A number of years ago, during another sales / marketing course, the instructor asked the group if anyone knew the difference between Evidence and Proof. Many answers were put forth, some wrong some, a little closer and a number of um's and ah's. So what does this have to do with running a business, and in particular sales?
Proof is a Choice: You can NEVER provide proof of your product or service being the best choice. Regardless of how many testimonials, case studies or even years of experience you have, you will NEVER be able to prove anything to anyone. Okay, I know some, if not most of you are yelling at the screen right now, some may be mumbling about the insanity of what I am saying and possibly a few are nodding, knowing exactly where I am going with this.
Proof requires evidence and not all evidence constitutes proof. Proof is completely subjective and open to the interpretation of the individual being presented with the evidence and how the individual interprets the evidence is based on any number of factors, some which you can control and others which you can only work around. Many factors contribute to the end decision, here are a few:
First Impression: As the old saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression. This is something every business owner and sales professional needs to consider. While some of this can be visual, the public face of your business is even more important. The first impression your potential client has will become the first piece of evidence, which will inevitably become part of the proof equation.
Personal Experience: This is one of those factors you cannot control and you can only work around. In order to understand the personal experience of your potential clients, you must listen. When it comes to appealing to a mass number of prospects / the public at large, one must consider the experience which brought them to you, in the first place.
The Presentation of Evidence: This is precisely why successful Trial lawyers charge as much as they do. While the my logical approach to “facts” would have me believe the law is a finite science, the effective presentation of evidence and the clarity of communication can make all the difference in the final verdict; the same applies to growing your business.
While you may have a technically superior product and exceptional customer service, it is up to your sales prospect to make the final decision. If you do not present all of your evidence in a cohesive manner, you may as well get a job flipping fries or become comfortable with your business not reaching its' full potential.
Interpretation Bias: There will come some instances where a potential clients comes to the table with certain opinions and even preconceived notions which may alter their interpretation of your evidence. Without getting into the politics or sides of the debate, one need simply look at the COVID 19 issue. Simply by bringing up COVID 19, I am sure many readers have instantly developed an opinion on which side I am on. This just goes to show how easily a benign comment or action can influence ones interpretation bias. This is not to discourage you from sharing bits about you or creating a connection with your audience, this is more to bring awareness to how easy it is to create a bias in your potential client.
A bias does not have to be a detriment to your presentation, in fact, developing a bias in your audience may assist you in winning over your competition. However, one must be careful to not bad mouth your competition, as this may be interpreted as negative trait.
It is all Connected: Just as a criminal trial relies on a solid foundation of evidence, your entire business relies on a similar foundation. This means everything needs to be meticulously thought out and developed into a corporate identity. Even if your business is more of a Micro Enterprise, developing a corporate identity is a critical part of your Business Plan. Think of it as if you are preparing a dinner; In order for the meal to be palatable, the ingredients must be fresh. The same applies to your business. While fresh ingredients are important, consistency in paramount, particularly when you are dealing with certain expectations. When preparing this meal, you also need to consider many people have many different food requirements and preferences. Inevitably, you cannot please everyone; just as a vegan restaurant will not appeal to someone looking for a steak, you need to consider your target audience, in this part of the equation.
Once all the right ingredients are mixed together, you must cook it just right. In the case of your business, you want to make sure it does not take too long to present your message. If you spend too much time with the message, just like an overcooked meal, you may end up burning the evidence; if you have a hungry person waiting to eat, taking too long may result in them heading off to Raunchy McBarfs; for this very reason, you need to be cognizant of your audience's time. Perhaps deliver an appetizer to wet their palate or present some quick and solid information to keep them interested. This is where a well developed Elevator Pitch can come in handy. Be sure to keep your audience entertained, ask questions, talk about other experiences and listen to what they have to say. Listening may provide you with enough information to prepare for a tasty desert, or upsell.
Once the meal is prepared you need to plate it in an attractive way, as to increase appeal. The same would apply to a business. Throw out the bad overcooked bits and try to always serve up the best you have to offer. In the case of your business, do not be afraid to toss an idea out the window if it does not work. In fact, sometimes starting from scratch may be the best plan of action, in the case of someone accidentally cutting the tip of their finger off in the salad.
Many business successes are built on a foundation of failures: While this may be slightly off topic, it somehow fit into the food metaphor. Most successful business owners will have a trail of carnage and finger salad in their wake. Embrace every error or miscalculation as an opportunity for learning. The biggest mistake you can make is denial. If you continue to make finger tip salad, eventually you will run out of fingers; the same applies to mistakes in business. If something fails, do not let it get you down, realize you still have fingers left and realize knives are sharp and must be treated with care.
Okay, I agree, I may have gone a little far with the food metaphor, perhaps this is why I am hungry. Maybe that is the point, you need to present your business in such a way as to make potential clients eager to deal with you. Enrol them in everything about you and they will appreciate what you have to offer.