Here is a good question to ask yourself before every sales meeting with a new prospect:
“What is my edge or ‘hole card’ going into this meeting?”
Here is what I mean.
The prospect is obviously going to compare you to all other sales presentations he has heard. There is a huge chance that you are going to fall into the memory pool with everyone else unless . . . you have established some sort of edge going into the meeting that will allow you to stand out.
An edge or “hole card” can take many forms. Sometimes it is doing some research on the prospect’s personal interests and bringing something to the meeting that touches it in a fun way. For example, I once heard that a prospect loved the Cubs (poor guy) and I mentioned I knew a Cubs broadcaster well. We ended up calling him and had a lot of fun with that.
Sometimes it’s just knowing the real pressure point of the prospect’s business needs. For example, if I know someone puts an emphasis on a lot of communication, I may try to get out in front of that by recommending a standing call each week. Or if the prospect is a financial-minded person, he may like good reports, and I emphasize that deliverable in our discussion.
The point is to try to quiz yourself going into a meeting and holding yourself to this higher bar in whatever approach you choose to take.
I like to follow the saying, “You may not hire me but you will never forget me.”
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