How do you get your true value across?
Whether you run your own business, are a sales director or manager leading a team of sales people, a salesperson yourself or a student looking for your first job, being able to quickly and convincingly explain to people exactly why they should work with you has never been more important.
Here at Vertical we’ve identified three key steps to help you uncover your true value and be able to tell your story with confidence.
1. Know what you do
2. Understand how it’s valuable
3. Believe in your ‘Why’
1. Know
How easy do you find it to answer when someone asks “What do you do?“
Knowing exactly what it is you do or what your company or business offers is the first step. A sales director told me recently about going out with a new salesperson to present a proposal for business. The salesperson was able to explain to the client the full range of services the company offered by using the new ‘sales quote pack’. Unaware of all the things that this company could do the customer stopped the meeting, wanting to review their requirements in light of this and be presented with a new, more comprehensive proposal. Assuming your customers know exactly what you do is a pitfall to avoid.
When this starts to work you’ll begin to see those interactions turning into opportunities. So how can you move that opportunity to the next stage?
2. Understand
Once you’ve got ‘What’ you do nailed the next step is understanding “How am I valuable?” There’s a subtle distinction here between that and “How valuable am I?” Try focussing on the problems you solve and the ways in which you are useful to your customers rather than being preoccupied with your experience, skills and expertise.
One of our key associates, Jon Baverstock of Studio 18 Design says “we develop original brand communications that help businesses to engage effectively with their customers” in addition to “we have branding expertise, fresh thinking and inspired design”
Be curious and ask yourself – and ideally your customers too – “What difference does it make when I/we get involved?”
You can download our Value Proposition questionnaire here to help you hone your story.
A number of people have said recently when we got to discussing pricing “but I didn’t do anything“. One when an IT consultant had managed to restore a company’s email that had crashed. His intervention stopped the company losing a multi-million pound deal. So how valuable was he?!
3. Believe
Simon Sinek said “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. Knowing what you do and how you are valuable is the start but what is it that gives you a sense of purpose and why is what you do important?
Talking to one of the mentees on Reading Business Club’s Mentoring Scheme recently gave a good example of this when, as an event planner, she didn’t say “I’m really good at making sure everything runs smoothly on the day” but instead and with passion “everything I do is about making their special day special“
So what is everything you do about…?
Understanding why you do what you do and, importantly, what makes you feel fulfilled can also help you to start valuing and believing in yourself as well as what you do.
“What’s your ‘Why’ and how does that make you feel?
Email me at cathy.bennett@verticalsales.co.uk if you’d like to discuss developing your story and find answers to your questions.
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