…too many have a view that is too narrow to properly apply to the speed and mobility of business and business leaders of today.
As the saying goes, it’s not about who you know but who knows you. Social media, mobile communications and the web accelerate the speed at which good and bad customer experiences travel. Good news travels fast and bad news travels at light speed. The old numbers game used to be about making a maximum number of sales calls, hot and cold, per week. The new numbers game is about motivating decision-makers and influencers, beyond the ones you meet, to want to know and learn from you. This happens when customers/clients are compelled to advocate for you via the many broadcast mechanisms they have. From word-of-mouth to word-of-digital, we want to be seen in the right way, by the right people, at the right time, whether we’ve met the prospects or not.
VISABILITY and CREDABILITY in the digital age.
It’s not about who you know but who wants to know you after learning of you through word-of-mouth and word-of-digital. This is today’s numbers game and too many small and medium businesses still play the old numbers game. What are the keys to playing the new numbers game?
30-second and 3-second value propositions – At minimum, its good confirmation that you have a real value proposition when you, and others, can communicate it in less than 30-seconds. It’s good word-of-digital when you, and others, can write your value proposition in a way that can be consumed in less than 3-seconds. Whether a tweet, text or a tagline, creating a suspicion of value such that the prospective customer/client wants to know you, is the numbers game of the word-of-digital generation.
Address the personal reasons people make business decisions – Decision-makers make decisions to enhance safety, simplicity, rewards, recognition or revolution. (Five things people buy that are not on the invoice) You need to build value propositions that speak to each type of customer/client and do so in a way that others can communicate on your behalf.
Demonstrate, Educate and Advocate – Demonstrate how you’ve created success for others. Educate prospective customers/clients about new ways for them to address their needs with your products or services. Advocate for others who can help your customers/clients. Use your voice to make partners and/or existing customers/clients, more visible and credible to your digital community. It helps decision-makers and broadens your scope from seller to advisor. News about advisors travels faster than news about sellers.
Recently, I was at a social gathering where I had the opportunity to meet many new people. A few of these exchanges led to describing our professions. Each conversation was different but I tend to be very consistent about how I describe my business. I help salespeople and CXOs focus on the personal reasons people make business decisions by teaching and consulting on The Five Abilities® for winning lifelong customers.
Two weeks after that event I got an email from a customer of a person I met that night. Ava had heard about The Five Abilities from our now mutual acquaintance, Daniel – she had visited my website, and was hoping to learn more from me. We had a 20 minute phone conversation and scheduled a meeting for late this month. I don’t know if this will turn into business but after just a 1-2 minute conversation, Daniel knew enough to create a suspicion of value in Ava’s mind such that she wanted to know more from me.
Word-of-mouth is the original numbers game – Word-of-digital is today’s amplification. Tune up your value propositions and know how your offerings address the personal reasons people make business decisions. Demonstrate how you’ve helped others, educate existing and prospective customers/clients and advocate for your customers, clients and partners. This is today’s numbers game that you must do well.
©Rick Wong – The Five Abilities® LLC
