to excellence. This means taking ownership of what's happening in my business, being accountable for both the results I'm getting and the results I'm not getting, and taking responsibility for whatever doesn't go as planned.

By doing this, I have set myself apart from other painters and gained a huge competitive edge.

Find Common Ground

Finding common ground with your clients will help you build trust and ensure that the job goes smoothly. Here are a few ways to do this:

1. Ask about their home. Find out if they've lived in it for a long time, if they're remodeling, or if they just moved in. This information can help you paint in a style that they'll love and that will compliment their home.

2. Ask about their family. Find out if they have any kids or pets, and ask what their favorite things are. This information can help you personalize the job and make sure they love the finished product.

3. Ask about their hobbies and interests. Find out if they like to cook, garden, or just relax at home. This information can help you choose colors and designs that appeal to them.

Make Punctuality a Priority

Being punctual should be a priority for several reasons. The first reason is that it shows you respect your client's time. If you're not punctual, it makes them wait longer than they should, and nobody likes to be kept waiting.

The second reason is that it makes you more reliable. If you're always on time, or even early, it makes customers more likely to choose you over your competition. They know that they can count on you to be there when you say you will be and that you'll finish the job on time.

The third reason is that it sets the tone for the rest of the job. If you're late for the start of the job, it's likely that you'll be late for everything else as well. But if you're on time, it shows that you're serious about your work and that you take your clients' business seriously.

Overall, being punctual should be a priority for any business owner because it makes customers more likely to choose you, builds trust, and sets the tone for a smooth and successful job.

Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Being proactive allows you to control the situation while being reactive means you're reacting to something that's already happened. This puts you at a disadvantage because you're always playing catch-up and trying to fix things instead of preventing them from happening in the first place.

The second reason is that being proactive makes you more reliable. Customers know that they can count on you to do what you say you will do, and they won't have to worry about whether or not you'll show up on time or finish the job on schedule. This builds trust and strengthens relationships.

The third reason is that being proactive prevents problems from escalating. If a problem does come up, being proactive allows you to deal with it immediately rather than letting it get out of hand. This saves both time and money, and it ensures that the customer is always happy with your work.

Overall, being proactive is the better way to go because it allows you to control the situation, be more reliable, prevent problems from escalating, and make the customer happy.

Be Transparent

Transparency is key in any business relationship. When customers know what to expect, they're less likely to be surprised or disappointed. This is especially important in the painting business, where customers are trusting you with their home and their money.

Being transparent allows you to build trust with your customers. They know that you're honest and that you have their best interests at heart. This builds a foundation of trust that can be relied on throughout the course of the job.

Being transparent also helps prevent misunderstandings. If there are any problems or unexpected expenses, transparency allows both you and the customer to address them immediately. This prevents any hard feelings or resentment from developing and keeps the relationship positive.

Keep Your Promises

When you're a professional house painter, it's important to keep your promises to your customers. This builds trust and establishes a foundation of reliability.

If you're able to keep your promises, the customer will be more likely to hire you again in the future. They'll also be more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.

Keeping your promises also allows you to maintain a positive reputation. This is important, especially if you're just starting out in the business. A positive reputation can help you attract more customers and grow your business.

Overall, keeping your promises is an important way to build trust with your customers and maintain a positive reputation. It helps you establish yourself as a reliable and trustworthy professional.

Stay Consistent

When you're a house painter, it's important to be consistent with your work. This means that you should always aim to produce the same high-quality results, no matter what job you're working on.

If you're not consistent, the customer may end up being disappointed with the final results. This can lead to negative reviews and word-of-mouth marketing, which can be harmful to your business.

Overall, consistency is key when you're a house painter. It ensures that the customer is always happy with the results and that you maintain a positive reputation.

Practice Risk Reversal

Contrary to the usual risk reversal strategies where a company or investor protects their own interests, this risk reversal strategy is aimed at protecting the interests of your customers.

Offering a risk reversal guarantee shows that you are confident in your work and that you won't be satisfied with the job until they are.

In my book Attract & Keep Customers For Life I explain this strategy in more detail. It plays a big role in building Trustability with your potential customers and provides you with a competitive edge as there will be few other painters willing to offer the same guarantee.

Keep It Simple

When speaking to your potential customers about the work that needs to be carried out it's important to avoid using industry jargon with potential customers. This is because they may not understand what you're saying and it can be confusing.

A confused mind has a tendency of saying "No" which means you might lose the job to your competitor who is able to communicate their work more clearly.

Show Respect

Respect is one of the most important things in life. It allows us to get along with others, work together and build relationships. When we show respect for others, we are telling them that we value them and their opinion. This can be extremely important, especially in business relationships.

