Sales Training For Service Businesses - Why Should I Use You? - Part 3 of 3

In my previous two articles, available on this site, I looked at how you as a service business can articulate your USP. So how can you pull this all together?

If you can develop an angle on your uniqueness and as to why someone should be speaking with you then it should be the focal point of all of your communications, marketing and relationship building. One way of doing this is to develop a Strap Line.This operates by taking complex ideas or concepts down to a simple, easily communicable message.

A sales strap line must accomplish 4 things:

1. It actively transfers specific information

2. It's immediately and obviously beneficial

3. It's self explanatory and ultra simple

4. It's easy to replicate in someone's mind

When you talk about what you do there are 4 possible ways to do so. Two don't work at all, one works and one works superbly.

1. Your Label: This is when you say "I'm an Accountant" or "I'm an Estate Agent" or "I'm a Financial Advisor". The bid problem here is that what you are trying to convey is not necessarily how the recipient understands the label. They may have preconceived ideas about what you do or may just not have any interest at all.

2. Your Process: This is what you do. It does not generally link the process to the benefits the client receives. Most people use something like this. An example might be - "Im a Business Advisor and I apply methodologies to standardise the operational systems in a business. YAWN! What do the clients get as a result of that?

3. Your Solution. This is a lot better and can generally work as they start to develop on benefits. A format for developing these could be:

I help (assist/work with) (target market) (your solution).

An example here might be "I Help service business grow their business and profitability"

4. Their Problem: The first three were all about you - not about your prospective clients. After all, the purpose of your solution is to solve their problem. So why not talk about it.

I help (assist/work with) (target market) (your solution), who are struggling (having problems with e.t.c) (their problem).

The difference is subtle but it provides a frame of reference to hook on to.

An example might be:

" I help people with migraine problems who just can't seem to get rid of it"

And if you can add to this something that is unique such as

" and I guarantee to completely rid the problem after six sessions or I will continue to work at my own cost"

People tend to pay a bit more attention to something quite powerful like this.

My challenge to you then is twofold:

1. If we met at a networking event could you tell me what you did and why I should use you?

2. Could you transfer that information to all of your sales information so that you massively improve your marketing message?