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If you can't be "first" or "best" or "the leader" in your market segment, establish a new category!
This is not a new thought. I first saw it in Al Ries and Jack Trout's book The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. But it rings true for today's home builders. Elsewhere in their 22 Laws book, the authors explain there is no such thing as "best", because it is defined individual by individual-based on what they know and believe. Yet, it's easy and safe to buy from the leader. After all, everyone else is and they can't all be wrong!
There can only be one "low-price leader" in your market (though there might be a couple builders  claiming that spot) but most of you don't want to own that market position anyway. "We're a family-owned custom builder that focuses on delivering quality and customer satisfaction." Just today I met three different home builders who made that basic claim. The market place only identifies and rewards exclusive market positions.
You build energy efficient homes. Wonderful-but so do other builders in your area. You're building "green"-which is catching on among home builders but still ambiguous with most buyers. More powerful is being known for a certain style, a niche focus (universal design/aging-in-place/healthy homes/log homes/stronger, safer homes/modern or contemporary design, etc.) What's important here is that your niche has to be passionate enough and sizable enough for your business model. But again, success attracts attention and you may soon find a new entrant in your niche.
Your challenge: identify that area, that niche, which you can be first/ best/the leader.
 This is why Design Basics created Woman-Centric Matters®, derived from and continuously enhanced by feedback from women home buyers. The niche is enormous (91% of all new home purchase decisions are made primarily or solely by women.) And passionate (women prefer to do business with woman-centric companies by a 7 to 1 ratio, according to Delia Passi Smalter in Winning Strategies for Marketing and Selling to Women.) As importantly, the Woman-Centric Matters program is available on a geographically-exclusive basis. Buyers love it! Woman-centric home designs are different and better. Woman-centric builders learn new ways of looking at their included features, options and upgrades. Woman-Centric sales and marketing accomplishes more without spending more. And by focusing on taking the buyers' entire experience from stressful to delightful, Woman-Centric builders enjoy higher levels of customer satisfaction and more referrals.
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