Business Strategies Column: Selling Tips

In the article “Why Should Someone Buy From You?” written by Ryan Estis he asks: What can we deliver, that our competition cannot, that our customer covets and cares about deeply?

This question should drive your discussion in preparation for a big sales presentation. Think to yourself: Do we already have a relationship with the client? Do several key competitors? Expanding your relationship and scope of work will require competitive readiness and clear and compelling differentiation.

If you don’t have it, you are not prepared for the sales conversation. Or any sales conversation for that matter. Customers don’t buy on price. They default to price in the absence of value and a quality experience. Consider the top three reasons that drive a B2B buying decision:

>>69% decide based on the vendor’s knowledge of the solution and business landscape.

>>65% decide based on the vendor’s knowledge of the buyer’s company and needs.

>>62% decide on the vendor’s ability to provide insight that makes it easier to build a business case for the purchase.

Clearly, the more you know, the better prepared you are to position value. What customers value is in a consistent state of evolution. We ignore that at our peril: One study by Revenue Grid found that 84% of salespeople are missing their performance targets because they haven’t demonstrated that they can deliver the value that customers want.

Can you deliver value what your competition cannot and what customers deeply covet? 

It’s worth the reflection. I invite you to spend some time thinking about why your customers buy and what they value most. Does your value proposition align with the prospects you are targeting? Run it through the lens of this checklist:

Now go out there and differentiate your mortgage service to win the deal!