| This is not the 1990s, and selling in 2010 is going | | | | Pointing out your strengths is selling on the |
| to require additional and different skills. Total long | | | | margin, because there will not be a dozen reasons |
| term growth and success selling depends on | | | | for a client to buy - there will be one key reason |
| incremental steps, not giant leaps and bounds. | | | | that will tip the scale and transform a |
| Read this article to gain one additional tool in your | | | | conversation into a close. |
| arsenal to sell better in 2010. | | | | TIP: How Do I Find Out What the Client Values? |
| Selling on the Margin | | | | Ask. Ask what are the priorities, needs and |
| It does not get any simpler than those four | | | | problems are - and then search your brain for |
| words: selling on the margin. That is your tool: run | | | | how your product or service solves those |
| your business with those four words in the back | | | | problems. Selling on the margin means you are |
| of your mind: your competitive advantage and | | | | not pelting baseballs at the client like in a batting |
| ability to succeed in selling means to sell on the | | | | cage, but customizing your conversation to meet |
| margin. | | | | his or her needs - and gently tossing big, soft |
| Here is a General Example: | | | | softballs in the client's general direction. The client |
| The winning horse in a horse race does not need | | | | will not catch most of the softballs - but will most |
| to win by a mile, just by a nose. If the horse | | | | likely catch one - and it is the one to focus on. |
| wins by much more than a nose, then it might | | | | How Can I Sell? Competition is Too Great |
| actually be interpreted that the horse was | | | | The mindset of selling on the margin means you |
| inefficient! If you know you are going to win at a | | | | are presenting an opportunity for a better |
| certain energy output, why expend more energy? | | | | product than whatever else the money they |
| You can not win more. There is only winning. | | | | have in their pocket is potentially going to go to. |
| Effective Selling | | | | Do not worry about competition. Competition will |
| Identifying all aspects that separate you from | | | | always be present. It is the nature of business - |
| your competition is going to help, as long as you | | | | your job is to present advantages one step |
| demonstrate the benefits each unique asset. And | | | | ahead of anything that competes for the dollar |
| keep presenting that which differentiates you, as | | | | amount cost of the product(s) you are selling, |
| long you know these points are of value to your | | | | your unique selling proposition - and then you let |
| client, until you reach the one magical reason that | | | | the client decide. It is ultimately his or her choice, |
| is really going to speak to the client - and bring | | | | not yours, so let the client decide. |
| you that much closer to a close or conversion. | | | | |