This past week, I’ve had conversations with three separate business owners about how to successfully connect with prospects. Should you connect through LinkedIn? An email? A phone call? The answer is YES – you should do all of those.
However, before you do any connecting, you need to be able to answer one question:
Why is my company the solution to your problem?
If you can’t answer why your prospect should work with you, then you shouldn’t connect with them.
How do you figure out if you are the solution to their problem? You do the legwork to discover their pain points. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Spend time on their website. Get to know their products/services, their leadership team, and their mission, vision, and core values. Learn what problem they are solving.
- Research their customers and partners. Who are they currently reaching out to for support in solving their problems?
- Google their executives to see where they may be speaking, or if they have been interviewed about their strategic focus.
- Tap into your LinkedIn network to connect with some of their employees to learn about the company.
- Imagine your prospect just delivered a Request for Proposal (RFP). You have the opportunity to bring in business. What will your win theme be? What will separate you from everyone else? What will you write that will cause your prospect to say, “I can’t move forward without this company.” Complete this exercise on paper.
These are a few ways to elevate what I call your Customer IQ.
Your engagements with your prospects are not about what you can sell to them. They are about how you can help them solve their challenges.
Do you need help determining your customer value proposition for your target customers, and raising your Customer IQ? Let me know, and we can set up a 15-minute Skype chat to talk about your targets.
Good luck!
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About Successful Culture
We work with business owners, CEOs, and leadership teams that want to achieve their greatest personal & organizational potential. Through coaching, strategic consulting, retreat facilitation, and workshops, we equip leaders & emerging leaders with the mindset, tools, strategies, and processes they need to excel.
Ready to move forward? Email us today at [email protected].
Connect with me on Instragram, Facebook, and Twitter. Engage with me during my morning Periscope sessions as well (@marissalevin).
Please check out my Inc. Magazine columns on my Author Page too.
– In my latest Inc, article, I share The Essential Guide to Avoiding Workplace Text, Email, & Social Media Disasters.
– Learn about the 9 Leadership Behaviors that Lose Employee Trust & Respect here.
~Marissa Levin
CEO, Successful Culture
“Taking Leaders from Triage to Transformation.”
photo credit Stuart Miles via FreeDigitalPhotos.net
photo credit patrisyu via FreeDigitalPhotos.net
