HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BUSINESS FROM 50 COMPETITORS
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 9:39AM 
Eco-Friendly Auto Care: Florida's first "green" repair shopSully Dawson is not an auto mechanic, but he is a Marine veteran and an MBA graduate. So, when he started looking at business-ownership opportunities a few years ago, he utilized the skills he developed from both experiences to create what innovation and marketing guru Doug Hall says is the secret to business sucess: meaningful differentiation.
Through his world famous Eureka Ranch, Hall has consulted nearly every major American company on how to successfullh bring new products to market, says, to succeed, a business needs to provide customers with three things:
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A distinctive difference
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An overt benefit
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A real reason to believe
Sully Dawson provides all three with his Eco-Friendly Auto Care Center, Florida's first "Green" auto repair shop.
Watch Sully talk about his business philosophy and see the Eco-Friendly Auto Care Center in action.
A distinctive difference: Sully's repair shop is the first environmentally conscious auto care center, not just in his neighborhood, but in the entire state of Florida! With more than 50 competitors within two miles of his East Ft. Lauderdale location, competition is fierce, broken down into two categories: local, owner-operated shops and major national chains. Naturally, the big guys have all the advertising and marketing resources, forcing Sully to consider the prospect of being lumped in with all the local owner-operator shops that look the same, charge the same and appear the same to most prospective customers.
By positioning with "green," Sully was not only able to break away from all those competitors, his message instantly became noticed by his target market. No, not environmentalists-- women! In his research, Sully found out 61 percent of all auto repair customers are female. Women were immediately attracted to Eco-Friendly, not just out of concern for the environment, but because Green is a reflection of a higher set of service standards: caring, honesty, responsibility and fairness, not the attributes usually associated with your average auto mechanic (DISCLAIMER: this is not to say auto mechanics AREN'T caring, honest, responsible and fair. Most are, but these are not the the first things customers think of when it comes to the CATEGORY).
An overt benefit. Take your pick. Some customers feel good about doing something responsible for the environment. Others believe they're taking better care of their vehicle. Still others get "peace-of-mind," because Sully's enthusiasm and dedication to the cause helps put them at ease. At Eco-Friendly, you aren't just getting your oil changed, you're making a difference in the world. When was the last time a national chain of ANY kind made you feel that way (Starbucks comes to mind. Anyone else?).
A real reason to believe. Car owners who prefer the corner mechanic to the big chains or dealers are usually quite loyal to "their" mechanic. They really believe in their abilities as technicians. The dirtier their hands, the more likely they know how to diagnose and fix whatever's wrong with your car. Well, Sully isn't an auto mechanic, so his customers must latch onto something else--something more.
From the moment you meet him, two things are apparent: Sully is passionately committed to the practice of green auto care, not because he's a tree-huging enviornmentalist (I don't know if he is or isn't, by the way), but because he believes totally that it makes good business sense, for both him and his customers. Secondly, Sully is always on his customers' side, focusing on seeing and solving problems from their point of view. As a veteran, he exudes enthusiasm, dedication to the cause and an unwavering commitment to getting the job done right. Sure he's in business to make money, but he knows if his customers are satisfied and happy, they'll not only come back; they'll tell their friends and neighbors about their experience. Eco-Friendly customers do have a real reason to believe: it's Sully himself.
Most owner-operated businesses fail to distinguish themselves in the minds of potential customers because they're afraid to put themselves in a niche, fearing they'll cut themselves off from potential business. In reality, the exact opposite happens. Sully Dawson differentiated himself by focusing on one aspect of the auto repair process. He took advantage of the fact no one else in the marketplace was doing it and he promotes it relentlessly. The result: more than 2,500 customers in his first 18 months in business and plans to franchise the concept in other cities. A few neighborhood mechanics should be jumping at that chance, if offered. With Sully Dawson's guidance, they're sure to succeed.
Reader Comments (3)
Well minded man Sully Dawson, Information about green earth tecnology. I likes very much your video. Thanks.
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