4 Simple Ways To Gain A Competitive Advantage

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If a prospect cannot determine the things that make you and your business any better or different from everyone else, more often than not they will base their buying decision solely on price.  

If you want to avoid looking like a me-too organization, and avoid the dreaded "quote and hope" proposal process, I have listed below some suggestions to help you and your sales team become better at winning more sales. 

4 Simple Ways To Gain A Competitive Advantage.

1. Narrow Your Sales Focus - By having a more specific market focus, your business will have an immediate competitive advantage. Why? When you service a specific market, it becomes easier to stand out from the competition that only focuses on the masses. More importantly, you and your business will become an expert in that space.

To help you accomplish this, I have listed below a number of suggestions. 

• Look at the markets that your business is currently servicing and then ask yourself, "Which markets have unique needs that we're good at helping?
• Determine the profile of your niche by asking yourself these questions: What size companies are they? How many employees do they have? Are they in multiple locations that are in various states? Continue to ask this line of questioning.
• Look into buying a database based on the profiles listed above.
• Once you determined this type of focus makes sense, develop a website landing page, printed collateral, sales scripts, etc. that focuses on this niche(s).
• Get your clients (that you serve in this focus) to write testimonials for you. Use them often and early in the sales cycle.
• Start contacting this industry hard and fast. Send a preliminary e-mail and direct mail piece to a short list of targeted accounts.  After the marketing collateral has arrived at everyone's office, have your sales team make their "oh by the way calls" to follow-up. Use the testimonials on your website and printed collateral.   
• After 14- and 30-days, regroup with your sales team for a debriefing. 

2. Become A Problem Solver - When you focus on a specific issue/challenge in a market, with time and the right marketing strategy, you will become a true partner for your clients (and targeted prospects). Here are some steps to take:

• Isolate on the top three core problems/pain points that your business solves in your industry focus.
• Train your salespeople on the pain points and how to position this information in the marketplace.
• Develop marketing messaging and collateral for these problems.

3. Become Results-Driven - The ability to deliver specific results is a compelling proposition in the marketplace. If you can factually say that your company can help deliver and/or achieve specific results, you will be noticed.  When a client gives you a testimonial, make certain that it is worded to reflect the results you provided.  Don't over exaggerate the results or blatantly lie as karma comes full circle.

4. Build A Personal Brand - Personal branding has evolved since management guru Tom Peters defined the term in the mid-90s. Now, more than ever before, personal branding is of critical importance in today's information overloaded society. 

 To expand your personal brand, I have listed some general suggestions (more in next week's blog):

• Become an expert at what you are selling - and give some of it away for free.
• Know your competition cold.
• Create a memorable personal image (I know of one sales professional who will only wear a bow tie - both professionally and personally).
• Post useful articles to your social media sites - and do it often.
• Send useful tips to people. Remember, sales is not always about selling.
• Give strangers your business card - and do this often.
• Have a 10-second elevator pitch; anything longer will overwhelm a stranger.

Executive Summary: When you position you and your business as an industry expert, you will have a more compelling story to tell. This in itself is a huge competitive advantage for any anyone willing to take the extra steps.
 

About The Author

Glenn Fallavollita is the President of Drip Marketing, Inc.  He founded Drip Marketing, Inc. in 2002, and serves as CEO, lead copywriter and chief strategist.  He is also instrumental in developing the curriculum, format and expansion of Drip University - the training arm of Drip Marketing, Inc.  His work, insight and creative talent has been the catalyst for the delivery of more than 35 million e-mail campaigns on behalf of his clients.

To learn how he can help your business increase its sales, visit us on the web at www.DripMarketing.com or call (856) 401-9577.