Over the years, I’ve discovered how beneficial it is to experience a service-based brand from the ground up. Doing so has helped my teams and me build stronger, more creative ideas that clearly resonate and connect with their intended audience. It’s allowed me to see what customers see and have a better understanding of their experience. When you know what customers are actually going through, it’s easier to identify opportunities for improvement—from the online journey to phone interactions to service delivery and more.
If you’re a take-charge kind of person like me, then I have some good news to share – you can get started on this journey right away. It doesn’t have to be incredibly time consuming or a huge lift. Sometimes even the smallest insight can make a big impact on customer experiences and behaviors.
With that goal in mind, here are 12 tried-and-true ways you can start learning your brand and the competitive landscape to be a better thought leader for your business.
1: Google your services.
Start simple. Search for your service offerings and take a look at the results. Pay attention to not only the links but the questions people are frequently asking about these topics. This will give you a snapshot of what your customers are seeing when they conduct their own fact-finding missions. From DIY solutions and FAQs to top competitors and niche alternatives, this is a great way to take a mental snapshot of the landscape so you can better position your brand’s offerings.
2: Google competitor brands.
After you get a better idea of how services are being promoted, take a closer look at peer brands and throw in some aspirational ones while you’re at it.
Doing a thorough Google search will help you see what kinds of PPC ads they’re running and what messaging they’re using to hook customers. How do they compare with your brand? What tone are they using, and how does it come across compared to yours?
3: Explore lots of websites.
While you’re doing all of this searching, start clicking, too. It’s quick and easy to look at your competitors’ website to see how they’re positioning their brand. Some questions that can guide you as you dig deeper into their content:
- What’s your initial impression on the site’s look and feel? Use three words to describe the tone.
- How would you describe the brand experience as you navigate their site? Is it helpful, approachable, etc.?
- How are they describing their service offerings?
- Are they promoting any unique pricing models and/or offers?
- What are the main calls to action? How effective are they?
- Do they tout testimonials, reviews and other measures of customer satisfaction?
- Are they telling customer stories in a compelling way?
Extra credit time! If possible, sign up for their newsletter and download any free content they offer. Complete the sales process, too, while you’re at it. The It’s important to see how others are capturing leads and guiding customers through the sales funnel.
4: Click the ‘Follow’ button.
Follow your brand and your competitors on social media. But don’t stop there—read the comments! People are often candid on these platforms, and you can learn a lot from how audiences are responding to posts, ads or campaigns.
Pro tip: Be sure to follow some accounts that are adjacent to your industry, too. This can help you stay in touch with wider industry trends and conversations.
5: Get on prospecting distribution lists.
You’ve signed up for competitors’ newsletter and explored their sales funnels, but what about the call that’s coming from inside the house?
Ask the marketing team to add you to their direct mail and email prospecting lists. That way, you’ll receive the same materials your potential customers are getting. It’s an excellent opportunity to see how the brand is being pitched and compare against the competition.
6: Pick up the phone.
Even though we’re in a digital age, most service providers still handle consultations and appointments over the phone. So, why not play the part of a potential customer and give them a call? It’s a great way to see firsthand how their service experience really stacks up – plus you can dust off those high school drama class skills. No British accents, though, please.
7: Ride along on a sales consultation.
There’s nothing like seeing a sales pitch first-hand. It’ll give you a chance to get inside the minds of your sales team and customers. In my experience, sales professionals have an impactful way of sharing who the brand is, what makes their solutions better and how to overcome objections. Paying attention to their presentation can lead to stronger marketing materials – so don’t be afraid to ask if you can tag along on their next sales consultation.
8: Visit a job site or install.
For service-based brands that include installation or on-site service, go out into the field. Seeing your team in action helps you understand what the customer experiences to get the job complete. Understanding the service process and challenges will strengthen your ability to communicate value to your customers. Plus, with the right releases in-hand, it’s a great way to capture real-life stories and visuals so your content looks more authentic and less staged.
9: Go to a trade show or networking event.
Trade shows are gold mines for brand and competitor insights. You get face time with potential clients, hear honest opinions and see what your competition is doing – up close and personal. Plus there’s some really great swag.
10: Listen-in at the call center.
Remember being a kid and secretly listening in on your parents’ or siblings’ phone calls? Here’s a way to get that childhood feeling back again – no sneakiness required. Ask your call center if you can visit for the day and listen in on live calls. If this isn’t possible, ask if you can have some of the call recordings that are used for training purposes. It’s a great way to hear what people are saying and how the brand experience is portrayed over the phone.
11: Get new customer onboarding materials.
You should know your brand’s customer journey inside and out. If you don’t already have access to new customer communications, ask your marketing and sales team to share everything a customer receives once they’ve signed on the dotted line. This can include welcome emails, onboarding kits and even billing statements. Maybe even schedule a quick, casual meeting to talk through the process so you can understand their strategy and challenges.
12: Get renewal materials.
There’s nothing better than a loyal customer. They spend more, are easier to sell to and cost you less than acquiring new ones. So, it’s important to find out if your brand is asking for renewals every year, and, if they are, what does that brand experience feel like? What materials and tactics are they using to entice repeat customers and is there an opportunity to improve this experience?
Now that you’re armed with valuable insights, what’s next?
You’ve got the knowledge – let’s put it into action.
Understanding your brand, audience and competitors is a key step to building highly effective targeted campaigns. Using this information, we can help you tailor solutions that solve any vulnerabilities you’ve noticed, speak directly to ideal customer bases, refine the brand message and so much more.
Schedule a call today so the planning can begin!
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