One of the first questions that comes up in a marketing discussion is “how can I differentiate myself / my company?”.
Unfortunately, too many businesses try to differentiate themselves by:
- coming up with a cutesy tagline OR
- making claims that are easily copied and/or that clients don’t really care about (our staff has a 1,200 years of combined experience)
One of the easiest ways to stand out from the crowd is to look at what your competitors are doing and then do something different. Here are three ways B2B business owners and sales people can set themselves apart from their competitors.
1. Have a Different Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is something we offer to prospects who are looking for the types of solutions we sell. We typically associate lead magnets with websites, but they can be used offline as well. Lead magnets are often a prospects first contact with us, so they can be a great tool to help you stand out.
When marketing online, the hope is someone will exchange their contact information for our lead magnet so we can follow up, nurture the relationship, and start a sales conversation.
In the early days of the internet, a typical lead magnet was “Sign Up For Our Newsletter”. Today, this would be considered a weak lead magnet. No one wants another newsletter – they want something that will help them solve a problem or reach a goal.
The good news is, many of your competitors still have relatively weak lead magnets, if they have one at all. You can easily set yourself apart from the crowd by creating a lead magnet that focuses on the needs of your prospective customers. A good way to do that is to use the answers to one or more of the following questions as the content of your lead magnet:
- What are some of the common mistakes you help people avoid?
- What frustrations to people face when they buy from your competitors?
- What are the underlying, personal goals your customers are trying to achieve?
- What are your prospects trying to learn more about?
In many ways, your goal is to help your prospect become a better buyer and giving them the confidence (in both you and themselves) to take the next step and engage in a sales conversation.
Creating a customer centric lead magnet is a great way to stand out from the crowd, demonstrate your expertise, and build “Know, Like, and Trust” with your prospects.
2. Have a Different Selling Process
In Duct Tape Marketing we have a case study about a remodeling contractor that used their selling process to help differentiate their business. When the typical remodeling contractor hears from a potential customer, they jump in their truck, drive to the customer’s location, and start measuring things to create an estimate.
The company in the case study set themselves apart by reversing the process. They have the prospective customer come to them. Once the prospect is in their office, they began to educate them on their process for completing successful remodeling projects.
B2B salespeople can take a similar approach. If all your competitors start out by filling out a questionnaire – don’t. If your competitors bring their prospects to their board room, go visit their office. Does everyone in your industry start their first meeting with a 15 minute presentation of their history and qualifications? Start yours by asking your prospect about the latest development in their industry and how it will effect their business.
3. Be the One Who Follows Up
It sounds simple, but one of the easiest ways to stand out from the crowd is to be the person who follows up.
It takes discipline and a systematic approach to consistently follow up. Take off your sales hat and put on your buyer’s cap for a minute. How many times have you been disappointed or even upset when others don’t follow up with you?
More good news – most companies do such a poor job of following up that it won’t take much to stand out. Consistent follow up, with a touch of personalization in your messages can turn “just another sales person” into a “rockstar”.
Need Help?
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like help implementing any of these ideas.
Image credit – Richard Elzey on Flickr
