Competitive differentiation made easy

August 30, 2014 at 12:00 AM
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It's when your prospect finally decides to change from the status quo that he starts seriously considering his options. So how can you differentiate yourself from others who are also competing for his business.

Most salespeople feel compelled to brag about their company's service or talk about all the awards they have won. But if most people are doing that, how can it be aroute to differentiation

True competitive differentiation comes from helping your prospect make a good decision. Here's the most effectiveway to stand out

"Mr. Prospect, I assume you're looking at several options and that what's most important to you is finding the best fit for your business. I want the same thing. That's why I've prepared this list of criteria you might want to consider as you evaluate vendors. I work with clients on these things all the time and these are the things that make the difference.

If you were to do this, how would your prospect respond? First, with shock. You've already differentiated yourselffrom the competition because so few salespeople take this approach. But he'll also be blown away by your focus on helping—not selling. 

In a world of copycat products and services, where every salesperson is vying for a similar deal, that's how you canreally stand out from the crowd.

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Jill Konrath is the author of SNAP Selling, Selling to Big Companies and Agile Selling. If you're struggling to set up meetings, click here to get a free Prospecting Tool Kit.

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