Thoughtful Thursdays – Do you really know what makes you different?
Differentiating yourself from the competition is often easier to say than do. Life is like that – doing is tougher than saying.
Have you considered that you can be the difference? Making a habit of doing what your competitor does not like to do will surely help make you stand out from the rest. But what does that really mean and how do you find out what they do not like to do in the first place?
Start by interviewing your existing customers. The fact they are buying from you indicates that some sort of competitive advantage has been established. The task is to determine exactly what that advantage is.
In many cases the behaviour you demonstrate with your existing customers will also be appreciated by your prospects. The approach may need to be tweaked depending on the personalities involved, but the core behaviours will likely be consistent.
Based on the response received, you may be able to develop insights to how your competition measures up without actually asking the question directly. Analyze the information you gather – ask yourself what it is telling you and read between the lines. Sometimes the answer lies in what is not said. The insights gained are the true value and will help you understand how you stand out from the crowd.
Do not be surprised if you discover that several little things you add up to a clear advantage. Whatever it happens to be, you are delighting your customer.
It may be that you return calls promptly, or send regular industry information that is engaging. Perhaps they do not hear from you frequently, but regularly and when you do communicate it is always worthwhile.
Understanding the reasons for your successes and making a habit of demonstrating those behaviours every day will differentiate yourself from the competition.
Good selling,
Richard
Have a question about sales? Contact Sakanashi and Associates Inc. and I will respond.
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