Is your sales pitch clear? Or is it dampened by over explaining? What is the best way to communicate to your current and prospective customers?
The Language of Benefits
When talking about your company, there is a language that you use internally and a language that you use externally. Oftentimes in the marketing and selling process, your leaders, representatives and sales people develop a blurred line between what internally describes your company and what externally describes it.
Depending on your industry, you can nerd out on an internal language of acronyms, equipment, and terminology, among others. But to your customer, it sounds like a different language, making it hard to make the connection between what you offer and if that equates to a solution that they are looking for. So find ways to “translate” your industry jargon into tangible benefits. Here are a few tips:
1. Focus on the End Result – Let’s say you are a dance instructor. Behind all of the moves, posture, and rhythm what your student (or customer) really wants is the romance of dancing with his/her partner. If your customers trust you and decide to do business with you, then all they want is for you to do what you need to do in order to deliver the desired result.
2. Think Like Your Customer – Mentally trade places with your customer: you know what you’re looking for, you don’t have much expertise on how to realize that goal (whether it’s a product or a service solution), nor do you have the time to bother with it. You’re looking for a quick and easy solution so you can get back to work, focusing on your other duties. Now that you see through your customer’s perspective, become that solution for them. Make it easy for them to do business with you.
3. Highlight Your Difference Makers – It’s called competition. You’re probably not the only one who can help your prospective customers, so you need to be ready with your difference makers. Why should they choose you over your competition? What value do you offer? Make your goals simple to communicate and do not focus on price.
4. Use Layman’s Terms – In almost all cases, avoid acronyms… and only use detailed specifics about your equipment, technology or the process if you’re asked.
5. Simplify Your Process – You need to display your problem solving skills at some point, so make it easy to digest your process. Even if your solution entails 300 internal steps or checkpoints, simplify the process into 3-5 simple steps that cover the customer’s involvement, concerns and desired results. Diagrams help too.
It’s easy to get engrained in your everyday internal processes and what that looks like, but to a prospective customer, it’s just noise. A customer is interested in the solution you can provide for them. Whatever you need to do to get to that solution is up to you and the magic of your brand. So save your breath (or typing fingers) and focus on the benefits to the customer. The rest is your little secret.