Who Is Your Competition?

I had been pursuing a large consumer package goods company as a client for about 18-months. Our company specialized in this industry so I knew we were a perfect fit, but the client had been working with a competitor of ours for years and they were very "deep" making it hard to unseat them.

As I got to know the client, I was picking up that they weren’t particularly happy with their salesperson at my competitor. They told me he was a nice guy, but not very progressive minded in terms of online marketing or the general advertising industry. He also didn’t visit them much, and wasn’t all that responsive. But they knew his company was very capable so they continued to work together.

And it hit me… I tended to spend a lot of my selling time pitching our company and how we were unique, but I wasn't considering how the way I was selling could be a differentiator all by itself. My competition wasn't as much the other company - it was the salesperson I was selling against.

It was time to up my own game, and provide a better buying experience for the client. To always show up on time. To carry myself, and dress, like a business professional. To ask great questions. To really, truly listen. To be prepared with a few relevant client stories. To always follow-up. To be personable, and pleasant to work with. To be approachable.

Eventually it worked - we broke through and won what turned out to be a multi-million customer for many years to come. This new mindset also helped me win dozens of other high value clients, and I felt more in control of my outcomes than before.

As you think about the clients you want to win, shift your mindset away from just your company, and onto you and the experience that you can uniquely provide to your clients.