Over Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to chat with my brother, Daniel Chaddock, owner of E&E Exhibits. Since kindergarten he has been selling; his point of view (the sun revolves around the earth, Debbie, everyone knows that) to concepts to products and services. Sales conversations are effortless to him. He thinks like the customer, understanding their needs and clearly understand the value of what he offers.

He was talking about the training he provides his sales associates and one thing really stuck in my mind.

"I tell my people that before they pick up the phone to talk to a customer or a prospect they need to know five reasons why someone should buy from them. Not just buy from our company, but why should they buy from that individual. I have them write the five reasons down and then encourage them to work those reasons into the conversation."

So I started thinking about why people might buy from me:

1. My varied business background; marketing, operations, communications, training, franchising and sales bring a wealth of knowledge and experience which benefit my customers.

2. My passion for truly understanding the intended audience and writing with the reader in mind helps ensure the content is understood and acted upon.

3. I start each day with a specific customer in mind and in all my daily activities that customer is my number one focus; whether I'm exercising, getting the kids off to school, having lunch, doing research, whatever the task, that one customer is the only person I'm focused on that day. They have my undivided attention.

4. Most people are intimidated by a blank page. I take that burden away by providing the initial draft they can easily edit to reflect their personal tone.

I couldn't come up with a fifth one, but how I might use one of those four in conversation with a prospect, as per my brother, might be:

"Some of my other customers have enjoyed the fact that when they work with me they know I'm going to take their message and write it in reader-friendly words so the intended message is effectively communicated."

What five reasons should someone buy from YOU, not your company, but YOU? How might you use that in an initial conversation with a prospect?

Thanks, Dan for your help and advice. I had the opportunity to put it to the test already this week!

Deborah Chaddock Brown
Writer