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How to Use Proof Providers - The Sales Blog
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What Proof Your Buyer Needs Your contacts want proof that you understand their business, their company, and their problem. They want proof that you understand them better than anyone else outside of their company. But how can you execute this strategically? When you provide your client with proof providers, you must match the new sales collateral to the client’s problem. Instead of hoping to impress your contacts with your most high-profile clients, consider how you can assuage your contact’s concerns and resolve their uncertainty. How to Execute This Sales Strategy As you explore your options, you want to look for testimonials and case studies for companies that had the same problem your prospective client is experiencing. By showing your contacts the sales version of the before-and-after picture, they can see themselves in the story. Choosing three proof providers who share the contact’s problem and demonstrate the better results you helped them achieve offers proof that you have figured out how to solve their problem. Beyond this, there is another reason to share similar stories from three companies: Your prospective clients gain confidence when they see that you have been able to execute for different clients. Showing that your success is repeatable proves that you understand the problem and the way to dispatch it effectively. I’ve made the mistake of focusing too much on big names in my own experience as a young salesperson. Once, when trying to impress a client, I provided Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and DHL as proof providers. None of these giant corporations had the problem my prospective client was facing. Recently, a young salesperson asked me about her choice of testimonials and case studies. Like a lot of large sales organizations, her company provided resources to help their prospects feel safe to buy. The conversation that followed reminded me of my own experience—and failure—in using proof providers. “If you are a salesperson, look at one of your important opportunities and write down everything you know about the company, their industry, and their problem.”
What Proof Your Buyer Needs Your contacts want proof that you understand their business, their company, and their problem. They want proof that you understand them better than anyone else outside of their company. But how can you execute this strategically? When you provide your client with proof providers, you must match the new sales collateral to the client’s problem. Instead of hoping to impress your contacts with your most high-profile clients, consider how you can assuage your contact’s concerns and resolve their uncertainty. How to Execute This Sales Strategy As you explore your options, you want to look for testimonials and case studies for companies that had the same problem your prospective client is experiencing. By showing your contacts the sales version of the before-and-after picture, they can see themselves in the story. Choosing three proof providers who share the contact’s problem and demonstrate the better results you helped them achieve offers proof that you have figured out how to solve their problem. Beyond this, there is another reason to share similar stories from three companies: Your prospective clients gain confidence when they see that you have been able to execute for different clients. Showing that your success is repeatable proves that you understand the problem and the way to dispatch it effectively. I’ve made the mistake of focusing too much on big names in my own experience as a young salesperson. Once, when trying to impress a client, I provided Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and DHL as proof providers. None of these giant corporations had the problem my prospective client was facing. Recently, a young salesperson asked me about her choice of testimonials and case studies. Like a lot of large sales organizations, her company provided resources to help their prospects feel safe to buy. The conversation that followed reminded me of my own experience—and failure—in using proof providers. “If you get stuck after writing two lines, you have a problem.”