You have a service or product for sale. Three of your competitors offer the same service or product roughly for the same price. How do you get an individual or a company to buy it from your company?
The buyer is going to buy it from the one they trust the most. The one that is going to get it to them as quickly as they need it. The one that is going to provide the service and any follow-up support quickly and reliably.
How do you make sure that is your company? How do you make sure the buyer sees your company as better than any of your competitors?
A Sale Does Not Begin . . .
. . . when a buyer needs a product or service. It actually begins with their first interaction with your company. That can occur long before they ever need your service or product.
In every interaction you have with them let a prospective buyer know what your company stands for. Let them know what you commit to provide to them when they buy from you.
You can do that on your website and through various types of communication with them. A great place to start is an introductory email. Let them know how you treat customers or clients. Keep the focus on them. Make sure you don’t blow your own horn about how great you are.
Reemphasize that in blog posts.
On a periodic basis follow up with other emails. In these let them know of problems companies like theirs have and steps they can take to correct them. You can also send them case studies showing how your company has helped companies like theirs grow and become more successful.
Include testimonials on your website from people at companies like theirs which explain how you have helped them when they needed it.
Make sure to convey this information in advance of when they may need a product. Once you have given them an overview of your company and what you stand for, start to let them know about the service or product you offer and the customer service you provide. Make sure to do this then and only then.
By following these steps, you will have positioned your company as the one who will take care of their needs and from whom they’ll want to buy what they need.
The Key Again is to Build Trust with Your Prospects
When you do this before you tell them about your product or service they will be more likely to buy from you.
Look at the great companies – Apple, REI, Nordstrom, Chick-fil-A, to name a few. Each of these has built a tremendous amount of trust. Their customers regularly tell their family members and friends about them. Each has a distinct advantage over their competitors.
