101 Best Sales and Marketing Ideas
IDEA 76:
BRAG, BUT DO SO CONVINCINGLY
Customers want to know that you are competent, knowledgeable, and generally “know your stuff.” Only then do they feel able to deal with you with confidence. You need to tell them, but out- and-out bragging can not only sound unsuitable-“He’s just a braggart”-but also risks you’re not being believed. For example, if I was selling you my training services, and said to you, “I’ve been involved in sales training for more than 20 years, there’s really nothing about it that I don’t know, and that’s a promise,” you would be entitled, indeed sensible, to take it with a pinch of salt, and wonder about my communications skills.
Idea
From the world of professional services…
If, on the other hand, I gave you reasons why I considered myself an expert, it might well be more credible. Perhaps I would say to you,” When I first joined a training company I spent a long time sitting in on courses and talking to those leading them about why they were conducted in the way they were, before my then boss would let me anywhere near fronting an event. It was drummed into me that I would spend the rest of my time in training continuing to learn about the process. More than 20 years on know that’s true-but I’ve now had a great deal of experience.”
Something along these lines is much more an explanation than a boast. It contains reasons for you to believe me, and makes it seem that my current state of expertise is both hard won(it was!) and useful. This is often done well by people in professional services (accountants, lawyers, architects, and more). These are areas of business that came late to marketing, but are now operating in very competitive markets.
In practice
- This principle is useful for anyone, especially if you need to project an element of experience and (perhaps technical) expertise.
- It needs some conscious thought to avoid the reflex of just blurting out how good you think you are.