OK, unless you are a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist, chances are, you probably think your job is pretty simple. Most jobs are – with the right training and a bit of practice, what you do every day becomes almost second nature. But this doesn’t mean you should undervalue your expertise, because the investment in the time and effort that it takes to learn your skill is invaluable.
Put it this way: I can bake a fairly decent loaf of bread myself – but try to stop me from eating a perfectly baked loaf crafted by an artisan baker. Similarly, I can do my own tax return – but a qualified accountant will undoubtedly save me time and money.
Unique Selling Point
Last week, I spent some time with an eCommerce consultant. He was in a bit of a rut because he felt he was flogging the same old services to an audience that was more than capable of figuring out the job themselves.
I asked him what his unique selling proposition (USP) was, and he told me he helped people sell more online. This wasn’t a unique approach (I personally know more than a handful of people who position themselves in such a way).
After a brief chat about some of the clients he had worked with previously, it turned out he was actually very good at helping online retailers reduce the number of returns,which helped them to dramatically reduce costs and protect margins.
I suggested that this was his USP and that he should therefore position himself as a “returns expert.”
Common Sense
At first, he was reticent – explaining that most of his business practices were just common sense ideas put into practice and that anyone could do them. But here’s the thing – in business, common sense often goes out of the window, especially when processes have been managed in the same old way as they have been done for years.
I also explained that when I meet a client, I never assume that I know more than them – and tell them that if, after the conversation, they leave with just one good idea that is successfully implemented, the time, effort and money will see a return on investment many times over.
Bad Habits
More often than not, your clients will already know what the problem is – but just need a push to break a few old, bad habits and make a change for the better.
And in many ways, you are probably guilty of this mindset yourself, and perhaps, you need a nudge in the right direction.
Are you undervaluing your expertise? Could you sell more by focusing on your USP? Share your comments below:
This post first appeared on the iContact Email Marketing Blog.
Image: GotCredit.