subject: Differentiation-the Key To Winning More Business [print this page] Differentiation Differentiation
The word Differentiation means creating difference, non-sameness, or uniqueness. Do you or your company really deliver anything unique? If the answer is no, you are not alone. Most of us offer exactly the same thing with a twist. What most people say makes them better actually makes them the same. All companies are great at reactive service. Conversely, most companies are terrible at Pro-Active service and never learn to anticipate client needs or distinguish themselves. Those who fail to differentiate sell on price and lose on price. But, if you can offer something truly different or unique, now you have a real competitive advantage.
Why differentiate?
Differentiation creates dissatisfaction through comparison. Only when prospects compare what they could have, to what they currently have do they experience remorse and dissatisfaction. Our job is to be that something better by offering something more, or different than they are used to receiving.
Differentiation identifies real opportunities. If you compare yourself to the incumbent provider and you have no true advantages, no real differences, then dont bother.
Differentiation establishes your game plan: Match up strengths to the incumbents weaknesses and you have a good chance of creating dissatisfaction and winning.
Differentiation creates a home field advantage: When you & your prospect are focusing on your advantages, it keeps the other team off the field and directs conversation towards your strengths.
Differentiation directs the focus away from price: The client realizes they are not comparing the same thing. Apples to Apples doesnt apply.
The problem with producers is we all feel like were in the movie Speed and weve got to keep the peddle on the bus mashed down or well blow up. If you just slow down and take some time to create differentiation, youll write a lot more business.
Most Sales People:
Dont slow down to look at the competitive landscape
Dont do research on themselves
Dont research the competition
Dont establish a platform for differentiation
Dont establish pre-call strategies
Dont have good hit ratios
Successful Sales people:
Evaluate themselves
Evaluate the competition
Find or create differentiation
Create competitive advantages
Establish pre-call strategies
Create dissatisfaction through comparison
The differentiation Process involves self evaluation, research & brainstorming, replacing old paradigms with new paradigms, creating pro-active services and learning how to communicate those advantages and position you for comparison. This process requires time, research, creative thinking, honesty, and team participation. The result will be improvements in individual productivity, new business growth, client retention, client satisfaction, new business opportunities, and agency health. These improvements will be immediate, obvious, and significant. Heres how its done
1. Company Evaluation:
Take a Human Asset InventoryYour people are talented and have skills & creative energy. Have them fill out a skill assessment survey. Ask them to tell you what they are good at, and let them offer to do it. You will be surprised at what they know and how much more they can do. We expect so little of our people. Ask them to develop products and services around their specific talents. How can we use these talents and skills to offer pro-active services & solutions for our clients? Make a list and keep track.
2. Competitive Analysis: Do a true- in depth study of your competition. I mean something with detail. Know them as well as you know yourself. Get to know their agency strengths, weaknesses, and those of their individual producers. Get the information by asking questions and doing research. It takes time, but it really creates an unfair advantage when you know them better than they know themselves.
Use every available source including:
Web sites
Employees
Ex Employees
Customers
Marketing reps
3. Begin the process to become special.
Compile your Human & technological asset list, and determine what you can provide do that is different or better. Take your competitions weaknesses and match your strengths to their weaknesses, establish a competitive advantage log for each.
Take your prospects issues and match your strengths to their problems. Develop services to solve problems and then deliver. Creating differentiation will make all the difference you need to win more business.
David Connolly
President iQ Consulting Inc.
www.iqsalescoach.com
by: David Connolly iQ salescoach
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