Long before I started my first business, I was a voracious learner about anything business-related. I knew that at some point in the future, I would spread my entrepreneurial wings and I wanted to be prepared to soar…or at least not fall flat on my face.
One of the early lessons that struck me in my quest to learn “how to run a business” was that if you want to be successful, you need to be different. The point that resonated with me over 20 years ago that still rings even truer today was that “if you’re not going to offer something better than what is already out there in the marketplace, why bother?” In other words, if you make widgets and your widgets are essentially like the widgets that are already being produced; then why are you going into the business of making widgets?
Yet, that is what most businesses do. They produce something or provide some service that is not distinctive and better. And if you question them as to why someone should buy from them, their answers are usual general clichés like “We give the best customer service.”
The sad thing is that it’s just common sense that we need to make our products or services different and better, but few organizations actually do so in a meaningful way. In fact, differentiation should be the foundation on which to build your business. It’s that important. In fact, I would argue that it is probably the most important thing that you and your organization do.
Let me be clear that it’s not about differentiation to simply be different. It’s differentiation to be better. It’s differentiation to be unique and beneficial to your customers. It’s differentiation to provide meaningful value to your clients.
What should be your obvious differentiators are not always so obvious. And what you value as a differentiator is not necessarily what your customers value. So what is meaningful, relevant, unique and valuable to your customers, because that is the only thing that matters? If you don’t know, you have some important homework to do.
If you do know, you’ll need to leverage and communicate that information in a compelling way as part of your marketing efforts and sales process. Let’s look briefly at your sales process. There are at least four ways to use and share your unique value in a way that will get customers lining up. I call them the Fantastic Four, because with these tools at your disposal, you will create a win-win for you and your customers.
- Positioning Statement – This is a one-sentence description of what you do. And unfortunately it’s an area where most salespeople fail miserably. Simply put, your Positioning Statement should give a potential client a quick and easy way to know the value and benefit you bring to the table. It should highlight what makes you different and better and it should roll off your tongue in less than 10 seconds.
- The Right Questions & The Right Advice – When you’re meeting with a prospective client, you should know enough about their business to ask insightful questions and offer insightful advice. In other words, your conversation should leave the prospect feeling like your time together has truly been illuminating and worthwhile. You’re not viewed as a typical salesperson, instead you’re seen as a trusted advisor and expert.
- Validation Stories – No one likes a braggart. But everyone likes validation that they are on the right path. In your sales process, you should be prepared to share validation stories that are mini case studies that show how you’ve solved a similar problem for another client. A successful Validation Story is short and sweet. I prefer a format I call S.O.A.R. to keep it both concise and compelling.
- Unparalleled Value – As an expert, you should be able to offer a solution that is unlike anything that your competitors can do. This is part of your Unparalleled Value and is the trump card when it comes to differentiating yourself from your competitors. To truly have an Unparalleled Value, you must understand your client’s business better than they do and offer a solution that is uniquely yours.
If you or your organization would like to dig deeper into the Fantastic Four, let’s talk.
