Sounds like a simple enough question, but many of us are not sure. Some companies think that everyone breathing and with some cash is their customer. In the consulting business you need to know what you can do and for whom. Sales people hate walking away from any potential deal, but better to be honest with the customer and tell them you can’t do something, then lose your shirt and reputation later on.
So how do you figure it out? Start with a simple statement of what value you provide to a customer. Maybe it’s “We help you save money by automating your business processes.” Or “We help you drive more sales through inbound marketing.” After you know what you do, figure out who the YOU is in your statement. Maybe it’s a CIO in any industry or a small business owner or nurses in medium-sized hospitals. The more specific the better so you can figure out how to approach them and what to say. I like following David Meerman Scott’sbuyer personas definition. It might sound obvious, but it’s amazing how few people do it. The more you know about your customer and what matters to them, the easier to help them and make a sale.
Are you a potential customer of mine?
photo credit Random House
- Written by Ron Arden
eDocument Sciences, LLC
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