Focusing on the outcomes of your work for customers can promote a clear differentiation from competitors. All buyers are interested in the end result–what will it look like/feel like/be like when you are done? This image (known as a 3D Knowledge Model) represents a future state where a number of disparate entities are aligned around […]
Everyone’s heard of a “niche” market as one way to differentiate your company from others. Perhaps you sell business-to-business, and you sell only to schools, or to salespeople, or to entrepreneurs, or to HR Directors, or to manufacturers. Or you sell to consumers, perhaps to men, or to teens, or to lawyers or gardeners.You might […]
A few days ago we had an air conditioning company come to the house for a seasonal check-up of our system. The guy who came out was polite and seemed knowledgeable and thorough, and after his inspection he told us about the few things that should be repaired or replaced. And, he said, since our...
Great brands are built through focus. It’s often very hard for a small company, especially a young one, to limit its concept of “who is our customer” and “what do we sell.” But trying to market all the things you might do or could do to all of the people who might use your products or […]
Are you one of the executives who still think social media is frivolous, trivial, and unrelated to your business? Think again! In this article, I explain the value of just one of the social media tools to find a personal introduction into a new large account prospect, to locate employees and past employees that you […]
Often you and the whole team are totally focused on the great advantages that you provide with your products and services. You consistently make a rational case for the sale of your products, unaware that 99% of buying decisions are made on irrational, emotional bases, led primarily by fear of making a bad decision.
Whenever you hold the position of “the best” for a period of time, you become vulnerable to many kinds of attacks. You can’t afford for your team to become complacent about your #1 position.
Is your company too modest? Before the customer makes the final decision to buy from you, they want to know in some detail what sets your team apart from those of your competitors. Don’t make this story hard to find!
I’m up to #6 of my Ten Ways to Lose . . . Even When You’re the Best. Here’s one that I see far too often: You are out of touch with your changing market.
Even when you have the best solution, if you overkill with your message you will not win the sale.
When you have rigid rules for customers, you will lose business.
There’s a fine line between doing whatever a customer wants, even if it’s not your core business, and learning from customers how they would like to receive your products and services.