For the folks who want a little more help, but still want to do it themselves.

Though I have tried to make my information products as self-sustaining as possible, I have to confess something.

It is really hard to "get outside yourself" enough to work on marketing totally on your own.  You need some outside perspective.  That is what you will find on this page.

 

 

Free Starter Kit — Case Study #2

"Do the Math!" -- Value Selling
 

Client:  CMIT Solutions, Inc.
CMIT Solutions is a national franchise of Technology Service providers who help small to mid-sized businesses improve productivity, decrease expenses, and increase profitability through the effective use of technology.

Their website:

http://www.cmitsolutions.com/client-success

CMIT is redoing their website.  You will find my Flash Movie interviews when you click on the names of each of the people listed under the testimonials.  Yes, those are hot links.  This is a good example of how NOT to display multimedia testimonials! 

Marketing Challenge: How to overcome price objections and sell "value."

CMIT works in a very competitive marketplace.  In one metropolitan market, there were over 600 companies offering similar services to the same small to mid-sized market that CMIT serves.  At the same time, "Managed Service Solutions" — which allows for the remote monitoring and maintenance of computer systems — has enabled large players like Dell, Microsoft, and Best Buy to enter their market.  Hence, the maintenance of computer systems is quickly becoming "commoditized."

So how can you compete with those "Big Boys,"
or the other 599 "Wanna Be's" in your marketplace?

 
It's simple.  Don't compete!
Change the game.

If you look at all of CMIT's competitors — small or large — they all sell the same thing — "We fix computers better, faster, cheaper than the other guy."  Now they might not say that in so many words.  But if you take apart their marketing materials, especially their testimonials, you will find this theme repeated over and over again.

Important note for YOU: Are YOU caught in that same marketing and sales trap?  Are YOU facing "price resistance?"  Maybe better said — "Are you really getting paid what you are worth?"  If not, you really need to study this success story.

When you listen to this interview, see if CMIT backs up their claim that they improve productivity, decrease expenses, and increase profitability.

1. Improve Productivity— Most companies are content with their Raving Fans simply saying, "Oh, yes, we are more productive because of our work with our consultant, or because we use XYZ product."  But that does not tell us much does it.  See how this interview digs beneath the surface to find more. Clients do not "Do the Math" without your help!  Hence they cannot be your Evangelist, because they don't have the right story to tell.

2. Decrease Expenses — Most companies are content with vague references like "We were able to cut our expenses quite a bit using XYZ."  But your prospects aren't going to be convinced with these vague notions.  They are more savvy than that.  And they are more cynical than ever before.  You had better have a strong story to back up what you claim.

3. Improve Profitability —  Most companies are content that they offered their services and their clients were happy.  But if you want to have REAL success, it is much easier to SELL MONEY than to sell anything else.  So the question is, are you really a strategic partner who helps companies improve their profitability?  Do you KNOW your clients well enough to even know what makes them profitable?  Listen to this interview and see if you think Debi and Phil Bush of CMIT are just folks who fix computers, or if they are true strategic partners. 

Don't be "content" with mediocrity! Listen to this interview with one of CMIT's Raving Fans, then return here to listen to another client talk about what he learned in this process.

Click on the CMIT Solutions graphic
to see the movie!

 

 

 

 

Now listen to this interview with Tom Conway, who learned how to do
"value selling," while he captured his own Raving Fan testimonials. You see, as you learn to have these "value conversations" with your current clients, you also learn to have "value conversations" with Prospects.  This makes selling less stressful because your Prospects literally "close themselves."

Click on the picture of Tom
to see the movie.

 

 

Quiz: (Answers below)

1. Beyond the value of testimonials, why is it important to "Do the Math" with your customers?

2. Why can't your Raving Fans just say you did a great job?  Why do we need to be specific?

3. Why do I need to care if what I sold my client increases their profit?  Those bottom line results are out of my control and not my responsibility.

4. But I don't really sell stuff that can be translated into hard dollar value such as you have in this story.  How can I take advantage of "Doing the Math?"

Answer Key:

1. "Doing the Math" with your customers allows them — often for the FIRST time — to truly establish their financial return-on-investment from working with you.  That makes them happier, immediately more loyal, and, most importantly, they have been converted from Raving Fans to Evangelists!  They now have a great story to tell, and they WILL tell it!  Why?  Because it also makes THEM look really smart!
2. Your prospects are more cynical than ever before.  The credibility of business executives,  government leaders — even our sports heroes — is at an all-time low.  So prospects want proof of your value.  The more specific you can make that proof, the higher your credibility.
3. Most people do, in fact, just concentrate on what they sell.  If they sell it and it works, they feel they are done.  But your prospects don't want your STUFF.  They want what your stuff will help them do to increase their profitability.  That is the bottom line.  When you go the extra mile to help them be profitable by using what you sell, then you are selling MONEY, which is a much easier sell!
4. This is very important.  Please pay special attention.  I have NEVER failed to be able to "Do the Math" to establish the hard cash value of the products or services my clients sell.  I don't care what they do.  I was able to do this with a minister, who did marriage counseling, and with a personal coach, who only helped housewives overcome stress!  You CAN "connect the dots" between what you do and the cash value it provides — it is just harder to do — but well worth the effort!  Think how that alone separates you from your competition!
    

  Click Here to watch full length success stories of Bill's own Raving Fans!