The worst way to convince a prospective customer to do business with you is to tell them all about your capabilities.  With my marketing firm I have done business with numerous printing companies over the years.  Every time I would meet with one of their sales people they would begin by telling me all about their printing presses, and their collators, and all the other equipment they have.  They would try to impress me with the machines they had to generate their printing plates.  I didn't care!  All I cared about was timely delivery, quality printing, and good pricing.  Eventually one printing company (out of several that I worked with) woke up and completely changed their sales approach and their sales material.  They focused on how they could make my job easier, and provide me with the printed items that I needed for my clients.  What a concept!

When you meet with a new prospective customer, or even an existing one, listen to them.  Ask questions that will elicit their concerns.  Then and only then can you return with answers.  Your answers should include what value you and your company can provide to your customer.  That's what on their mind, and it should be on yours.

Some people refer to these as "warm calls".  That's fine.  Regardless of what you call them, you have to make some kind of new contacts to either grow your business, or replace business lost because of attrition, or both.  But what do you say when you meet with your new prospect?  Do you begin to tell them about the features of your business only to discover you haven't said anything that your competition could not also say?  Too many sales presentations all sound alike, because every sales person in that particular business has the same things to say.  "We have great quality" or "Our prices are the lowest". Perhaps you should instead focus on what makes you unique.  So how do you learn what has made you unique?  Try talking to your existing customers.

Take some time to ask your current customers about the value you have brought to them.  Ask them why they do business with you and not your competition.  A few things will result from these conversations.  1) You'll get to know your customer even better.  2) Your customer will have the opportunity to tell you what you do right, and yes even what you do wrong.  (Now you have the chance to take a negative, fix it and turn it into a positive.)  3)  Your customer will help you learn what positive qualities you have offered their business.  Then you can translate those qualities into value that you can uniquely offer new prospects.  When you offer someone value, especially after you have taken the time to learn what value they seek, you will greatly increase your chances that you can do business with them.

Things That Bother Me
They call this News?

I have almost completely stopped watching news programming on television.  (Many might find this a good thing.)  The local newscasts contain very little content that matters, while having a large amount of "chit-chat" and "happy-talk" between the anchors, the sports guy and the weather person.

The network news shows seem  to be more about "pop culture" than real news.  They cover the important stories about war and government but then too quickly are interviewing some actor about their next movie or a rock star about their next concert.  Seems like the news has become confused with Hollywood pr.

Then there are the cable news channels with their "talking" uh, change that to "screaming" heads.  We have 24 hour news that contains little news but rather more screaming, hollering and divisive content all designed for one thing.  Get ratings.  I guess I can't take all the noise any more.  The TV news will have to do without me.

Politicians should learn from salespeople!

We are right smack dab in the middle of the political season.  Almost every candidate's ad I see on TV tells me what's wrong with the other guy.  I don't care what their political advisors may say, I want to hear what the candidate will do for me.  How will my life be better because of you mister or mizzz candidate.  ( I still don't know how to properly pronounce ms.)  A good salesperson will tell me what they can provide for me and my business.  I think that's the very least a political candidate should do.

I feel better now.