Portable restroom operators will always be in demand, but becoming a service provider who is trusted by clients and respected by industry peers can be a challenge. What factors help a portable restroom company earn that trust and build generational staying power?
A business brand — or what the company becomes known for — plays a big part in answering that question. The brand you build influences your entire business: the type of work you are contracted to do, your ability to hire quality talent and your name recognition in your community and the industry.
To build a brand that lasts, consider what sets your business apart from others in the industry. Do you offer a unique service? How is your call response time and customer service? When customers refer to you, what do they say about you and your company? In building your brand, you want to be consistent in your marketing, stay true to who you are and reinforce what makes you different. Keep these tips in mind when creating or updating your brand:
- Write a vision statement. While it can be tempting to stay focused on the day-to-day elements of running a business, it’s important to consider how your business is set up to grow and thrive for years to come. One great place to start is by creating a business vision statement that defines your long-term goal for the company. Having this statement written out — and for your eyes only — can help you make decisions as you define your brand. To develop your statement, think about what you do best and what you enjoy doing most. Do you thrive doing commercial projects or are you more comfortable in residential settings? Formulate your vision around what sets you apart and your plan for the future. A quick Google search will bring up vision statement examples and templates to help you write yours.
- Be thorough. Once you understand your vision and what sets you apart, you want to communicate this across all customer points of contact. From your website to your truck, from apparel to your social media channels, keep your brand identity consistent. It can be helpful to hire an outside agency or designer to do the work of developing essential brand components, including a logo, website and brochure, based on your vision. These resources can determine if elements like your logo will work well across all media — from a large logo on a van to a small logo
on a shirt.
- Be consistent. Your employees are your greatest asset and can be your biggest advocates. Let them know how to communicate your brand in front of the customer both in what they say and what they do. Do you want them to wear footies into a customer’s home? Should they leave business cards, magnets or referral cards after a job is completed? Make sure your employees keep your vision top of mind and know how to correctly represent your company’s brand and purpose.
- Get involved. Be a part of your community. Sponsor a youth sports team, have your team volunteer at a local food bank or provide your services to someone in need in your town. Get involved when and how you can. Then leverage your involvement across social media.
- Ask for input. No one understands the challenges you face quite like other business owners, especially contractors in the septic pumping industry. Build a network of trusted contacts and use them as a sounding board for new ideas. Getting outside feedback can be helpful in determining whether a new business idea seems in line with your brand or could be viewed in a way you’re not considering.
- Look to your reviews for inspiration. Quality service from start to finish sets a company apart and lays a solid foundation for a lasting brand. When clients can trust your professionalism, then referrals and positive online reviews will follow. Ask your customers to write an online review so you can learn more about how your service stands apart. Look at these reviews for branding and marketing ideas, or as a resource for making improvements.
- Be willing to evolve. Building a brand that lasts means staying flexible. While some aspects of your business may always stay the same — like providing quality work — other elements may need to evolve and grow from time to time. For example, is there an opportunity to expand the services you offer? Is there a new technology available that could make your back-office or fieldwork more efficient, freeing up time to add to your client list? The ability to evolve, if it’s in line with the vision you have for your business, will set your company up to be a brand that lasts.
