Trying to displace a competitor? It can be a tough task. Incumbent providers have an advantage unless their performance has been horrible and/or painful for the client. How you might make it easier for the client to change...
Understand what the client is evaluating
In addition to evaluating your actual solution, here are some key points clients are considering:
What is involved in changing (resources, time, money)?
How long will a change require?
What negative impact might a change generate?
How much value (positive impact) will be generated?
How you might make change easier
Remember incumbent providers may have more information and deeper relationships than you currently do. The client also has interacted with the incumbent for some period of time...so the client knows what it is like to work with them. Making it easier involves “closing these gaps”...
Do your homework! Have a goal to be sharper than the incumbent on the client’s business, trends, challenges, etc
Carefully orchestrate/manage each interaction. These are “snapshots” for the client of what it is like working with your company.
Make sure documents are “easy to review”. For example, make it EASY for the client to find information you are providing vs. having to scroll thru a long document (e.g. table of contents, clickable icons that take them to desired info).
Try not to fly blind
Seeking guidance from “inside coaches” at the client will help you understand how your company is perceived and hopefully feel like you are on the right track.
Marc Kitz, Sales Coach
860-836-8979
Checkout my Sales Coaching blog - https://marckitz.com/
Schedule some time - https://calendly.com/marc-kitz-sales-coach/25min
Comments