Five Ways to Deliver More Value
A clear shift is taking place among prospects and customers. Increasingly, they want to know, “Where’s the Value?” If this isn’t clear to them, they’ll go elsewhere. Here are five ways that smart salespeople use to make sure clients can see the value they are offering:
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Answer Communications—Prompt, clear and complete telephone and e-mail responses send the message that your company is timely and efficient — qualities that’ll set you apart from competitors.
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Offer Ideas—What customers need more than anything else is help coming up with with innovative ideas. Be their sounding board. You’re the expert. If you can’t be of assistance, you probably won’t get the business. Show them you can deliver more than a product or service.
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Make Every Presentation Valuable—Don’t just drop in on customers unannounced. Have a clear purpose when you ask for a meeting and make sure the customer agrees that it’s worthwhile. Presentations must speak to customers’ concerns. It shows that your company’s in sync with theirs.
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Show Ways to Reduce Costs—Don’t assume your customers believe you’re looking for ways to save them money. Be on the lookout for cost-cutting solutions, and share what you find. This reminds customers that you always have their best interests in mind.
- Tighten Your Schedule—Giving customers proper attention takes time, so it’s critical that you set plenty aside to stay in tough.
We have been providing design/build signage solutions to clients for over 30 years. Most of our work is negotiated. We do it by convincing clients that we are experts, that our service is valuable and that the cost of our services and products is fair and reasonable, but not necessarily the cheapest. Our close rate to pre-qualified clients is over 75%.
I agree with most of your points, especially that a good way to set yourself apart from being viewed as a "salesperson" or, worse yet, a "sign guy" is to present yourself as a consultant and convince your client that you have their best interest in mind. Of course, this means you really DO have to have their best interest in mind. If you don't mean it, don't say it. A few other thoughts:
Offer Ideas - Yes, offer ideas, but don't be too fast to jump to a solution or throw out quick ideas. Be thought and listen. Take time to learn about the client's needs, then respond appropriately.
Make Every Presentation Valuable - We have found that dropping-in is an excellent way to remind clients that your are present and available, but you should ALWAYS have something ready to present; photos of your latest successful project, exciting news about your company, an article that your client may find interesting...
Show Ways to Reduce Costs - This is where we disagree. It seems like sign salespeople always want to jump to the cheapest possible solution. As a consultant, you need to present your services and expertise as APPROPRIATE AND VALUABLE to your client. There will always be someone cheaper. Be the most VALUABLE!
Tighten Your Schedule - Yes, but don't over-promise. It's far better to be honest and on time rather than overcommit and be late.
I wish you all success in the new year!
Ted Luthin
design@signarc.com
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