Last week we talked about how to find the people who will buy your product or service. This week, we need to figure out how to get those people to buy your thing and not someone else’s. There are many tricks to this but the key factor here is: what’s causing them pain? And then of course, how will your stuff fix it? This is obviously easier when you can get in front of people. Talk to them for a while and really get to know them. That’s not always practical though. My “elevator pitch” was always something like, “Next time your colleague says they can’t go to happy hour because they have to let their dog out, send them my way. I can help.” It worked for all kinds of things including vacations people couldn’t go on, extracurriculars kids couldn’t sign up for, etc. That’s why we were there. Now the “pain point” is your dog barking through your zoom meeting where you’re finally pitching that big idea. If we use our tiny home example from last week, the pain point might be empty nesters whose house feels too big. People who are trying to live a more minimalist lifestyle and struggle to do so in their large homes. People who just want a change. I haven’t really looked into selling tiny homes but those would be where I would start.
So now you know what your selling and who you’re selling it to. You sit down with one of these people and start talking. You explain a little about who you are, because not doing so makes people uncomfortable. I can’t emphasize enough that this is not the time for your pitch. There are a million things you can say here but mostly you just want your name and a tagline essentially. Hi, my name is Lauren and my company helps people regain control of their schedules. Or get their homes back (if their dogs are destructive). Or enjoy all the best parts of their pooches. If they really know nothing about me I might say, I help people regain control of their schedules by making sure their pets are taken care of. Hi, my name is Lauren and I help people try new things. Or live the lifestyle they want (in a tiny home). Then comes the hardest part. Ask about them, and then SHUT UP. Seriously, don’t try to connect with them by telling a story like theirs. No one upping. No oh wow that happened to me too. Genuinely listen to them. take some brief notes if you need to but just be quiet. They will tell you what they need. They will gear the conversation towards your industry because they know what you do and they’ll want to connect. At some point in this conversation they’re going to tell you how you can help them. Then you have to decide if you can really help them. Do they want what you’re selling? Or do they want something like what you’re selling but not something you can deliver? If they want what you’re selling, repeat what you think they want/need. Talk to them about their biggest challenges to make sure you have it right. Then, depending on the industry, you can tell them you can help them. Or simply explain your product/service in a way that shows how it solves their problem.