Positioning your company as a trusted advisor?

Our view is that when your marketplace views your business as an advisor, rather than a self-serving salesperson, you’ll experience lower sales resistance and in turn lower sales costs by putting prospects needs first, helping them make sound, informed decisions rather than pushing for the sale at all costs.

Mahan Khalsa, author of Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play: The Demise of Dysfunctional Selling and the Advent of Helping Clients Succeed"  declares that 

"The Internet and global competition have completely changed the face of selling since the 1990s,"  "Companies are no longer relying on a salesperson to get them information, because it's now readily available from a number of other sources. If you aren't directly helping the person in front of you by providing intelligence and insight that they can't get anywhere else, having a good relationship isn't going to get you sales anymore."

We think that the secret to reaching today’s buyers is delivering valuable, honest advice at each stage of the buying cycle. Giving away yes Giving Away valuable information through thought leadership marketing is a cost-effective way of positioning your business as a trusted resource, breaking through the roadblocks with educational information your prospects seek when it’s increasingly difficult getting your foot in the door.

Could now be the time to Re-evaluate and Re-Focus
Whatever your opinion of the current economic situation double dip or no double dip, we can probably agree: the rules of marketing and selling have changed.

Maybe it’s time to reconsider how to build and maintain a successful business in an age of uncertainty?
If you’ve been fairly broad and unfocused in your marketing efforts, it maybe time to stop.
Could it pay to cultivate a reputation within specific target markets or industries.?
This approach is more cost-effective and ensures that your marketing is aimed at prospects seeking maximum value from products and services customised to their particular needs.

Maybe you need to focus on industries where you have the potential to dominate the market.
Trusted, industry-focused brands are especially valued by customers.
You may have a better shot at earning buyer trust and launching new products successfully.

Trusted brands can quickly establish a reputation as a leading provider of products and services to a particular industry.
Marketing is easier, and company principles can easily use public speaking, webinars, teleseminars, white papers and other thought leadership tactics to develop customized information to an industry-specific needs.

Before taking action, talk to members of your marketplace, including prospects, clients and non-competing vendors, and explore how to tweak your existing offerings, or develop entirely new products and services tailored to unmet needs.

When you mold your business to very specific audiences, it gives your marketing a sharp, natural focus while ensuring that all your efforts pull in a strategic, pre-determined direction.

Target marketing will help you allocate your marketing efforts and resources for ensure maximum return and establish your brand in the most lucrative markets.

What about your sales teams?
Does it make sense to specialise members of the team on particular client issues in particular client sectors?  

What about your services deliverers?
Would it be beneficial for them to specialise and deliver indusrty specific advice?

I hope that you enjoyed these ideas and that have given you food for thought

If you'd like help with any of these ideas or you think that your company has issues like these in spades then email us at info@rainmaker-coaching.co.uk