When it comes to defining competitive advantage in a sales and marketing sense one thing stands out over almost everything else.
This one factor builds credibility for the companies who demonstrate it. It gives buyers confidence when used correctly in sales situations.
That one defining advantage is something any company can leverage yet few do.
The most valuable competitive advantage you have right now is the industry specific wisdom that your company offers to its clients and prospects. That specialized knowledge adds authentic value to any sales and marketing conversation.
Your first question probably is; what is wisdom?
Wisdom is simply knowledge that has been verified through first hand experience.
When you take what you know into working situations and produce a favorable result you have gained wisdom on how to make that specific piece of knowledge work.
As you build experience more of your knowledge turns into wisdom.
So how can you use your new found wisdom in sales and marketing? All you have to do is openly share what you know.
In marketing, share your wisdom on a blog. Educate. Add value to a sales conversation before it even starts. Then use these tidbits of information when closing sales.
When you are seen as a thought leader in your niche the competition starts looking like a poor second choice when compared to you.
Create additional marketing value by leveraging your industry specific wisdom in a magalog or eBook.
When you do you can open every sales conversation with, “Can I have your permission to share a book (white paper or article) I wrote that talks about __________ (the problem you solve).”
If you have a real prospect with a problem they want to solve they will be more than happy to receive information from you.
It works the same way on the sales side.
Send a proposal and share your wisdom.
Give your prospect a perspective they did not have before.
Just be sure to focus on the 3-things your prospect cares about most. Those 3-things are making money, saving money (reducing costs), improving efficiency/saving time.
The beauty of this is that in today’s world, you can share your wisdom a number of different ways.
You can write or you can record a video and post it on You Tube. You can even interview clients and put a short audio on your blog.
If you’re not sharing your wisdom as a sales and marketing tool you are leaving money on the table.
Build a wisdom sharing platform in your sales and marketing campaign. Your clients will appreciate you and value you more and your income will rise at the same time.
