By Liz Richards, MHEDA Executive Vice President
My husband and I recently subscribed to Netflix and have been binge watching the series House of Cards. Although the main character, Francis Underwood, is utterly deplorable, some of his remarks are so insightful. On one of the episodes we recently watched he said, “Pay attention to the fine print. It’s more important than the selling price.”
It’s the fine print that makes all the difference in the world, be it good or bad. What’s in your fine print? Does your sales team use your fine print to differentiate you from your competition? Perhaps even more important, what’s in your competitor’s fine print?
In today’s world, we must be armed with every advantage during the sales process and use our fine print to explain why someone should do business with you. On page 42 Ryan Estis writes about techniques to improve your sales strategies and one of the points he makes is to “provide compelling insight.” What makes your company better than the rest? What’s in your fine print that others do not offer? Estis suggests, “What questions do my customers need answered?”
One excellent way to demonstrate the value you bring to your customer is through MHEDA’s Most Valuable Partner program – MVP. If you are not familiar with this program, be sure to go online at www.mheda.org/MVP and read how being an MVP can help you promote the value you bring to your customers as well as to your employers and supplier partners. Not sure how to get started? Contact Kathy Cotter at kcotter@mheda.org.
Convention is fast approaching and we have a great line up of speakers and workshops in store. Headlining the Convention will be Jim Knight, formerly with the Hard Rock brand who will explain how to create a culture that rocks in your organization. Knight will explain how to create memorable and positive experiences at every level within your company. Attendees will also hear from industry members who will share their insight about topics such as Growth Strategies, Working within the Family Business and Culture, The Key to Performance. We hope you can join us!
A new feature in the magazine starting with this issue is the “industry pulse” giving you a quick snapshot of business conditions across the US. As you’ll see, business is robust and expected to remain that way for the balance of 2015 and beyond.
As always, I welcome your comments, suggestions and questions. You can reach me at lrichards@mheda.org or call the office, 847-680-3500. I’d love to hear from you and hope to see you at the convention!
