I violated one of my first tips on improving productivity…I answered the phone. I was expecting a call from the caller’s area code, so I picked up the call…darn it…a sales call.

I sighed to myself, and told him he had 30 seconds to make his pitch. He was taken aback by this, but recovered quickly. He was another me-too computer hardware reseller. At the end of his one minute speech, and right before he started into his second minute, I interrupted.

I asked point blank, “What makes you any different than the three companies that I currently use to purchase my hardware?“

A long pause ensued, so I thought I would help him out a bit, “is it your pricing, shipping, technical expertise in pre-sales, partnerships…what?” The pause continued for a few more moments, and as if he came up with the perfect answer he said “ME, I care.“

Slightly annoyed with his response, I asked “Are you implying that my current vendors do not care about me?“

“Well, umm” he stammered.

“Sorry, but try again with a better pitch” I replied, and followed it up with a click of the phone.

If you are in sales, you must know what makes you better or different then your competitors. Especially in saturated markets, like computer hardware sales. If the best answer you can give to that question is “Me, I care”, you have a serious problem. You have to be able to convey your message in thirty seconds to one minute. Your prospect must understand the basics of what you do, and how you are better or different than your competitors.

I could spend all day, every day, talking with sales people that call and want my business. I think sales people forget just how many calls companies get each and every day from sales people.

Most sales people do not have an answer to that basic question of what makes them different than the last twenty resellers or providers of xyz product that just called. It is not a certifications, partnerships or other such nonsense, as everyone has those, but what makes YOUR company DIFFERENT than ALL the OTHER companies in your space?