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Guest post by: Tibor Shanto Become an Author

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Frankly who cares?

Your prospects sure don't!

Some of your customers maybe; your competitors, when it serves their needs.

OK, yes, the marketing team that "developed" does, but didn't you say the other day that they have never been on a client call?

What really counts in the real world (you know where sales are made), is the prospects' and clients' perception and definition of value.

Sadly too many sales people leave the office everyday (some days) armed with nothing more than their brochures, clearly highlighting the Value Proposition, ready to regale unsuspecting prospects who thought they were going to sit down with someone who said they can help them in one way or another.

Almost all executives we have spoken with tell us that the worst sales meetings they have had to endure have been where a sales rep comes in asks a limited number of irrelevant (vis-à-vis the prospect's real objectives) questions, and then proceeds to "deliver" their Value Proposition.

This is not to say that having a value proposition is bad, but it has to be one that resonates with the prospect, not one that resonates with a marketing intern or contract writer. The challenge for many is to get past their view and focus the discussion on the prospects' view in order to build value in the buyer's mind.

Buyers come in many shapes and sizes, with an equal number of objectives, agendas and motivations. To believe that a single "Value Proposition" will address any or all effectively, not only insults the prospect, but diminishes the rep, the product and the company in the prospects mind.

But it's not all bad, there is a way to meet the prospect on their terms and still utilize your precious proposition. You just need to step back, and take the time to explore, understand and shape the prospects definition of value, based on their realities not on yours. Done right, rest assured you'll have a chance to unsheathe your proposition.

First challenge is to understand who you are working with. "C" level executives evaluate and define value in a different way than those in the middle ranks, say managers or directors. Because they have different objectives and views, you must communicate your value in different terms. A Vice President is much more likely to perceive and define value in terms of revenue and expenses. For instance a VP of Sales is going to look for things that can increase sales and reduce the cost of sale, or put another way, increasing sales and margins. While a regional Sales Manager will look for features and functions that will help them succeed, and be much more price conscious. The Manager is more likely be limited by a defined budget, while the VP, will look at price based on value relative to results, i.e. more sales, less cost per sale. We have all gone into situations where we were told "there is no budget", yet the VP came up with budget because they saw the ROI, understood that they could increase sales now, make their numbers for the year and even with the cost of your service was able to improve margins. Their perception of value was greater than their initial view on budget.

Another key point is to work with the prospect, especially executives, to mutually develop the case for the purchase. By focusing on the client, getting them to articulate their goals and challenges in attaining them, you can get them to associate value with you, your product and the benefit to both them personally and to their company. Unfortunately this takes work in the form of asking questions and more questions, and together developing the answers that build value for you product.

Unfortunately you left the office with a brochure, your marketing team's value proposition and all the answers to your questions, but none for the prospect. Selling is a sport that requires two participants, and at least one has to be a buyer.

It is important to remember that buyers start out with a concept of what they feel deliver value to them based on their current and future objectives. If you don't engage with them in a way that will help them associate value, as they define it, or better yet, as you mutually develop it through a series of meaningful interactions, your value proposition will fail to deliver value for you and your company due to lack of sales.

If your sales are going to be based on your objectives exclusively, at the exclusion of the prospect's objective, you will run the risk of the prospect the client will see no value, perceived or real in your proposition.

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