Respect is also important because it helps us to feel appreciated. When someone takes the time to show respect for us, it makes us feel valued and special. This can lead to a stronger bond between the two people and may even result in a long-term friendship or relationship.

When you show respect for their time and their intelligence, they'll be more likely to trust you and recommend you to others.

Offer The Customer Awareness Guide

A surefire way to become a trusted advisor to your customers is by offering them the Customer Awareness Guide. This one-page document will let your customer know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are on their side.

It shows them what to look for when choosing a contractor, what questions to ask and what to watch out for. This is a powerful marketing tool that will do most of the selling for you and I highly recommend adding this to every proposal you sent out.

You can download it FREE here.

Other ways to differentiate yourself:

Become An Expert: House Painting Niches

When it comes to house painting, it's important to specialize in a niche in order to set yourself apart from the competition. By becoming an expert in a specific area, you can ensure that your customers know what they're getting when they choose you.

Some of the niches you could specialize in include:

- Exterior painting

- Interior painting

- Staining

- Venetian plaster

- Vintage Homes

By becoming an expert in one of these niches, you can build a reputation as being the go-to painter for that type of job. This can help you attract more customers and increase your profits.

In order to become an expert in a niche of house painting, you need to be knowledgeable about the process and the products involved. You should also be able to offer your customers advice on what type of paint or finish will best suit their needs.

You should also be able to answer any questions they have about the job and be able to provide them with a realistic timeframe for how long the job will take. This helps them plan for the work that needs to be done and prevents any surprises down the road.

By becoming an expert in a niche of house painting, you can set yourself apart from the competition and build a reputation as being the go-to painter for that type of job.

Show Your Confidence

As a business owner, it's important to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. This will help you make smart decisions, take on challenges, and achieve your goals.

When you're confident, you're more likely to take risks and put yourself out there. This can lead to opportunities that wouldn't have been available to you otherwise.

Confidence also allows you to stay positive in the face of adversity. No matter what challenges you may face, confidence will help you overcome them and move forward.

Overall, having confidence allows you to be successful and achieve your goals. It helps you make smart decisions, stay positive in the face of adversity, and take risks that can lead to success.

What additional services can you offer as a house painter?

There are a number of additional services that you could offer in order to differentiate yourself from the competition. Some of these services include:

Paint Removal

Paint removal can be a challenging and time-consuming task. It's often best to leave it to the professionals who have the experience and equipment necessary to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

Wallpaper Removal

Wallpaper removal can also be a challenging task. It's often best to leave it to the professionals who have the experience and equipment necessary to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

By offering wallpaper additional services you can set yourself apart from the competition and become the go-to painter for these jobs. In addition, you will be able to charge a premium for more inclusive services, which in turn can increase your profits.

Faux Finishing

Faux finishing is a type of painting that can be used to create a variety of effects. It's often used to give walls, ceilings, and furniture a more polished look.

Because Faux finishing can be difficult to get right, these are often projects that homeowners are looking to outsource to a professional. Especially since it's important to have the right tools and equipment for the job.

Most homeowners won't have the right brushes, sponges, rollers, and specialty tools needed to do a quality job. Specializing in this can prove to be a lucrative direction.

Custom Carpentry

Custom carpentry is best done by a professional for a number of reasons. First and foremost, a professional has the experience and knowledge to get the job done right. They know the right tools and techniques to use, and they can do it in a fraction of the time it would take someone who is inexperienced.

In addition, a professional has the necessary equipment to get the job done properly. This includes things like saws, drills, routers, and other power tools that can make the job go much more smoothly.

Lastly, a professional is insured and bonded. This means that if something goes wrong during the course of the project, the homeowner is not liable. This can provide peace of mind for homeowners who are trusting somebody else with their home.

All reasons to hire YOU if you decide to add this as an additional service.

Summary

So, what can you do to set yourself apart from the competition as a house painter? The answer is simple: offer additional services that your competition doesn't. Specialize in paint removal, wallpaper removal, faux finishing, or custom carpentry and you'll be sure to stand out from the crowd.

Not only will you be able to charge a premium for these services, but you'll also become known as the go-to professional for those types of jobs. In addition, by offering additional services you're showing homeowners that you're trustworthy and capable of doing quality work. This can help win more business and increase your profits.

and of course, you will want to make sure you incorporate all the traits and skills above that not only make you more likable to your customer but also guarantees to build trust which is the foundation for a solid professional relationship.

Finally, showing your best in everything you do will give you more referrals that you can handle as well as keep you top of mind for any repeat business your customers need, creating life-long customers as a result.

Interested in how you can make your business stand out from the crowd? Want your painting business to go from Unnoticed to Unforgettable? Learn More Here.