Are you a 'Risk-Taker'? Would you ask your clients this question?

To me, Rule #1 of Selling is to be crystal clear on your value differentiation. Unless you can clearly articulate the outcomes a client gets from using your product or service, it's nearly impossible to get them to change from the status quo.

Let me flashback to a situation that took me years to recognize.

At the time, I was selling consulting services. My own. I helped companies shrink time to revenue on new product/service introductions.

Specifically, I worked with the sales teams to focus on the right opportunities, rapidly create interest, get buy-in to the business case for change -- and close deals quicker.

I thought it was pretty compelling! Little did I know, I lacked metrics since my clients never benchmarked my approach to their old way of working -- which pretty much sucked.

I finally decided that I needed more data from my client.

I invited a client to lunch, telling him I had some important questions to ask. We went to a nice place. My treat of course.

After reminiscing for a while, I finally got up the gumption to ask the BIG question.

"Client," I said, "I'm trying to get a firm grasp on my business value -- the difference I make for my clients. Can you tell me what I'm doing for your business that makes you keep hiring me?"

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"That's easy," he quickly responded.

"You make me see things differently."

"Can you be more explicit?" I asked.

"Nope," he said. "When I'm with you, I think things differently."

End of conversation. I was stymied. It was useless data. I couldn't imagine calling a prospective client and saying, "Hi. I'm Travis Rothstein. I help my clients think differently. Ready to meet?"

So I disregarded my clients message -- for years, actually. Perhaps I wasn't ready to appreciate it.

Now I totally get it -- and there's even data to support the approach I was using.

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According to Forrester Research, you have a 74% chance of closing a deal if you're the 1st vendor to create a viable vision for the future.

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That's what I was doing. I was using my value prop of "shortening time to revenue on new product launches" to set up a meeting.

In early conversations, I'd focus on what they were doing, their objectives, the challenges they faced and what they'd already tried.

Then, after a few more meetings, I'd bring them ideas on how to improve the process. They were too busy to think about it. They were just trying to get the new product out the door. I suggested ways to do it better, more effectively, faster.

I helped them see things differently.  I still do. It's probably my greatest asset -- one that I was totally blind to for decades.

ConnecTheDot simply does that for all our clients.  We help you see things differently, think differently, act differently and grow your business differently.

After all, if you’re not different you are the same.  Who wants to be the same when those that are different are the ones that change the world!