Broadcasting on WII-FM

Everybody has a favorite radio station, don't they?

Sure they do. And it's the same one: WII-FM. Never heard of it? Well, it's probably the one station you tune into more than any other. And it's definitely your customers' favorite.

In this issue we talk about how to broadcast your message on the one channel that's always clear.

Regards,

Tom Sant

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Broadcasting on WII-FM

The CEO of a data processing company addressed a group of sales people. "I'm the person who signs the contracts and writes the checks. So let me tell you how to sell to me. It'll save us both a lot of time. To get me to buy, you need to address the two things I wake up worrying about every morning: cycle time and net profitability. Show me how you can help me improve either area, and I'll buy from you. And I don't particularly care what you're selling."

Sometimes we forget this basic principle. People buy to meet their needs or solve their problems. To get them to buy from us, we need to clearly address whatever matters the most to them. In other words, we need to broadcast a clear value proposition over a channel they'll be sure to hear: WII-FM.

In case you were wondering, WII-FM isn't a radio station. It's a receiver located inside every customer's head that guides the decision making process. WII-FM stands for What's in it for Me?

In considering your offer, customers typically want to see positive business impact. They may be looking for improved financial performance, increased market share, higher customer retention, improved technical position, automation of a labor-intensive process, regulatory compliance, or any of dozens of other goals. But it's important to identify these goals--the things your customer wakes up worrying about each morning--and link your sales message to them throughout the sales process.

Ineffective sales messages focus on information about your company, your products, and your services. Effective messages provide information that answer the four basic questions decision makers always ask:

1. Is this really what we need?
2. Will it have a positive impact on our business?
3. Can this vendor deliver the products or services on time and on budget?
4. Are we getting good value for our money, particularly considering the probable impact on our business?

By consistently returning to these core concerns as you deliver your sales message--by delivering your message over channel WII-FM--you can guarantee that the audience stays tuned in.

Don't make the mistake of selling a solution that your customer ends up buying from your competitor. Give the customer a reason to buy specifically from you.

That means building your value proposition on the things that make you unique. For example, the U.S. Postal Service might show a potential customer how much that customer will save in delivery charges based on the fact that the Post Service delivers on Saturday for no additional charge. That's a unique, quantifiable advantage that can be translated into savings.

To learn more about delivering messages your customers will hear and understand, visit us at www.santcorp.com