11/20/2024-Your product is trust

Not all servicing scenarios present an opportunity for you to slip into selling mode, but be aware of all your opportunities with clients to discuss your value.

Your product is not going to work all the time. Nor will your clients know how to work your product…all of the time.

But you’re aware you’re not selling "products," right?

You’re selling trust.

Your customers can buy what you’re pitching anywhere. While it’s important to know what your product can do for each prospect you pitch, it’s more important to appreciate how they make their decisions.

If you increase the time you talk to your customers about service, you’ll also increase the trust they have in you and your company.

Initiate a conversation today with a customer about service by asking them one – or all – of the following questions:

1. How do you define good service?

2. How important is service to you when making a buying decision?

3. How would you describe the service you’ve been receiving from other vendors who you’re currently working with?

And if you’re already engaged with the customer, keep asking them to grade your service.

You are very aware your offering is imperfect; that means servicing opportunities may occur as soon as the ink dries on the contract (…alright, as soon as the DocuSign is done.)

Interacting with your customers is a great chance to reinforce your value, even when they might be piping mad from an error or execution snafu.

That’s okay; stuff happens. You’ll fix it. And, of course, you’ll focus on the fix.

BUT, every interaction short of when clients are irate must be viewed as a selling opportunity. A soft-selling opportunity.

The TOP 10% don’t consciously think about selling or servicing because they’re always sneaking benefits into their conversations with buyers. You’re the best judge on how/when to shift to selling mode, but the point is don’t lose an opportunity to learn about your customer and their needs.

Your customer may need more of what you got, and servicing conversations could be the path toward helping them spend more with you!

You know what good service looks like, but maybe you could use help how to articulate" it.

In this short video, Mark Sanborn offers some good ideas to help you better frame your service proposition.

At the least, start talking more* about service, and you’ll get better at it fast.