Broadcasting on WII-FM

Everybody has a favorite radio station, don't they? Sure they do. And it's the same one: WII-FM. Never heard of it? Well, it's probably the one station you tune into more than any other. And it's definitely your clients' favorite.

The CEO of a data processing company addressed a group of sales people. "I'm the person who signs the contracts and writes the checks. So let me tell you how to sell to me. It'll save us both a lot of time. To get me to buy, you need to address the two things I wake up worrying about every morning: cycle time and net profitability. Show me how you can help me improve either area, and I'll buy from you. And I don't particularly care what you're selling."

Sometimes we forget this basic principle. People buy to meet their needs or solve their problems. To get them to buy from us, we need to clearly address whatever matters the most to them. In other words, we need to broadcast a clear value proposition over a channel they'll be sure to hear:

WII-FM.

In case you were wondering, WII-FM isn't a radio station. It's a receiver located inside every client's head that guides the decision making process. WII-FM stands for What's in it for Me?

In considering your offer, cclients typically want to see positive business impact. They may be looking for improved financial performance, increased market share, higher occupancy rates, higher rents, higher customer retention, improved technical position, automation of a labor-intensive process, regulatory compliance, or any of dozens of other goals. But it's important to identify these goals--the things your client wakes up worrying about each morning--and link your sales message to them throughout the sales process.

Ineffective sales messages focus on information about your company, your capabilities and and your services. Effective messages provide information that answer the four basic questions decision makers always ask:

1. Is this really what we need?

2. Will it have a positive impact on our business?

3. Can this AEC firm deliver the project or services on time and on budget?

4. Are we getting good value for our money, particularly considering the probable impact on our business?

By consistently returning to these core concerns as you deliver your sales message--by delivering your message over channel WII-FM--you can guarantee that the audience stays tuned in.

Don't make the mistake of selling a solution that your client ends up selectingyour competitor. Give the client a reason to buy specifically from you. That means building your value proposition on the things that make you unique. For example, the design firm WATG can demonstrate to its potential clients that the hotels they have designed have consistently higher occupancy rates and command higher room rates than the industry averages. This means that their clients are achieving higher profits than their competitors in the industry. 

That's a unique, quantifiable advantage that can be translated into savings.


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