Success in business relies on why your customers, or your managers if you don’t directly interface with customers, believe that they will gain value from their relationship with you.
It is important to understand that your offerings and service are adopted by others based on their reasons which will includes a combination of, but not be limited to, their wants, needs, desires, frustrations, and fears.
An all-too-common approach to promoting offerings is to highlight the features and functions of the offering. This method leaves it to the potential recipient of the offering to work out how they can gain value from the offer. This method is at best ‘hit-and-miss’ and at worst ‘all-too hard’ for the potential adopter, meaning that they will move on to someone else that can articulate and demonstrate value to them on their terms.
There are many examples of offerings that are made based on the aspects of the offering. Cars are a prime example. Many manufacturers promote the power of the vehicles, the quality of the finish, fuel economy, the volume of the luggage compartments, the safety rating, etc. This leaves the potential buyer to work out how it suits their purpose. Other successful manufacturers focus on how their vehicles reliably get families safely and comfortably to their destinations or how being seen in their vehicles will make the owner the envy of their peers. These manufacturers are clearly articulating the value to the potential owners from their perspective, not merely offering facts and figures.
Many job applicants offer their services based on their qualifications, years of experience, and other personal qualities. Successful applicants tailor their applications to demonstrate how they will add value to the target organisation through applying their attributes to its purpose, target market, values etc. The canny applicant seeks to demonstrate to a potential manager that “I will make you look good for hiring me”.
To be successful in business, put yourself ‘in the shoes of your target offering adopter’, then articulate and demonstrate to them how you will be of value to them. Ask yourself “If I was them, what would be their criteria to adopt the offering?” then answer the question(s) as you promote your offering.
The features and functions of your offering are the ‘ticket to play the game’. These are about you and the offering. They are certainly important because without them, you won’t ‘get on the field’, however, to succeed, you must clearly demonstrate superior value from the adopters’ perspective.
Business success is not about you, it is about the superior value that the adopters see in dealing with you from their perspective.
Philip Belcher MBA, FAICD, FIML is Principal of LSE Consulting Pty Ltd, a specialist business leadership and management advisory company.
