Alternatives – it’s not only about “options”

The Merriam Webster’s online dictionary says Alternative is “a proposition or situation offering a choice between two or more things only one of which may be chosen”

Jill Konrath’s book SNAP Selling talks about how frazzled people have difficulty making decision.

You can even check out Mind Tools for a Decision Making section!

The Key when you are looking for ways to become the chosen resource for your products/services  =

~ offer choices that make business sense to the prospect ~

How do you figure out what makes business sense to them? By asking questions (more on that in the next issue of A Chip Off the Block) – first we’re going to get ready with making sure we have the answer!

step 1 – what do YOU (not your company, product, or service) do for customers?

I’m not talking about “responsiveness” or “customer service”- blah blah blah generic…. I’m talking about SPECIFICS.

Here are three about me to get you started:

• freakishly organized = make my customers life easy by keeping track of all the details they find annoying.
• ask tough questions = you will uncover new ideas and concepts to move forward as I ask the questions you either don’t know or are afraid to ask yourself.
• YOU create action = support your efforts, because I have a “just because it’s simple, doesn’t make it easy” philosophy and know how easy it is to get stuck in existing habits.

step 2 – now write what your company does; the features or facts. “what it is”

step 3 – translate the features into “why that is good”

Most salespeople stop here and call these their benefits *blech* how I hate that…. you are asking the prospect to follow a trail of breadcrumbs through the woods – instead move on to step 4!

step 4 – the tough one is now turning that into “why I care” from the prospect/customer’s perspective

Need another example (this is only a single example….. there are lots & lots)?

• step 2 = sales training
• step 3 = increase variety of skill sets
• step 4 = decrease time from initial contact to sale OR disqualification

step 5 -what does it sound like when someone needs what YOU and YOUR product/service will do for them?

I’m only going to give you a few for my step 4 example

• salesperson “how long do YOU keep calling a prospect before you give up?“
• manager “we’re looking to decrease the time it takes new hires to ramp up…“
• salesperson “I want to get to the next level.”

ding, ding, ding – those are the opportunity signals I long to hear.

Hearing Opportunity AND Knowing What To DO

If you are playing along and  have followed all 5 steps, you are ready when you hear opportunity signals to have a conversation about alternatives & option. When the time is right!

If you are still looking for more. Here is a bonus step  – how is your “why I care” different from your competitions?