At one time or another, everyone in sales and marketing has shared something in common with the character Sheldon on the Big Bang Theory. Although you might not be a former child prodigy with a genius-level IQ, I’m willing to bet that you’ve created marketing materials or had conversations with customers that sound very similar to this:
Much like Sheldon, we’ve all been guilty of alienating customers with geek speak. Sellers often get so excited about their product knowledge that they never get around to discussing the prospect’s concerns or needs. As for marketers, they often create materials and messages that simply try to prove how superior their offering is compared to any other product or solution rather than focusing on customers’ problems.
When you spew facts about features and benefits rather than the business problems of the prospect, you sound like a robot – and lose the interest of the customer in the process. In fact, here are three points every seller and marketer should keep in mind when trying to appeal to decision makers:
- They don’t care about your offering the way you do.
- They’re not interested in technical descriptions or explanations of how your product works.
- They’re bored stiff by detailed accounts of all the functions you think are cool about your product.
Whether you’re in sales or marketing, you need to understand your target customers and what they need. For example one of our customers, Hyland Software, sells document management solutions to various verticals, including the healthcare industry. Instead of going on about the features and benefits of their product, they talk instead about the common problems customers face in the healthcare industry related to document management. For example:
- Nurses and doctors generate and use a lot of paperwork and documents.
- Nurses and doctors have less time to spend with patients because they spend so much time on paperwork.
- Important documents that inform critical decisions often go missing or are misfiled.
We helped Hyland Software create an ROI tool that frames the conversation around the issues listed above; this way, they can speak the customer’s language. By empathizing with prospects who struggle with these particular problems, they open the door to having a deeper discussion around the value of investing in a solution that can help healthcare providers stay organized and become more productive. The ROI tool helps Hyland sellers and marketers illustrate in dollars and cents how customers could benefit from their solution.
It’s great to be excited about your offering. It’s also great to know the features and benefits of your offering inside and out. But don’t make the mistake of being a Sheldon. Neither your excitement nor your technical knowledge will help you generate leads or close the sale. Instead, use language that puts you on common ground with your prospects, and focus your message around their needs and wants.
Are your sales and marketing teams guilty of “geek speak” with customers? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
