1. Challenging the Status Quo
Most salespeople see the sales process as a linear process. At some point, it has an end – the prospect will choose either you or your competitor. The truth is that those are not the only two end points. There's another option – no decision – which is chosen all too often. Studies show that 20 to 60 percent of deals in the pipeline are lost to "no decision" rather than to competitors. It's only by challenging the status quo that you can get your prospects to see that change – i.e., adopting your solution – is necessary.
2. Finding Your Value Wedge
How much overlap is there between what you can provide to your prospects and what your competition can provide? Most B2B salespeople admit that overlap is 70 percent or higher. So rather than focusing on that "parity area," you should focus on what you can do for the customer that is different from what the competition can do – this is your "value wedge." Your value wedge must be unique to you, important to the customer, and defensible.
Learn more about how to define your value proposition.
3. Telling Stories with Contrast
Messaging is about telling your company's story in a way that attracts prospects to your doors and turns them into customers. The challenge is that, if you're like most companies, you tell your story in a way that doesn't differentiate you much, if at all. But to create a powerful perception of value, you need to tell both the "before" story and the "after" story – you need to tell customer stories with contrast. When you tell customer stories, don't be afraid to link data with emotion. Often the best way to do that is to talk about the people who were affected by the challenging environment they were working in. Then talk about how their lives became better, easier, more fun, or less stressful after using your solution.
4. Making the Customer the Hero
Every story has a hero. Who is the hero of your story? Is it your company and/or solution? If the answer is yes, then you need to rework your story – and make the customer the hero. The customer is the one who needs to save the day, not you. Your role is that of the mentor. You are there to help your customers see what has changed in their world and how they can adapt and better survive and thrive.
5. Using 3D Props
There are many ways to tell a story. But one extremely effective – and underutilized – technique is to use 3D props. Props break the pattern of what's expected – and can make the prospect sit up and pay attention. Props make a metaphor or analogy tangible. Props create a physical reminder and can continue selling even when you've left the room.
Source: Corporate Visions