I had a conversation with a LinkedIn friend who asked for some advice generating new business. He said he wanted to “get them to buy from him.” And he was getting overlooked because of the name brands, despite his growth and excellent features and benefits.
He’s not alone in his concerns so I thought I share the response here, too.
Mindset – a mindset of “getting them to choose you,” will not go over well with a prospect. It will force aggressive tactics. Consider a humbler approach, e.g., I don’t know if what I have will help, but is it worth a conversation?” Think relationships and connections vs. “getting them to do something.”
Contrast – how are you different from the name brands? Consider using contrast, e.g., “Unlike traditional approaches that force a single approach, we enable our customers to X, Y, and Z. In short, demonstrate how you’re different – without throwing the competition under the bus. This makes you look weak.
WIIFM – your prospects are less concerned about your accomplishments or features/benefits they want to know What’s In It For Me (WIIFM). That is, how will you help them slay their dragons. Your prospect is the hero in the story. You are the trusted guide to help them envision and achieve a new future state. Helping people get what they want and need without manipulation and pressure is sales.
Problem – what problem are you solving for your prospect? Again, not your features and benefits, but what are you helping them to overcome? Is it saving time, removing guesswork, mitigating risk…etc? I could tell you I’m a sales strategy consultant and trainer, and that will give you “some” idea of what I do. But I actually tell people I help them feel good about selling. This addresses a very real problem – PEOPLE DON’T FEEL GOOD ABOUT SELLING and I can assist.
See the difference?
I hope this helps!