Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • December 10, 2018 • Hartford Business Journal 15 EXPERTS CORNER A secret to winning more work By Amy Graver A nyone who sells products or services understands exactly how difficult it can be to win business. You often find yourself up against prospects who are being pressured to control costs, and therefore only seem to be interested in your price. So, how do you move the conversation past price alone to demonstrate your value in the marketplace, and justify the price or fees you deserve? The secret is to com- pose a power- ful customer value proposition. What is a customer value proposition? A customer value proposition is a clear statement that can help direct prospects to focus on what your prod- uct/services are truly worth and what makes you unique in the marketplace. It should explain how you will solve potential customers' specific problem(s), benefit them and why they should select your product/services over your competitors: your USP (unique selling proposition). Once a prospect is made aware and understands what you offer, they can make a more educated decision about who to work with or what to buy. Most companies do not have a value proposition, or they do not have one that truly impacts and motivates client opinions. I believe it is because many companies (and marketers) do not fully grasp the power of a well- written value proposition — or under- stand how to use one to win business — so it's not in everyone's purview. This is great news for you, because it can be to your sales advantage to write and use one. The value propo- sition should be created with your marketing director or team — so that the messaging is on-point, consistent and aligns with your brand — then turned over to your sales team to use in proposals and/or pitches. Below, I break down the three steps to crafting your own customer value proposition. Step one: Make it distinctive First, invest the time to uncover and understand what your prospects are looking for. Learn everything you can about their business, pain points and what their unique requirements/ preferences may be; create a custom- er persona. Armed with this knowledge, it be- comes clear how what you are offering exceeds that of your competitors on the precise points that are of utmost importance to your prospects. Determine one or two points of dif- ference that will provide the greatest solution and value with the most unique distinction from your competitors. Step two: Make it measurable Next, you need to be able to demon- strate and document the value of your product/services and communicate in such a way that is relatable to your clients' business priorities. To make your value proposition persuasive, you must be prepared to prove that you fully grasp their criti- cal challenges by using case studies to demonstrate savings, value and results if they choose your product/services. Step three: Keep it going Lastly, you need to be able to prove your value proposition over time. This is not a one-time effort; you need to sustain and maintain your unique claim over a significant period of time. Your value proposition should be adopted company-wide, and it should guide the way you conduct your business across the board. Amy Graver is the principal and creative director of Elements, a Branford-based strategic integrated marketing firm. HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM POLL LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULT: Do you plan to see "Hamilton" at the Bushnell? NEXT WEEK'S POLL: Can Hartford become an East Coast tech hub? To vote, go online to hartfordbusiness.com BIZ BOOKS How to bring out the best in your employees By Jim Pawlak "Cultivate — How to Bring Out the Best in People" by Rex Houze (Better Results Publishing, $7.95). Taking a cue from the book, I opened a manage- ment presentation on the role of critical thinking in employee development with a slide that had a picture of an acorn. I asked: "What is this?" Acorn and nut were their answers. I asked them to take a few minutes to dig deeper. A hand shot up about 30 seconds later — "It's a future oak tree." That was the answer that showed critical thinking because it dealt with "what could be." Just as an acorn can grow into a mighty oak tree with the proper cultivation, a forest of productive employees and teams can be created by managers who provide the right "nour- ishment." Houze believes "frequent and specific feedback" provides employees much of the nourishment they need. Why? Timely information about their results frames their attitude about what's next. Houze looks at feedback from three performance perspectives: 1. Positive — Encourages employees to "repeat their behavior and build on their successes." It's the "build on" that cre- ates motivation to tackle challenges. 2. Negative — Tells employees to watch their steps. This leads to only doing what they're told. Houze points out the difference between negative (destructive) and constructive (instruc- tive) feedback aimed at performance improvement. When something goes awry, the feedback should focus on what was learned so outcomes will improve. 3. No feedback — By not providing performance-related information on a timely basis, employees wonder what their next performance review will say. They usually began thinking "no news is bad news." As a result, their produc- tivity declines — and so does that of the manager. Houze also believes that manag- ers need feedback to know if they're providing what employees need to get their jobs done. Tangible rewards provide nourish- ment, too. Something simple like an "Employee of the Month" award sends a positive message to your team. 61.2% No 38.8% Yes READER COMMENTS: "It was too hard to get tickets." "Tickets are too high priced and hard to find." Amy Graver Jim Pawlak Book Review

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