Your product is up against fierce competition. How will you exceed client expectations?

Where do I start :-) I wrote a book about it: The Remarkable Effect. Let's start with the first 3 traits that define remarkable Software companies: 1) They acknowledge they cannot please everyone 2) They offer something valuable & desirable 3) They aim to be different, not just better In my book I reveal 3 levers to build a software business that people start talking about - and keep talking about. That's what exceeding expectations is all about - right? These 3 traits are part of The Value Lever. This is the foundation of your business. Getting this foundation established makes everything that follows easier - no matter how tough the market conditions, and no matter how fierce the competition.

Always start with the ASK, get to know your clients or target audience. Understand their pain points and make sure your offer solves their problem. Learn their language and engage into a conversation in words that they understand in order to truly understand what they really need.

Once you know what your clients and customers are going through and looking for, prioritize and focus on what brings the most value to them. This is where you products or offers become a true UVP for them. The 'V' is the most important letter in UVP and that Value is not your perspective, it has to come from your client's perspective!

To truly exceed client expectations, focus on delivering unexpected value. Beyond refining your product, consider adding features or services that address unspoken needs or pain points. For instance, offering personalized onboarding or proactive support can create a memorable experience that goes beyond what clients anticipate. When you consistently deliver more than what’s expected, you transform satisfied customers into loyal brand champions

Of course product excellence is extremely important, but I would make a very importance nuance here... Engaged and knowledgable clients will accept errors as long as you engage and communicate with them. Most people want to be part of the solution. Make them part of your process. By involving them in (ref: the break down of this exercise on the left of the page) 1-knowing what their pain is, 2-defining a UVP that solves that problem and 4-engaging and educating them... you will eventually get to 3-product excellence.

This is cornerstone. Just look at my comment on the previous step. The Feedback Loop is one of the most important, yet most neglected element in making sure you exceed clients' expectations! This is definitely one of the keys in my coaching methodology!

After-Sales Support can be the difference between a small 1x purchase... ...and a LOYAL, deeply invested customer, who will sing your praises to anyone who asks. What kind of customer do you want for your product? In most cases, it's the latter (especially in B2B). You should be prepared to support them throughout the product lifecycle. Even better, make it a mutually-beneficial relationship, and they'll even help make your product better. Win-win.

One of key points in the aggressive competitive arena that can make a difference in a product is to provide clear instructions: creating detailed guides, tutorials, and videos to help customers understand how to use products effectively.