Being different, helpful and connected to your target audience’s needs can often make or break a deal – especially when factors like price, quality and availability are a constant between your product and theirs.
As a fresh produce marketer, you are likely well aware of the angles that your competition is using to open doors and opportunities amongst your shared target audiences.
As you plan for 2014 and beyond, consider our recommendation for 5 ways to beat your competition when you enter the ring.
1. Invest in the discovery process.
It’s true; the discovery process is the most important way to beat your competition. Why? The discovery process is where the truth is. The truth about what’s working, what’s not and what could be are all questions to be outlined during an effective sales meeting. The answers to these questions are quite literally the key to your success as they add context to the solution set that you should be formulating for your customer and may even unveil the competition’s weaknesses.
2. Answer “Yes, and…”
This is a practice I’ve been implementing for at least six months at work and at home. “Mom, can I have a cookie?” My answer: “Yes, AND I want you to study your spelling words first.” No is rarely an answer a customer (or a seven year old) wants to hear so practice saying, “Yes, and…” and witness the utter appreciation that your customers (and your kids) will experience thanks to your willingness to agree AND provide added value.
3. Just listen.
Asking the right questions and listening to your customer’s needs can assist you in becoming THE helpful resource for the product or service that you offer. At DMA Solutions, we practice this both with trade and consumer audiences, particularly when we are engaged in social media and seeking to help people find solutions to their everyday mealtime dilemmas. Listening to and addressing your customers’ needs more times than your competition will help you to achieve linchpin status.
4. Focus on the goal.
Stay focused on meeting, or better yet, exceeding your mutually agreed upon goals with your customer and report them every chance you get. It seems so simple but can be a real game changer when your competition isn’t effectively establishing SMART goals that hold them accountable for the product or service that they provide to your customer.
5. Quantify your success.
The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and this is so true when competing for business. So at the end of an initiative, are you effectively communicating how you met or better yet, exceeded your goals with your customer? Establishing a winning partnership with your customer is critical so that when you are successful in achieving your goals, the success is shared and the opportunities are easy and not uncomfortable to discuss.
Don’t wait for the New Year before applying these techniques to your everyday business. It is never too soon to start delighting your customers and gaining an edge on the competition.
