When I ask sales teams across the country how competitive their markets are, on a scale of one to ten, ten being the highest, unanimously they tell me their markets off the charts competitive. When I ask for them to list their primary competitors, they typically list the businesses that their company is competing against. While this, generally speaking, is accurate, consider for a moment how many competing salespeople there are in your industry (in your market or potentially even across the globe) ~ including representatives from direct and indirect competitors. More than likely, YOU personally have hundreds of other salespeople that are fierce competitors ~ all striving to win the respect and sales of your prospective customers.
So what does that mean to you? In today’s extremely competitive environment, sales representatives have to be more knowledgeable, savvy and client-driven in their approach to sales. It is vital you develop partnerships with your customers, which means offering solutions to business challenges, providing guidance on overcoming competitive threats and sharing relevant information ~ rather than simply selling products or packages. Providing this type of value builds stable, long-term relationships that can survive the complex and ever-changing marketplace. It’s about creating a win-win-win ~ a win for your clients, your company, and of course a win for you!
Establish YOUR competitive advantage by asking yourself:
Why should a business buy from YOU instead of other representatives in the market?
What extra value do YOU provide the companies you serve?
Do your clients think of YOU as an asset on their business ledger helping them achieve their goals, or simply a salesperson?
To earn the trust, respect and sales of clients today, you must not only provide quality products and services that meet their needs, YOU must consistently exceed their expectations by offering more information, ideas and solutions.