MINDSET: Sharing The Value of What You Offer By Tiffanie Z. Lyon, MBA
May 12, 2009
It’s important to realize that what you are actually selling is not necessarily a product, a service or an idea, but “THE BENEFIT” the other person will gain from investing in your offering and the ULTIMATE RESULT they will experience. By doing so, you will naturally be more persuasive and have positive influence. Think about this: Almost everything we sell offers one or more of these 5 general benefits:
• Make money
• Save money
• Save time
• Offer convenience
• Provide peace of mind/security
Which ones do your product or service address?
With that in mind, let’s do an exercise to dig deeper into this concept and really help you understand what you are selling. It will make it a lot easier to get excited and share with others. Enthusiasm sells!
Create a three-column chart. In the left column, list the core products and services you offer. Then in the middle column, list the first benefit or outcome a customer would receive after they invest in each of your products/services. Don’t contemplate too long; just write the first thing that comes to mind. Now, as you look at those benefits or outcomes for each service ask yourself, “so what?”, “what does that mean to the customer?”, “what is the ultimate benefit or end state of that?” Take it one step further.
Here’s an example:
Service: Life or Business Coaching
Benefit/Outcome: Clearly defined values and set of goals
Ultimate Results/End State: SUCCESS! Achieving personal, professional and financial goals and faster than you could on your own!
The far right column is what you are selling! THAT’S what people buy. It’s not just a service or a widget, but you are selling that intangible end state, ultimate result. Can you see how easy it is to get excited about selling what you offer when you focus on and demonstrate the ultimate value to your prospective buyer? So, instead of trying to sell the left column, shift your mindset and focus on selling the right column. Combine that with excitement and you’ve crossed the mindset hurdle to sales.
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