Author: Merit Khan
Don’t you just love when prospects ask you that question? – What Makes You Different? If you recognize the question as the true trap that it is, and you know how to deal with it, then you love it. If you don’t treat that question as the trap that it is, you’re toast. For […]
Don’t you just love when prospects ask you that question? – What Makes You Different? If you recognize the question as the true trap that it is, and you know how to deal with it, then you love it. If you don’t treat that question as the trap that it is, you’re toast.
For example…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: Well, we really care about partnering with our clients and making sure we address the real issues.
Humm… could your competitor say that?
How about this one…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: We offer a variety of pricing structures.
Or this one…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: We offer service plans that are rated best in the industry.
And my favorite…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: You get me!
If you think for one second your competition isn’t out there saying the exact same thing let me virtually smack you across the face and yell “Snap out of it!” right into your ear.
If you do exactly what your competition is doing… if you say what they say… news flash… YOU ARE NOT DIFFERENT.
Try this instead.
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: I’m not sure we are that different. What have you experienced so far that seems different to you?
Or this…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: Maybe nothing. Has something I’ve done or said seem like a differentiator in your eyes?
Or maybe this…
Prospect: What makes you different?
Salesperson: I could tell you all the reasons why I think we’re different, but those would be my thoughts and what’s really important is why you think we’re different. Anything you see as something different from others you are considering?
Now, THAT is a different approach. You walk your talk.
Don’t just say you are different or better and then do exactly what the other guys are doing.
Be different. Be better. It starts with how you answer that simple question.
Written by: Merit Kahn, CEO of SELLect Sales Development, Emotional Intelligence Expert and Certified Speaking Professional.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Leadership Hack: How Sticky Notes Can Help Your Career Sticky notes have been my savior. And I don’t mean in a “don’t forget the milk” kind of way. True, sticky notes are great for grocery lists, but what I’m talking about here is how a few small squares helped me become a better leader, and […]
A framework from my book Humancentric for how to create Relationship and Intelligence in businesses in the fourth industrial revolution. How do we focus more on people than technology? When we do our research behind all of the aspects of business, we need to focus on the context we are in, the relationships around that […]
“Technology is exponential but humans are not and can do great things, but it does not WANT to do great things – it does not want anything” says Apple’s CEO Tim Cook (a quote I have often used in my talks). Technology is a tool not a purpose – see my ‘carpenter and the hammer example’ (video). “Both […]
We all know remote working and the loneliness in your team has had a large impact on our mental health with loneliness being cited as the most common emotion being experienced by entrepreneurs, leaders and employees. This can cause us to withdraw and be less committed, creative, collaborative and attentive, and both the quality and […]
“I’m getting angry at myself just practicing these things and why Your Team Isn’t Listening !” The comment by a business owner in my leadership training session caught me off guard. When I asked him to explain, he responded with, “I know the value of listening, but I won’t take the time to do it […]
A sales slump is a time in which a sales pipeline loses its momentum, leads slow down, or stop coming in altogether, opportunities that are already in play begin to stagnate, and deals that we were sure to win we either lose to a competitor or to a lack of decision-making readiness from the customer. […]
You don’t have to be a genius to be a leader of genius! – my earliest challenges were to rebuild a broken Porsche brand and then to inspire the team at BMW GB to achieve a 500% improvement in profit while transforming the service levels of an industry. Since then, Kevin Gaskell has founded start-ups, […]
I think we often need a reminder of our home and our Earth Day. We have a 24-hour day based on the rotation of our planet relative to the sun. But it is much more personal than that. The day is also based on our daily perspectives and ways of viewing the day. The world […]
No results available
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME