LIFT | LLC . Michael Linder . 616.460.3395 . michael.linder@comcast.net

In a market where products and services can sound very, very similar, where differentiation is difficult and customers are well educated, ask yourself: 1.  It all starts with the customer. Are our customer contacts a competitive advantage?

2.  People buy from people. Is each key person in each key role delivering a competitive advantage? Is your approach to hiring, continuous improvement, compensation and leveraging talent a competitive advantage?

3.  Is our integrated sales and marketing “system” a competitive advantage? If you do not have a sales organization, do you have an integrated system that supports the sales and marketing efforts of your selling entity?

4.  Is our product knowledge a competitive advantage? If so, who in your organization owns it — and, is how it is shared / communicated a competitive advantage?

5.  Is our market knowledge a competitive advantage? If so, who in your organization owns it — and, is how it is shared / communicated a competitive advantage?

Ask these questions of yourself and then your key stakeholders [your staff, your vendors, your customers]. Then ask, “What do we need to do in order to acquire a competitive advantage in the above five areas?” As you generate and develop your ideas, enhance and expand them by asking: §  Which idea[s] will have the greatest impact on revenue generation? §  Which idea[s] will have the fastest impact on revenue generation? §  Which idea[s] will have the greatest impact on the most customers? §  Which idea[s] will have the greatest impact on our best customers? §  How can this idea be made better? §  How can we do this faster? §  How can this idea be made bigger? Massive? §  How can we make this idea uniquely ours? §  Who can I partner with to make these ideas bigger and/or better?      

5-Keys to Gaining A Sales and Marketing Competitive Advantage Ask the right questions