Companies develop a brand, why not salespeople? It is worthy of your time to think about what you do differently and better than your competition. What do you bring to the table, and how do you solve problems for your existing clients? If you cannot pin that down, it is critical that you focus and develop your personal brand. Think about a significant purchase you made recently and the process you went through as a buyer. What research did you do to explore your options, and where did you go to find the advice to make a decision among the choices you had? If the investment is significant enough, most buyers will look for an expert in the area to guide them, particularly in the world of financial services. That expertise, if well developed and articulated, is your personal brand and will lead to greater sales success.
Once you have identified your area of expertise, the next step is to develop and master a well-honed positioning statement. This is used in short conversations when someone at an event asks you, “what do you do?” An expanded version of your positioning statement would be used when making a call on a prospect to uncover their needs, to help them understand how you work with clients and how you help them. Your positioning statement should leave a prospect thinking, “that’s me!” or “how do you do that?” In other words, it resonates with them. Of course, the key to that is calling on the right target audience, those who specifically will benefit from your expertise and knowledge. That is when personal branding is most effective.
Developing your personal brand for sales success involves identifying your “Zebra” or ideal prospect persona. Don’t call on anyone other than those that fit the personas identified. Then research the best ways to reach your ideal prospect. Is it via email or phone call? Is LinkedIn, Instagram, or X their preferred social media platform? Knowing how and where to reach your target persona will positively impact your ability to hunt, qualify, and discover potential new business. Identifying your zebra will bring focus and clarity to your prospecting efforts so you don’t end up chasing or pursuing opportunities that aren’t the best use of your most important assets: your time and personal brand.
Of equal importance is to know, and clearly articulate, what isn’t a Zebra for you. If you know that as well, it helps to bring clarity to developing your expertise, personal brand, and prospecting efforts. Here are some reasons why knowing what isn’t a zebra is so important:
It Eliminates Ambiguity
- If you aren’t specific about who you serve best, it’s hard to get introductions; if you are vague in your prospect description, it will be more difficult to ask your advocates for introductions. Introductions have been proven to be the #1 way that top producers grow their business. Be specific and clear about what type of zebra you serve best.
It Reduces Confusion
- If you aren’t crystal clear on what you are looking for and what you are NOT looking for, your advocates might make an introduction for you, only to find out you can’t help the person they introduced. When working with introduction partners, tell them, “This is what type of business I’m looking for.” “Of equal importance, I really can’t help these types of businesses… and here’s why.” That brings clarity to the conversation.
It Reduces Your Opportunity Cost
- Your opportunity cost is simply this: if you called on Company ABC, that means you aren’t working on Company XYZ. Your opportunity cost is what you aren’t working on that may offer more value to you and your organization.
If you know what you don’t want and the reasons why, it will likely reduce the quantity of opportunities in your pipeline, but the quality will increase dramatically. Once your expertise, personal brand, and zebra are clearly defined, your ability to find and win business will improve dramatically.
