By Curtis Porter

Question: What is Value-Added Service?

Answer: It's what sets you apart from the competition!

Folks, as I discussed in my article about Customer Focused Selling, you have to be able to go above and beyond in selling. You are not only selling a product / brand, you are selling yourself. Ask yourself this question; "Would I want to buy from myself?" That's a scary thought eh? What do you bring to the table that your customers don't get anywhere else? You think you have the best product, service and prices; well guess what, so does every other sales rep in the business. There is something to be learned from every competing company and sales model. Even the most "green" sales person can go to your customer and tell them they have a better product, beat your price and promise better service. Here's where the value-added service comes into play. For example, I worked in Industrial Sales for several years and I sold everything from nuts and bolts to power tools to safety supplies to you name it. So when a customer would buy their power tools from me I would immediately call the tool manufacturing rep (let's say Bosch). I would let the rep know that my customer just purchased $3,000 worth of his tools from me and I need him to come out and do a free product and safety demo for them (A Value-Added Service). Remember, if you sell someone else's product you can pretty much ask them to do anything for you because they need you selling their product. Most companies have all kinds of free resources you can offer your customers so TAKE ADVANTAGE!

Here's another simple example. Let's say you sell computer repair or services and you are trying to compete with every other company in your city. You could try to sell on price and cut your margins and commissions, or you could try selling a value-added service. Tell the prospective customer that you want to do a free training seminar on how to trouble shoot, clean, debug or whatever you guys do with computers. They may not buy from you right then, but you have made huge steps in getting to know their people and getting your foot in the door.

Another example. I took a vendor with me to a manufacturing facility and told them that we were going to inspect some of their safety equipment for free. Remember! I needed the vendor because he was licensed to do inspections and he needed me because I could get him in the door and sell his product. We inspected some of their lifting and rigging equipment and found that some items were too worn to keep using. Needless to say I made a $40,000.00 sale that day because I added value to the product I was selling.

Something as simple as throwing the customer a BBQ or bringing doughnuts on Monday mornings can be an ok way to stand our against the competition, but try to do things "out of the box" to help your customer save time and money. Adding Value will make you irreplaceable to your customers.

See Also: Customer Focused Selling

About the Author:

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Curtis J Porter

Article Source: EzineArticles.com