Loyal Customers
How to Differentiate
A business can choose one specific area, or a combination of areas in which to build its competitive advantage. See the Infographic below for ideas on where to focus your energies for effective Differentiation. Next week I will explain the process I perform with my clients to help them identify their key differentiators. Subscribe…
Read MoreWhy You Should Focus on Differentiation
We all want to stand out. Our businesses need to stand out. It is not enough to be good at something, for a business to be successful it must have its own special approach and skills. What is Differentiation Differentiation is the process by which you make a product or service distinct from the competition.…
Read MoreFighting Against the Status Quo
When selling, too many businesses forget that status quo is an option for their clients. Just because a prospect is “shopping around”, looking at new solutions, that is no certainty that they will, in fact, make a purchase. Why a prospect does not buy Adopting a new product, service, contact person… is itself a cost, well…
Read MoreWhat is a Budget Competitor
When making buying decisions, clients assign budgets to their needs. In a B2B environment, a budget is often assigned before the sales process begins. What the budget tells At any moment in time, a budget is finite. A buyer determines how much, out of the available spend, can go towards solving the problems of the…
Read MoreProduct Competition vs Replacement Competition
Identifying competitors is not as simple as it seems. As I introduced in last week’s post: there are many reasons why a prospect may choose not to buy, and each of these is a form of competition. Another product that does the exact same thing may seem to be the same as a replacement, but…
Read More4 Categories of Competitors Everyone Must Know
It is common to view one’s own business, service or product as unique. This is natural: the business founder has his or her own method, approach and passion. This is not always that obvious to clients, however; nor, and this is the harsh part, is it always relevant. When a prospect is making a purchasing…
Read MoreWhat Happens After You Leave the Room?
And how can you know? Defining your Solution is all about understanding that moment. You can hardly sell value to your clients if you don’t understand how their lives change thanks to your product or service. Almost all of my clients – whether for consulting work or training – request a work-through of Defining their…
Read MoreHow to Understand Sales Jargon
Nobody likes a conversation full of buzzwords. Do your clients and colleagues a favor and forego the sales jargon along with the industry jargon. What is Sales Jargon As we are focusing on your customers in this series, let’s look specifically at the sales jargon people use when speaking with prospects. There are so many…
Read MoreHow to Understand Your Jargon
To recap: the first step to problem solving selling – and better conversations with your prospects in general – is to remove industry jargon from your talking points. What is Jargon Some of these terms are easy, but others are less obvious. There are some perfectly common and everyday words that – when used within…
Read MoreNobody Wants Your Product – Still
We first discussed this last year – and it remains true: nobody wants your product. Understanding this is fundamental to Problem Solving sales. When people buy, it is not about you – the seller. It is all completely about them – the buyer. Do you know what happens after you have left the room? Do…
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