The one thing we're absolutely certain about in the market place
today is change - it's all around us.
I remember once giving a joint presentation with one of our
clients - they had managed to negotiate their way onto a tender
list for a prestigious project.
Their business had only been going for two years and really you
could have questioned whether they had the infrastructure,
systems and experience to deliver on the promise.
However, the potential major client liked the proposal and we
made it through to the final three - the presentation. The
Managing Director called me asking for help on how he should
approach the meeting.
After detailed discussions it was apparent the key objection to
utilising my client was going to be their track record and lack
of experience.
We had to turn this to our advantage. I agreed to go and do the
presentation with the Managing Director - actually let me just
change over that word presentation to 'demonstration.' I have a
firm view you don't sell through presentation - you sell through
'demonstration.'
Only a change of word and slight shift in the mind set - however
so powerful in practice.
'Demonstrate' to your clients why you should be the partner or
supplier of choice - 'demonstrate' the benefits of your products
and services - use case studies, testimonials, real examples to
bring your 'demonstration' to life and most importantly... speak
from the heart not the head.
We really wanted to grab their attention at the start of the
'demonstration' - we needed them to be fully engaged in the
process.
We created a slide - a picture of a tug boat with an oil tanker
alongside it.
As part of my opening to the group - we brought up the slide and
speaking from the heart, with passion and enthusiasm launched
into our well rehearsed 'demonstration.'
"There are a number of other companies who you could choose to
partner with on this exciting project - however, let me
'demonstrate' why we believe we should be your partner of
choice.
We liken our business to the tug boat. We are fast, we are
dynamic - we can change direction quickly - we are constantly
leading from the front - in fact, the leading innovators within
our industry.
What we are not is the oil tanker - large - staid - being lead -
and only able to integrate change slowly because it takes miles
to change course and turn.
Our absolute focus and 'tenets of our philosophy' is centred
around delivering a phenomenal client 'experience' - and that is
what I'd like to 'demonstrate' for you today - how precisely we
are going to do this in partnership with you."
They loved it and no surprise our client won the contract.
So what are some of the ideas we can take from this story?
Well Perhaps the first is this - Having tug boat thoughts...
It does not matter whether your business is large or small - you
constantly need to be thinking like a 'tug boat' - having 'tug
boat thoughts' - embracing and hunting out change knowing it's
here to stay - living on the edge - constantly innovating and by
so doing - gaining the edge over your competitors.
What are the innovations within your market place? - What are
the current trends and perhaps most importantly what are the
future trends? If you went forward 5 years - 10 years - even 20
years in your mind - how would you market - your industry
operate? What would it look like?
Then having those 'tug boat thoughts' how do you effect that
change NOW - TODAY - how can you be perceived as the leading
authority - the visionary of change within your industry?
One of the things I do every year in my business is to imagine
it's my first day - I've just taken over and I'm walking in for
the first time - just like the snake which sheds it's entire
skin every year - I put on the change jacket!
What would I do on first day? What would I change? Is my
business moving like the tug boat embracing change or is it more
like the oil tanker? It's amazing how quickly we can take on
extra loads - loose direction and miss the new currents and
winds of change if we're not open and looking for them.
Perhaps you could do this in your business in January too?
Sometimes we get so close to our businesses to our careers - our
work environments we become blinkered. We're too busy working
'IN' it to take the time to work 'ON' it.
What do I mean by working 'on' it - Coining the Australians
expression - 'thinking outside the box.' Looking at our lives
and businesses from a funnel prospective as oppose to a tunnel
prospective.
Lifting our heads out of the forests of life and looking above
the tree line. Making time to have the reality checker as to
where we you are today - after all that's reality - however
what's most important is where you are going - and we can only
do this effectively when we make time to create the vision and
lay out the clear pathway to success and then of course having
tug boat thoughts... taking massive action.
I have a series of daily focused questions I ask myself - one of
those being - what is going to be my tug boat thought for today?
Recognise change is here to stay - make it your friend - embrace
it in all areas of your life - business and personal -
summarised aptly in this expression:
"The essence of change - Learn to embrace change - and you'll
begin to recognise that life is in constant motion and every
change happens for a reason when you see boundaries as
opportunities the world becomes a limitless place and your life
becomes a journey of change that always finds it s way"
Have a change conscious day.
Written by Royston Guest, Sales and Marketing Director Pti
International. Please visit
http://www.pti-worldwide.com
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