You have to remember that your client is also engaging with your competitors. Maybe one who provides the client a price that makes your pricing look expensive in comparison. Others have relationships that make it easy to win deals. You and I both have relationships that can cause your client to buy from you, even if you have a slightly higher price.
But we have to look at competition as the ability to create value in the sales conversation. One way to create value is to use an executive briefing that proves that you have done your homework and the research on the client's industry and its company. When your competitors show up to talk about their company, their clients, and their solution, the value you created that will banish your competitor.
When I sign in for a meeting, I scroll to see which competitors have meetings with the client. You might find that the largest competitor has signed in three times, and another competitor who you have jousted with in the past, knowing how to win against.
One competitor was very good—she was in my territory. We were always battling over clients. But one day a contact told me that she was very impressive in the first meeting, but after the first meeting she was no longer impressive.
In another sales call I followed a competitor. The contact asked me why I couldn't get the temporary staffing they needed. I told him that he was paying too little to get anyone to take the job. He was unhappy that I couldn't get the people. I asked him if he provided the people he needed, and the company lost four of their clients because no one took the jobs.
In one contest, I went by myself. My competitor had brought five people to their meeting. I watched them go in, and I watched them go out. When it was my time, I walked in to see 14 people sitting around the largest conference table. Three of them called the task force and asked all the questions. I stood up, answered every question. I passed the test and a couple days later the client came to my office to tell us that they were giving me their business. That was two-million dollars annually.
I like the idea of competition. It can sharpen your sales conversation skills. It can build up your ability to handle difficult questions, and learn to win deals that others might have a tough time winning.
In Eat Their Lunch you will find a number of strategies that can help you to win deals. I learned to displace my competitors in staffing by using a different sales conversation. If you have to displace your competitors, this book will help you to win deals away from your competition.
