Making Your Business Stand Out – by Asking for Advice

Today we discussed making your business stand out from the others in a way you wouldn’t expect – by asking for advice. If you’re like many industries, you may feel that your services or products don’t differ that much from your competitors. So what can you do in your business to stand out from the rest? My guest, Pat Claybrook, is in one of those industries where prospects look at it as a commodity – and figure that they’re ‘all the same.’But she has gone to great efforts to make herself and her company stand out from the others.
Q: Before you started your own business, a commercial cleaning company, you were in sales for 20 years. What did you learn during your years ‘on the road?’
A: That there was a need to bring professionalism to the cleaning industry, such as uniforms and nametags. I also had learned from my years as a pharmaceutical sales rep that marketing and sales are very important.
Q:  You spent many years working for others before you started your own company. What did that teach you?
A: To be strategic, to have a plan.
Q: What was the first thing you did when you began your business?
A: When my business was still in the ‘idea phase’ I got help from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC/Rutgers). They provided me with free advice and encouraged me to get certifications in my business that would allow me to get federal accounts as clients.
Q: You’ve also gotten advice from business coaches. What areas did they help you with?
A: The first coach advised me on putting processes into place. The second coach helped me with strategic planning, pricing and finances.
Q:  Recently you were chosen by Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Businesses entrepreneurial program. This was an intense 3-month program. Tell us about this program and what you got out of it?
A: I learned alot…how to create an exit strategy, as well as a 5-year growth plan. It’s because of this class that I’ve decided to pursue my 8a certification and also focus on the Philadelphia market.
Q: Have these mentoring programs helped your growth?
A: Yes, I’ve seen increases of at least 20% the last few years.
Q: You’ve also won a number of awards in the “best of” category from 3 well-known magazines in our area. What do you think it means to a prospect that you have these awards?
A: It builds credibility and shows my commitment to my company.
Q: What’s next? A: I’ve been laying the foundation – now it’s time to fill it in. I’ve developed a new website and am working on marketing to get my name better known.
Source: Jidan Cleaning