The other day I was on the phone working with a client. We were working on why her initial offer wasn’t attracting the number of customers she was anticipating.
“Tell me the value of working with you,” I said. “What is the outcome of working with you?”
“Well, my product is the best on the market,” she said.
“That’s an issue. Your customer doesn’t care about your product or that it’s the best on the market,” I replied.
Silence followed.
That left her speechless. She had no idea what her value was to her customer except in the context of the product she offered.
Now she’s not alone. Way too many businesses work really hard at getting their customers to understand them. That’s the problem.
Each of us should be working really hard to understand our customer.
Your #1 job as the marketer/seller in your business is to understand what your customer is thinking.
And what your customer is thinking centers on them, not you.
What they are thinking about is how to make their life better, solve a problem, or meet a need. They aren’t thinking about you. They are thinking about what you can do for them.
That’s your value, or value proposition, or unique selling proposition or positioning. Whatever you want to call it.
Sadly, too many businesses think their value has something to do with their products or services; that their value is rooted in them, rather than in their customers.
To uncover your true value, value that your customer covets, ask yourself these questions—
- What is the outcome of working with you?
- What does your customer take away?
The answer (here comes the hint) is something that makes their life better as they want it to be better, something that solves their problem, or something that meets their need.
So if your first job is to understand what your customer is thinking that means you must know—and be specific–about their outcome.
Here’s what matters most about your value: when you understand it, you have the kind of insight into the mind of your customer that empowers you to paint a compelling picture of what they want to take away their problems or make their life better (and did I mention to be specific?).
Be crystal clear about your value. Don’t leave your customer to figure it out or decode it. They won’t. Clarity always trumps persuasion. Always.
Here’s what your value statement must do to get a “yes” from your prospect;
- They must say “I want it.” Think Attraction.
- They must say “I really can’t get this anywhere else.” Think Uniqueness.
- They must say “I understand your offer/you.” Think Clarity.
- They must say “I believe your offer/you.” Think Credibility
Put some time on your calendar today and tomorrow to do some soul searching. Get out of your brain and into the minds of your prospects. Determine:
- What they want to achieve in your area of expertise (not with you).
- The problems standing in their way
- What the outcomes are of working with you (hint: it’s what they want to achieve).
- How to state your value in the customer’s terms
- How to state your value so it delivers on those four points above.
Now put it into action. Say it when you meet people or when you speak from the stage. Put it on your website and marketing brochures. Train your contractors and employees what your value is so they can share it with your customers and prospects, too.
Never assume your customers will understand your value. Tell them clearly. Now you’ll be turning heads!
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon & Chris Williams