Imagine that you could stand out to prospects as the person or firm to work with. How would it change your business? Have you focused any effort on trying to stand out from competitors? Or have you concluded that it's just not possible?
If you have taken steps to stand out, how are you directing your efforts? Oftentimes sales professionals target their efforts to stand out by focusing on their social-media presence, updating their website design or attending local events.
However, having a social-media presence, attending events or focusing on your website's awesome graphics will not help you stand out. In other words, just showing up will not get the job done. When it comes to standing out, showing up is only part of the story.
Your competitive edge doesn't come from having a visually pleasing presence. It's what you're saying whenever and wherever you appear. The words you use to describe you, your firm and those you work with are critical. You need to spend time developing authentic, non-sales-y ways of describing your firm so that people will want to know more.
The key is to be more compelling by making the person you're talking to the center of your message. General statements about your company won't get the job done. But by spending a little time focusing on the standout aspects of your business, you actually can stand out in a crowded market place.
