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How is this different?

When you’re building a new product, the question “How is it different?” is mostly pointless.

Because “different” can be hugely misleading as a metric.

Business developers love “different”. But the customers couldn’t care less. Customers care for specific.

In fact, many customers have no sympathy for “different”. They prefer “familiar”. Familiar is proven and safe.

Customers do care very much about whether your product solves their specific need.

Therefore, a better question to ask is: “What specific problem does this solve that isn’t solved properly, yet?”

(And, by the way, when you have an answer to that question, you’ll get the answer to “What’s different?” for free.)

Clarity is in the eye of the beholder

No matter how hard you try to make your statements as clear as possible, you’ll only ever know whether they are actually clear once you say them out loud.

Miles Davis framed it beautifully: “If you understood everything I say, you’d be me”. People have different experiences, they attach different meanings to the same experiences, and they map their experiences to different contexts. That’s why what’s clear to you might make little sense to them.

Ultimately, clarity needs the feedback of the audience. If you never ask them how they understood what you said, you’re missing out on some of the most reliable information regarding the clarity of your words.

Would they agree?

When you think that this little detail is crucially important in your communication and can’t be left out under any circumstances, would your customers agree?

I mean there’s no doubt that it’s crucial to building the service but is it crucial for your communication?

Your customers don’t need to know everything you know and neither do they want to. They reached out precisely because you are the expert. They want you to know all the details.

If they cared as much for the details as you do, they’d probably build it themselves. But they chose not to … quite likely for a good reason.

So, what’s crucial when looking with your customer’s eyes?

The better deal

I’ve seen many pitches end in frustration as a result of begging for a yes. Sometimes that works. But often it doesn’t.

The thing is: a pitch is not about you making a good deal. It’s about the decision maker making an even better deal. They might be in the mood for doing you a favor. But don’t count on it. Usually, they are not. They are much more likely to give you a “yes” when they see how it’s a no-brainer deal for them.

That’s not about undervaluing yourself or agreeing to terms that are less favorable than you deserve. Nor is it about overpromising or making things sound better than they are.

It is about actually being the better deal.

The beauty of it is that in a great partnership, both sides feel like they got the better deal. They have money that you don’t have, you have ideas that they don’t have. They have connections that you don’t have, you have innovations that they don’t have.

So, why are you the better deal? There’s no need for begging when you are. (All you need to do is tell a true story about your idea.)

Rational decision

Reminder: As humans we love to rationalize our decisions – rather than make rational decisions.

That’s true for your customers, too. Therefore, it’s useful to understand how their decisions are actually formed. When you understand the real reasons behind their decision, enough good reasons to justify the decision will usually be there (if your product is any good, of course).

Sales

Have you ever been tricked into buying something you didn’t even want?

Perhaps the salesperson just found the right words to trick you into the decision and in that moment it felt like you had no other choice?

That’s no wonder because skilled salespeople are great persuaders.

And sometimes that’s a good thing because it turned out that although we didn’t know it prior to the purchase, the thing we bought was exactly what we needed.

But just as often (if not more often) the opposite is true: We really didn’t need that thing. In fact, it was of inferior quality. Despite the huge discount we got it was a poor value for the money.

Which makes us more cautious the next time we encounter a salesperson. And so we enter the vicious circle: Skilled salespeople will try to persuade harder. Which makes us more cautious. Which makes them persuade harder. And so on … 

Great salespeople don’t persuade harder. They resonate stronger. They don’t bait us with discounts and other psycho tricks. Instead they listen carefully, they tell true stories, and they trust us with making the decision.

The best listeners

“The best musicians are not the best players, they’re the best listeners.” – Pat Metheny

Pat Metheny has won an incredible 20 Grammys and he is one of the most respected and influential jazz guitarists in the world. One of the building blocks of his success is (of course) his technical brilliance. But according to himself, that’s not what makes a great musician. The best musicians are those who are the best listeners.

That’s true for communicators in general and here are four ways to listen:

Listen to yourself to evaluate your playing so you can evolve and refine it.

Listen to others to get inspiration for your playing so you can evolve and refine it.

Listen to your audience to get feedback for your playing so you can evolve and refine it.

Listen to your fellow musicians so you can leap from “playing at the same time” to “making music together”.

How does listening make you a better communicator?

Counter-force

Force tends to create counter-force.
Push me and I’ll resist.
Pull me and I’ll resist.

But show me why it’s worthwhile to get there, and I’ll happily start moving.

That’s the difference between selfish marketing and marketing that lights the path.

If you build something that’s truly great and communicate it to me from a perspective of empathy and honesty, why wouldn’t I choose it?

Oh, you’re talking to me!

Good communication is easy to understand.
Great communication is relevant.

If I can’t see why that sophisticated solution you’re so eloquently explaining isn’t for me, I won’t care.

If I can’t see why the problem you’re so vividly outlining isn’t mine, I won’t care.

But if you make me see why that’s my problem and why that solution will make it go away, it’s a different game.

“Oh, you’re talking to me!”
That’s when I start paying attention.

The customers you need

Any sustainable business needs customers.

Not every sustainable business needs more customers.

How about yours?

Spread the Word

Dr. Michael Gerharz

Dr. Michael Gerharz