Don't miss an opportunity to set your company apart

At one of the business groups with which I volunteer, we had a number of new members recently join our committee.

To enable them to get to know everyone quickly, the meeting chairman suggested we all take a minute to go around the table and introduce ourselves, say what the businesses we represent do, and describe a good client.

What a great opportunity to give really meaningful commercials for our businesses to people who will have chance to work alongside us, and see our professional skills in action.

The folks around the table represented a telecom provider, a printing company, a couple of financial institutions, a health insurer, three realtors, several consultants, a hotel group, a promotional products supplier, a couple of nonprofits and a recruiter.

It was really interesting listening to the introductions. Everyone spoke confidently and proudly about what they do. They gave a good description of the kind of prospects they seek.

Missed opportunity

Unfortunately, the committee members did not explain why these prospects would want to buy from them, and they didn't explain why their prospects would buy from them rather than from their competitors.

As I left the meeting, I chatted for awhile with one of the committee members. I shared with her that I know there are significant differences between the company she represents and her competitor, who was in the meeting. Yet, she had described her business as being exactly the same as her competitor's.

I asked her, "How will a prospective customer know that you're different than your competitor if you don't tell your story in a way that makes your difference apparent?" She cringed and groaned a little at the lost opportunity to set herself apart.

When we're busy; when we're with people who we believe know us well; when we don't have a lot of time, we often take shortcuts.

We say things such as "We're a full-service printing and copying shop." "We're a full-service marketing agency." "I'm a Realtor, with …" I used to know a Mary Kay sales director who described her prospects as "Anyone with skin."

Avoid generic descriptions

When we give descriptions that sound generic, clients and prospects assume that we offer a commodity product or service.

They think that all Realtors are the same. They believe all printers offer the same services.

How will they know we are the ideal provider to partner with them unless we take the time to share enough information so that they can recognize there is a difference?

Piques curiosity

Oak Bank in Fitchburg is different, and says so. The bank's tag line is "You can't be the best if you're only the same." That statement doesn't tell us how Oak Bank is different. It simply tells us that they are.

It also tells us they believe they offer something that is not only different but also better. It piques our curiosity.

Before we can get a sale, we have to get a meeting. To get a meeting we at least have to have a brief conversation. To get the conversation we need to pique the other party's curiosity. If we sound like everyone else that came before us, chances are that we won't generate enough curiosity to get into the conversation.

When you get a chance to tell who you are, take a deep breath and leave folks in no doubt about the difference you make for the people with whom you work, and how you stand apart from your competitors.

Take a leaf from the Boy Scouts manual and always "Be Prepared" for the unexpected opportunity to give a grand commercial to a room full of professionals.