Why Have a Point of View?
Having a point of view means having a clear and well-articulated perspective, opinion, or stance on a particular issue or topic. It is a way of interpreting information, data, or events and is informed by one’s values, beliefs, and experiences.
Having a point of view is essential because it helps to guide decision-making, strategy, and problem-solving. It also allows clear communication and the ability to make a case for a particular course of action or idea. It can also help distinguish one’s position or approach from others.
In a business context, having a point of view means a clear understanding of the organization’s mission, values, and vision and the ability to align it with the market trends, customers’ and stakeholders’ needs. It’s also essential to articulate and defend it with data, research, and other facts.
Having a point of view means thinking critically, evaluating evidence, and making informed judgments. It also means being open-minded and willing to revise one’s point of view in light of new information or evidence.
DevelopingYour Point Of View
A Point of View is a potential insight you can speak about – as seen from the eyes of the prospect or customer. In reality, prospects are the only honest judges of value. They don’t care about your offering unless it has the specific impact they desire at an acceptable level of risk and investment to gain that impact.So, from the eyes of the customer, the criteria for a Tailored Point of View is from the prospect’s perspective.
Learn about The 5 Best Sales Prospecting Techniques.
For example, they are wondering if what you are saying is
- Timely to me
- Accurate to me
- Unique to me
- Relevant to me
- Compelling to me
Practical tailoring requires time and preparation by you as a seller. However, the good thing is that the more you do it, the more patterns you develop over time, accelerating your ability to approach your prospects with specifics.
Understanding Pressures and Trends
Pressure
- Pressures on individuals: “A Key Pressure that affects marketing teams in Vandelay Enterprises is likely to be their focus on eliminating duplication and redundancies – particularly in back-office and commercial marketing services – while also simplifying internal processes.”‘
- This pressure likely impacts IT: The forces on marketing and back-office teams are likely impacting the IT team through increased requests for data, reporting, analytics, and custom applications.
Trends
- Trends in the Industry: The retail industry is shifting due to global and regional challenges due to the worldwide pandemic. This pandemic has impacted people’s willingness to go out and engage in personal entertainment and hospitality. As a result of this trend, companies in the beauty industry are likely affected.
- Trends affecting the Company: “Vandelay Enterprises (prospect company) faces a concerning trend of flat or declining revenues and profits in their Hair Care portfolio due to the pandemic (recent earnings call information). There is also intensive price and feature competition from competitors like Amazon, L’Oréal, Estée Lauder and Elizabeth Arden, and; big retailers who are reducing inventory because of soft consumer demand.”
- This trend likely impacts IT: The pressures on marketing and back-office teams are likely to impact the IT team through increased requests for data, reporting, analytics, and custom applications, as well as process improvements to improve operational efficiency.
Structuring a Point of View
What it looks like:
Because of (pressures/trends), (customer functional role) is likely trying to address the problem of (description of the business issue) to achieve (outcome – stated in terms of ongoing impact, result, or task).
Example of a Point of View:
Because of the competitive pressures in providing more product options while reducing operating costs, the VP of Supply Chain for Natural Essence Products is most likely trying to address the problem of streamlining logistics in their global supply chain to achieve increased volume and profitability.
Turning a Point of View into a Possibility
Now that you have a point of view based on your research, it’s time to turn it into a possibility. What does that mean?
In the example above, we used the VP of Supply Chain as an example. As essential executives, they have likely been leaning toward the IT organization for help. What possibilities can we create with the IT organization to help them be successful and help them look good to the VP of Supply Chain?
What are some of these possibilities? (Hint: think about the data, information, and results that IT leaders need to drive with the VP of Supply Chain to be successful.)
Steps to Tailoring a Point of View
- Understand the Prospect’s Industry
- Spend the time to understand the industry of your prospects and customers. Trends, challenges, and barriers.
- Understand The Prospect / Customer’s Organization
- Do the research. What is the Organization Structure, Financial Condition, Business Strategies, Industry Conditions, Marketplace Dynamics, Competitive Forces, And Industries THEY Sell To
- Understand the Prospect’s Role
- Objective, Responsibilities, Operational Challenges / Pressures, Measures Of Success, What Matters Most, Critical Questions To Ask
- Make Assumptions about Pressures & Trends
- Clarify Pressures / Trends / Problems / Opportunities That Are Timely, Accurate, Unique, Relevant, and Compelling
- Narrow Down Potential Possibilities
- Relevant, Positive Results That Matter Most, Business Outcomes, Value Drivers
- Create a Tailored POV
- Combine Pressures & Trends and Relevant Outcomes