Share your observations and philosophies with new prospects

When talking with and presenting to new prospects, be careful about launching right into your features and benefits, i.e., the ‘What you do’ and ‘How you do it.’

When you are beginning to get to know people and giving them a sense of who you are and what your company is all about, start with why you do what you do, your observations and philosophies, how you think, and what you’re passionate about. This is much more compelling upfront and will kick off any conversation or presentation on a different note than the ‘same old, same old.’

I recommend the book Start With Why by Simon Sinek, who stresses that stating WHY you do what you do, how you see the world, and what you’re passionate about in clear, compelling, accessible ways is what you need to lead with in your sales and marketing. Paint a picture; connect with your prospects on a feeling level. Save the WHAT you do and HOW you do it for later in your conversation and sales process.

So, why do you do what you do? What are your observations and philosophies about your industry, the marketplace, people, trends? How might you describe your approach to doing business and connecting with the right types of clients who are a good fit? Be clear and compelling, human, and refreshingly honest. Don't be pushy or annoying. Be attractive and, at the same time, risk scaring some people off.

One of my mentors, Bill Caskey, recently wrote, “No one cares about what your product does. They only care if it makes their life better. Salespeople are still addicted to specs, attributes, features, functionality, etc. No one cares. They want to know, ‘How is my life better off with you and your product in it than out of it?’”

Onward.

Tom