Why Should I Talk To You? Does Your Value Proposition Open Sales Doors?

"How do we differentiate ourselves enough that they (prospects) want to talk to us and not feel as if they are getting the same story they hear from every other sales rep?"

What language are you speaking to your clients and prospects? Speaking their language will accelerate your sales and make the brand YOU more engaging.

Quite simple, cut out the fancy words, cut out the B.S. sales jargon and stop trying to develop creative ways to describe your value proposition. Just describe how you help your clients and prospects solve a particular business issue or challenge as succinctly as possible in easy to understand language, their language.

Your clients may not be an expert in your business but I guarantee they are an expert in their own.

Every industry has their own lingo. Your clients or prospects approach problems from their perspective and their experience. They have a way of talking about their business, their clients and the services they provide. I urge you to set aside the time to understand the language your clients or prospects use and adapt it to your business.

A very effective way to gain these insights is to interview your customers. Roll up the sleeves and get inquisitive about their business. Find out how they approach problems. Ask your clients to describe how they deliver value and just listen.

As you listen, carefully take notes of the words, phrases, examples and stories they share. This is their language. Adapt it into your own as this will help you with your value proposition.

Nothing will accelerate your brand more than speaking your value message with conciseness, clarity and conviction.

Remove the language barrier and open up a meaningful conversation.

THE DREADED OPENING FOR SALES REPS

If you have been in sales for any length of time you have experienced having to answer this question at networking events, prospecting calls or practicing inside your sales team meetings, "So... Tell me what is it you do?"

I 100% guarantee you when sales reps are asked this question you will never get the same response. In fact, you will rarely get a short concise response and more than likely you will hear a bunch of this "Um, um, um... I sell (fill in the blank)"

Those first two sentences you share must pack some punch or your potential business conversation isn't going anywhere.

What makes you valuable as a sales professional?

People won’t ever engage in a business conversation nor buy from you if they don’t even understand why they should pay attention to you.

What is sad is if you can't open up conversation through traditional prospecting means what makes you think you can do it with social selling?

Think about how you are opening up sales conversations face to face on and online. Sales reps have been given a platform (LinkedIn) to share with the business world how they can help but they fail to capitalize on the benefits. They are failing to capitalize on how to proactively market themselves online while engaging in opening up another form of a conversation.

Being the best sales rep isn't enough. Your future client's need to believe you’re the best option for them. How does this happen? As long as you can't backup and prove what you claim, prospective clients are unlikely to really believe them. Thus, your value proposition becomes useless.

YOUR PROSPECTS CAN'T READ YOUR MIND

It’s your job to hit people in the head with what makes you different and worth attention. How are you making a difference?

You can use case studies, client testimonials, and common sense, among other methods, to prove what makes you different.

What sets you apart from your competitors? You are better than your competition and it is up to you to prove it. The issue is most sales reps just don’t flat do it. Instead, they try to persuade prospects with general promises, corporate jibber-jabber and overused sales jargon.

If your value proposition you use face to face as well as within your LinkedIn profile doesn’t clearly articulate to your prospects what makes you worth their attention (and money), they won't spend the time to figure it out on their own.

How are you opening up conversations?

You need to clearly restate and market your value proposition everywhere. Think of your business cards, your email signature and even within the body of your sales proposals. If you say something just once, people can easily forget it, or they don’t realize how important it is.

Do everything you can to make your value proposition as clear as possible to your prospects.

YOUR UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION

Your unique value proposition sets you apart. It’s the promise you make to your clients and future clients to deliver a unique experience. Those few sentences can give you an unfair advantage and how you open up a conversation.

A unique value proposition guides people to you, your services and how you can help. It keeps you top-of-mind within your clients and future clients' thoughts.

When you have a unique value proposition, it’s easy to stand out among the crowd of undifferentiated offerings from most of the sales reps out there.

So how come so many sales reps get this so wrong?

Your unique value proposition is what differentiates your promise of value delivered from every other similar promise made by every other sales rep in the same industry. It’s the thing, the IT factor which makes you stand out, earning a special place in your audience’s hearts and minds. It’s what keeps people coming back to YOU in particular, and not merely the cheapest nor newest vendor.

Your unique value proposition must answer the question...

“Why should I listen to, read, buy from or hire YOU?”

If you want to get better at opening sales conversations then you must be able to with conviction, clarity and conciseness articulate your value proposition.

ASK YOUR CLIENTS FOR HELP

Here is a suggestion which may help you craft your value proposition. I want you to go face to face with your top 5 current clients and ask them this question, "What is the value I bring to you and your business?" Take notes and listen as your clients are a wealth of knowledge.

To all sales reps... If you don't know the value you bring to your current clients then how the heck can you go out and prospect for new business? Your clients are a wealth of sales help all you need to do is ask.

As you start to nail your unique value proposition and when done correctly, this will engage the hearts and minds of your clients and future clients.

Encourage your clients to go on and spread the word for you to your target audience. What better form of a thank you than having your clients helping you to grow your business.

Words of encouragement, as the old saying goes: “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” In this crazy, hectic business world, buyers are deciding how to prioritize their time. Who would you choose to spend time with? A passionate sales rep who is a ball of energy who can clearly articulate their value proposition or the self-centered, boring sales person?

I understand where you all are coming from. I have walked a day in a life of your shoes and still do on a daily basis.

I am fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects and modern strategies into your current sales process to grow net-new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way.

In 2016, Larry was recognized by ENX Magazine, “The Difference Maker” as someone who is making a difference inside the copier channel. Larry is passionate about helping sales reps succeed in creating their online brand image

You can find more blog posts inside the Social Sales Academy website.

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my LinkedIn stories. Integrating the use of LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive copier world. With great pride I transform, coach and inspire B2B Office Technology Sales Professionals to grow net new business by helping them tell their story and communicate on LinkedIn. My commitment is to help office technology dealers thrive in a changing marketplace. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, as well as at the Social Sales Academy