I’m going to share some information with you about dealing with your biggest competitor when selling to new customers.
You see, one of the challenges you face when selling to new people or those who don’t know you is that you have no credibility, no brand, and no existence in their mind.
So, your biggest competitor is always going to be indifference.
In other words, why should they care about you and what you offer?
When you’re up against others in your line of business, it’s often easier to differentiate yourself from them than to overcome indifference.
Can your marketing pass the ‘So What?’ test?
With indifference, you have to pass the “so what” test.
This means that when you present your business, an indifferent potential customer will likely respond with, “So what?”
Some might lean on their experience: “I have X years of experience in this field.” So what? “We have offices all over the country.” So what? “We’ve been in business since 1804, and the managing director remembers when we opened.” So what? “We have more letters after our names than in our names.” So what?
The point is, you need to overcome the “so what” or indifference test by establishing your credibility in the minds of your target market.
You do this by showing them what you can do for them, not just who you are, how many qualifications you have, how many people are on your team, or how many offices you have.
Those things don’t really matter.
It doesn’t even matter if you’re the cheapest, although that might appeal to some people. And you don’t want to go there anyway.
Ultimately, you need to convey to indifferent people why they should talk to you.
In other words, you’re not just telling people who you are and what you do. You’re explaining why they should talk to you, how you can benefit them, and the great things you can do for clients, which can also apply to them. You’re overcoming the “so what?” test.
Here’s how to beat this biggest competitor:
Look at your marketing, the communications you’re putting out to your target customers, and think: if I saw that, does it go beyond “so what”? Am I communicating not just who we are and what we do, but the reasons why a potential customer should be interested? Why should they read more of this article, blog post, or watch this video?
Until you can get past indifference and “so what,” your marketing won’t be as effective as it could be.
As a marketer, I teach my clients how to do their own marketing. I always tell them, “You’ve got to get beyond who you are and what you do. Show that you’re capable and competent. Then, show why you’re different and why potential customers should talk to you instead of the guy down the street.”
Most marketing is just name, rank, and serial number: “Here’s who we are, here’s what we do, here’s our phone number if you’re interested.” To me, that’s just “so what?”
I see 80-90% of marketing from big and small businesses just putting out stuff that says, “Here’s who we are, what we do, and here’s our number.”
Don’t do it. Think more thoroughly about the messages you’re putting out to your target market. Consider if it passes the “so what” test.
Are you overcoming indifference? Are you hitting it head-on? Don’t just say you’re good at what you do or have lots of experience.
Explain why potential customers should talk to you and how you can make a difference for them.
That’s how you overcome your biggest competitor to new customers: getting past “so what” and overcoming indifference.
Present something that tells me why I should talk to you instead of the guy down the street who just does name, rank, and serial number marketing.
Want more useful stuff on marketing? Check out:
What is the best marketing strategy or tactic? (article and video)
The best bit of marketing advice EVER! (YouTube video)