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BUSINESS GROWTH IDEAS
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Snow falling on steel
Place where happy sales come from
Sweet home Chicago
By Paul R. Lloyd
From my window, I see the snow falling on another February day, wondering if this winter will ever end and the Cubs return to their quest. The Sox too are on a quest but today the snow falls and we wait.
Where do sales come from? Why do clients choose us? I sip my coffee, take one last look at the snow falling on the city and smile.
My friend Frank looks me in the eye and says, “You’re smiling. You know, don’t you?”
“One of the keys to marketing success is the concept of added value,” I say. “While your product or service may offer value above and beyond what your competition offers, you miss the point – and maybe the sale – if you limit yourself to the added value features and benefits of your product or service.”
Frank removes his glasses and rubs his eyes. “So you are saying that closing a sale has to do with something besides a product’s features and benefits? You’re talking about price and service, right?”
I pick up the coffee mug and take a long sip, giving my friend time to consider that maybe the answer goes deeper than tired words like quality, price and service. “While sellers typically are clear on the added value of their product or service compared to competitive offerings, buyers are less likely to see a clear distinction. Often it's the little things you do above and beyond the call of duty that clinch the deal.”
Frank locks eyes with me again. “For instance?”
“These extras are the essentials of building a good working relationship, things like your personal expertise, the expertise of others in your company, your network of contacts, your willingness to be flexible and your company's flexibility. And your ability to listen.”
“Maybe we should take these one at a time.” Frank reaches for the brew pot.
My fingers itch to dance across the keyboard. “Let’s talk about one of them. Then I have to get back to my billable work.”
“Right, you told me about that sale you made. Good job.”
Your personal expertise
I let Frank pour me another cup of java while I swipe a glance out the window at the snow falling on cold concrete, glass and steel. “Do you have any special experience or knowledge that will help your prospect close the deal?”
“What do you mean?” Frank uses his expertise in scooping sugar into coffee.
“What do you know above and beyond product knowledge?”
“You mean like baseball scores?”
I give Frank the cold stare. Then I smile remembering when I was young and eager. “For example, you might have a situation where the customer would close on that new coil processing line if only they had room in their plant. You perform a site survey that can show them how to reconfigure their plant to find the space they need. You know they can’t buy without the space, so the extra work will payoff. It's not your expertise in coil processing that counts in this case, it's your knowledge of plant layout and design.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. But I sell services.” Frank flashes that “gotcha smile” of his, the pencil-thin one that starts up near his left ear, drops down at a forty-five degree angle towards his jaw, makes a quick horizontal line across his face and then climbs another forty-five degree angle towards his right ear.
I’m not about to let Frank off the hook. “On the service side, I've helped clients select the appropriate hardware and software products needed to set-up their own in-house graphics work stations. What I lost in art production for basic marketing communications materials, I made up for later in high-end creative assignments the client wasn't able to handle in-house and consulting fees for marketing program evaluation and planning.”
“Nice trade off.” Frank hides his face with an uplifted coffee mug.
“We’ll talk more next time, Frank.” I take one last peak at the snow
falling before the real work begins.
Zuk-Lloyd
Associates, Inc.
Zuk-Lloyd
Associates can facilitate a marketing review for your company. And
we are available to assist in implementing your marketing
communications program.
In addition to reviewing your marketing at the end of the year, keep us in mind when you buy, sell or recapitalize your company. In those circumstances, we can help you prepare the marketing portion of your business plan while providing a third-party look at your overall marketing opportunities and threats.
Special
Offer – A Contest
If you can tell Paul what kind of poem serves as the title to
the article above, you will win your choice of:
1. Ten percent off your next (or first) invoice from Zuk-Lloyd Associates, Inc. when paid immediately upon receipt.
or…
2. One free consultation lasting up to two hours. Paul R. Lloyd will meet with you to help you plan your marketing activities, answer questions or discuss any business issues you have. Take advantage of Paul’s creative mind and extensive business experience. You are welcome to invite other staff members to the meeting. Limited to Chicago area meeting locations. Out of town: call for phone consultation or visit us in Chicago.
Offer expires: February 28, 2009.
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