Recently I spoke with OpenView Venture Partners Managing Director Brian Zimmerman about the importance of having a strong value proposition as you build your company. Listen to the audio.
Too many sales managers assume that their reps are all on the same page, when in fact many are sharing fractured pieces of the value their company brings. They have a slanted point of view, based on what they sell, who they talk to and what their prospects tell them. It is critically important to do regular mini-sessions as a team to get your entire team - inside sales and outbound sales - with clear written and conversational communication about the business value they can bring to prospective client companies.
Think of it more as a quarterly tune-up, not an overhaul. As a sales leader you want to help tweak the messaging to get to the business value, and incorporate power words - words that are stronger than others and help exude confidence in what you do and say. They are not cheesy or expected - words need to be selected carefully, and a shift of just one or two words can change everything. A shift of tone or energy can change everything - so it's not just what you say but how you say it.
Michael Boylan on putting TEETH into your value proposition
Geoffrey Moore on elevator pitches
Jill Konrath on value propositions
What are your power words and how do you message what you do to prospective customers?
Lori Richardson of Score More Sales was recently ranked as one of the Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012. Read the award-winning blog and sign up for the twice-monthly newsletter with sales tips to grow B2B revenues.