Many companies today are finding it more difficult to increase sales in incredibly tight industries. How can we get those sales over the hump and close more business? One critical key element of the sales process is being able to demonstrate that you offer superior value than your competitors, and excellent value on your price point. Jeffrey Gitomer has said that when value exceeds price, a sale usually occurs. We have all heard the phrase "its a deal you can't pass up!" right? It is important to examine the process of how our clients come to find value in our offering. There are many ways to offer superior value, I will cover three. For more ideas, ask some of your existing customers what they like best about doing business with you, and make them even better.
The first value avenue is in our product or service. This is where we can differentiate tangibly our offering from our competitors. For example, in my case I have a very robust, feature rich Voice over IP telecommunications platform that I can offer at a very competitive price. Compared to my competitors I can offer more features, more options and higher usability than my competitors can, and I can offer it at a more competitive price point than they can. This is one avenue where I can offer superior value.
The second way to offer more value is in the way we conduct business at our company. Are you easy to do business with, or are you a pain in the neck to work with? Can you connect with your customers on a personal level and offer them superior service than your competitors? Is your company generic or memorable? Another example is in order. At my company I have the freedom to really engage my dealers on a regular basis and offer them a high level of personal service. I can be reached directly, very easily by email or phone, and there is not a roll of red tape to go through for me to get something done for my customers. When they need something I can get it done, and I can do it very quickly. I am always available to them.
The third way to offer value is the "you" value. You are the most important differentiating factor in the sales equation. Products and services don't sell themselves. Who are you as a person? Do you have a positive attitude? Do people like you? Are you committed to your company? Do you go the extra mile to help your existing customers and potential customers? Are you genuine? Do you stay engaged with your customers and give them the tools they need to be successful with your product or service? Can you be reached when your clients need you? A final example is in order. Whenever I conduct an online webinar to share information on my product and company, I make every effort to find out what the potential customer is looking for, to make sure I can meet their needs. I know my product well and I know my industry well. I educate them on the market place and how my product and company helps other companies to excel in VoIP communications. Personalization is important in how you engage people. Find out what interests them, rather than focusing on what interests you.
I offer value personally by helping people make educated decisions. I make my existing clients a priority, and I make every effort to help them succeed with my product. I also enjoy training them on my VoIP solution and teaching them how they can offer superior value to their customers by offering my product. By conducting sales webinars for my dealers, I am able to educate their prospects on the benefits of my VoIP solution. Putting together quotes and answering any questions my customers may have is a priority for me. It is my belief that by helping others to succeed puts me on the road to success. In short, you are the key factor to the sales process. Yes, it helps to have the first two elements, but without the third one, the first two will not stand. So no matter where you are on the first two elements, always be sure to work on the third.
I believe that by knowing and communicating these key three values will help you in winning new customers and keep your existing customers coming back to do business with you. Do everything you can to bring your value offering over the top of your price point and you will naturally grow your business!
