Pop Quiz Question #3:
How Can I Prosper From Your Services?
Frank Traditi
Completing our series - The Pop Quiz You Need to Pass - we're going to look at the third and final question:
How can I prosper from your services?
There's only one word that comes to mind when answering this question on the pop quiz -- benefits. Your clients want to know how they can prosper in one or more ways from your services.
Demonstrating the benefits delivered by your product or service is what will bring the pen to your proposal. Benefits are the end result of what your client receives. Your job at this point in the sales process is to help your client visualize what the positive end result will be when they put your expertise into action.
One of the biggest mistakes service providers make when they answer this question during their sales presentation is that they focus on the features of their services. In other words, what it does or how it works.
This approach focuses more on you rather than the client. While the execution of your services is important, it's not why a client will buy from you. How it works is secondary to what they get and how they prosper.
Here are some examples:
Do you buy a 4-wheel drive vehicle because you can push a button to shift gears or because you know it's safer in the snow and bad weather?
Do you use email because you can attach a file to a message or because you can get a quicker response to your proposal?
Does your client hire you as a management leadership trainer because of the assessments you do or because their managers will be able to reduce the complex employee issues and conflict within the organization?
Does a Director of Information Technology offer you the job because you can program in Java or because you know how to solve the current problem they have with getting their newest software product to market and save them thousands of dollars in wasted development time?
It's the benefit and prosperity your client perceives from your services that gets them to say yes. They can actually visualize a successful implementation, more sales, protection, better environment and a hundred other things your services bring to the bottom line.
The "So What" Test
The so what test is a great way to get right to the bottom line of what your service can do for your clients. Assume that after every feature your potential client hears about, they will ask you, "so what?"
Write out each and every feature, process, procedure, or tool your product or service offers. Next to each one, write out - "so what?"
Then develop the benefit statements directly related to the type of clients you have in your target market. You'll come to some very enlightening conclusions. First, you'll discover just how valuable your services are for your clients. Second, these benefit statements become your language when talking with your potential clients.
You passed!
The pop quiz every pro needs to pass was a breeze, right? Just do your homework, study hard, and put it into practice. Clients, opportunities, and jobs will start coming your way – fast.
You can now go to the head of the class.
Copyright © 2006, Frank Traditi
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