Surprise: It’s not about your products and services or how you’re better than the last 10 companies that the prospect talked to. It’s about them and their business. How do you stop acting like every other company (who just seems to be trying to sell something) and start being a trusted advisor?
In today’s competitive environment, you have to do better than roll out the chocolate version of the vanilla offers that your competitors are offering. Putting a different spin on a the latest widget or service doesn’t make you unique or memorable. It doesn’t matter whether you are offering business loans, mobile apps, real estate services or marketing solutions. Using a “flavor of the month” approach doesn’t make you different or more valuable.
It makes you look like every other company in the marketplace…with a slightly different aftertaste.
Here’s the thing: It’s not about you.
It’s about them.
To stand out, you need to care more about your client’s business, goals and results than you do about what products and services you can sell them.
To be unique, you need to focus on building client and business partner relationships.
To a rare breed of business, you need to think differently and act uncommonly.
The top-performing reps have abandoned the traditional playbook and devised a novel, even radical, sales approach…
~Harvard Business Review
July/August 2012
By creating a culture of ongoing training and development that is centered around establishing and growing your client and business partner network, you put yourself and your organization in the enviable position of being your client’s trusted advisor – perhaps even before they are your direct client.
Not every company succeeds are harnessing its intellectual assets or its best talents. Not every company even tries.
Even though it critical to overall business success and improving financial performance.
Is your company adopting new ways to interact with its customers – existing and potential – to gain the trust and confidence that are imperative to today’s buying decisions?
Or, are you selling solutions – solutions that companies can find for themselves?
Do you want to be adding value – or taking orders?