What is all the Buzz about?

You know Value, differentiate yourself by creating synergy for the end-user by thinking outside of the box using a holistic approach that at the end of the day bubbles up presence and allows you to circle back and unpack! When you do this, you can monetize, and if you need to pivot with a deep-dive that will provide Big-Data and Optics to disrupt the status quo while leveraging capacity, you will then be adding Value.”     

After reading the above phrase, how many of you recognized the ask was, “to go add value?" “You know it is easy; the value you add is what separates you from the competition.” If I had a dollar for every time I heard or delivered this statement, I would not need to write for free on Linkedin articles. However, since I did not collect on this cash cow instead, opting to invest in the future of SmartCars; I am assuming that many of you are like me when you hear the “add value” statement, and want to ask for more tactic ideas “can you give me a few ideas on adding value-besides bringing brownies ( I live in Colorado)?”

To help us answer the Value question, I have extracted from time spent with Terry N ( fictional name). Terry N. is a phenomenal rep, embodying adding Value in every interaction through some of the strategies below and beyond. It is also worth noting that I have been exposed to “value geniuses” with Jim Surek and Charlie Johnson, introducing the Value Matrix during my time at Entellus, which consisted of Strategic, Clinical and Financial channels to appeal to the customer’s needs (will address in subsequent articles). However, this article is designed to provide you tips and strategies when you don’t have a defined Value Matrix and are looking for clarity so that you can be the most effective you.  So let the SYNERGY begin, as I share from the aggregate of my experience with Terry N.

Terry N’s Tips for Adding and Creating Value:

1.    Listen and Understand Your Customers Needs and Expectations: A sale and relationship need good outcomes and, just as importantly, need expectations defined and managed. If expectations are not specified and revisited continuously, you are unconsciously drifting away from success, fortifying an invisible wedge that will metastasize faster than a pesky pimple in high school right before yearbook pictures. THE NECESSARY FOR EMPATHY is at an all-time high, if listening and then understanding are not your strengths, take a second pause and focus yourself before each call.

2.    Marketing Material: Companies invest an enormous amount of money on research on how to speak to the consumer’s desires effectively. Leverage this foundational information, and remember a picture is worth a 1000 words. There is a reason Instagram, is such a popular marketing tool, and make your marketing collateral you in person Instagram working for you. Try it for a month, and I promise if you employ the marketing vernacular, it will increase your effectiveness. Remember that brilliant person, that always says statements simply and eloquently, well they are the ones writing the presentations and brochures! Channel them!!

3.    Preparation: We all know this is key, yet how often are we really prepping? Instead, are we “just checking in” or “running in” somewhere to have contact and leverage your natural charm. Instead of parking and running, go ahead, catch your breath, and practice the call and materials before you go in. If you do this for a month, just like a strict diet, the results will amaze you!

4.    Represent the entire “Bag:” It is easy to get caught in your comfort zone, you know this product/solution, and you are an expert. However, if you are only playing close to home and not developing expertise competence, you are inadvertently diminishing you and your companies value. The more the customer engages with your entire ecosystem, the more options you have to tailor your solutions to their needs. EXPAND THE SIZE OF THE PIE, instead of just trying to WIN your share.

5.    Make Unilateral Concessions: If you “represent the entire bag,” and the customer engages with numerous solutions, identify what the customer prioritizes most. If the customer prioritizes something that is not high-value for you, offer it as a concession, instantly creating Value. While simultaneously, knowing your priorities and keeping them at a premium when appropriate. 

6.    Aim to Maximize Value for all parties: The competitive nature of the salesperson can lead to an intense drive to achieve, but if not channeled, this can come at an expense. Many of us want so badly to make a sale and “win,” that we make myopic decisions that do not enhance our relationship with our customers.  “A good salesperson will do whatever it takes to win the sale, a genius salesperson will do whatever it takes to maximize value”-Malhorta.

The beauty in the above tips from Terry N is that all of us can execute these with a deliberate, systematic approach. The strategies above are not a silver bullet; instead, it is a daily discipline to have a plan, employee a system, and perform it consistently, iterating based on feedback and results. As you complete the loop on this reader’s journey, don’t let the enemy of complacency invade your day to day habits. We are all victims of our practices, good and bad, and if you are investing in reading this article, I am betting that you want to be the “victim” of your good habits.

Authors Note: If I want to admit it or not, business-speak is part of organizational capabilities today and is way too entrenched in my daily vernacular. The great news is that, if occasional or even a deluge of rhetoric, seep into my day and is offputting than I am in a pretty darn good place! 1st world business problems! Instead of fighting, I will work to be better while embracing the buzz, maybe even play a little Buzzword Bingo on my next set of calls when times are tough. How many “buzz words” or “phrases” did I use, excluding the first paragraph? I tried to integrate as many as possible.  What are some of your all-time “favorites?” 

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