By Terry Begue

“Mr. and Mrs. Smith, did you see the great job we did up the street? It came out great because we’re great!”

Are you making statements like this to your prospects? I hope not!

Of course you want your customers to know you’re good, but no one likes a bragger. So how do you tell your prospects you’re the best without becoming a big turn-off?

Here are seven ways to communicate your value without coming off as a show-off. Many of these don’t require any words.

1. Pros belong to professional organizations

What organizations do you belong to? Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA), Better Business Bureau (BBB), even the Toastmasters or your local Chamber of Commerce show you invest in yourself and are committed to being better. Be sure to display logos of organizations you belong to where everyone can see them.

2. Pros communicate clearly and effectively

There’s an expression, “If you can’t easily explain it, then you don’t know it well enough.” Helping customers understand what you’ll do and how you’ll do it, in a clear and concise way, puts them at ease. The clearer you are, the more they’ll think of you as an expert.

3. Pros have performance standards

People like guarantees. Don’t be afraid to let your prospects know that you stand behind your work. If you’re a person of integrity, you’re already doing that. My question to you is: Do your customers know you stand behind your work?

4. Pros remove all risk

After presenting my proposal to my prospect, I hand them a copy of my liability insurance with a copy of my worker’s compensation certificate on the back. I then say: “I just want to be sure you know that you take no risk by hiring us.” This is even more powerful if you offer these to them before they ask.

5. Pros use systems

Applying systems, following a process or even just using a checklist speaks to your level of expertise. Telling your prospects when you can start, when you’ll finish and how much it will cost screams “I know what I’m doing!” without saying it.

6. Pros use other people’s words

There’s no better way to tell someone how good you are than the borrowed words of a past client. Providing testimonials shows them proof positive that you take your business seriously.

7. Pros stand the test of time

Most businesses fail within the first five to eight years. The ones that survive, and thrive are the ones that understand expectations and provide consistent value. If you’ve been around for a while, tell your prospects how long, or even share your crew’s combined number of years in business. I like telling my prospects that my crew and I represent over 100 years in the trenches.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2016 issue of PPC magazine. Terry Begue is author of The Wealthy House Painter’s Guide to Having It All and creator of the “Power Six Pack” selling system. Check out more of his painting tips and videos at his website, the4abilities.com.