From Wikipedia-A strategy is a long term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal, most often “winning”. Strategy is differentiated from tactics or immediate actions with resources at hand by its nature of being extensively premeditated, and often practically rehearsed.  Strategies are used to make the problem or problems easier to understand and solve.

Selling consists of two main functions: activities to create business and strategies that will win over my competition for Realtors, CPA’s, Insurance Agents and Financial Planners.  Sales strategy is the planning of sales activities: methods of reaching and staying in touch with clients, competitive differences and using my resources to create business.  My strategies to get there involve prospecting, getting appointments; demonstrate to potential referral partners that I am a strategist and follow-up.

My Strategic Difference
When I get in front of a potential referral source, my first goal is to get to know them and see if I like the person. If I feel comfortable with the person, I then need to figure out if I trust this person enough to share my strategies in how I do business.  My strategies are very dear to me as my goal is to create four additional referral opportunities for myself and the referral partner from every opportunity that they refer to me.  I will not disclose how my systems and strategies until I feel comfortable enough with the person. There has to be high trust in a strategic relationship. If you truly have a unique selling strategy, you need to protect it or you will not come across as a true strategist. 

List of Advantages for being a Strategist

1. It makes it easier to get appointments.  If we come across as strategist and educator, our hit ratio will greatly increase.

2. It enables you to see almost everyone including those that have a committed relationship.  I’ve had a number of occasions where a potential referral source had a long-term relationship.  After our meeting, they decided that it would make better sense to work with me than the relationship that they had for years. Strategists provide ideas and systems for their referral partners.  This is not one-sided as strategists attract like-minded professionals.

3. A strategist will be seen as an expert in their field, rather than just a salesperson.

4. A strategist is seen as credible.  When you present your unique selling proposition model, you must be able to provide facts and real data.  You are an expert in your field and understand what it takes to create a perpetual referral based business. 

5. Because you know your plan, you have control over the interview and can unseat your competition.

6. A strategist creates a brand.  It allows you to pass the brand on to your professional referral sources as a coaching strategy. In my case, my PROS Business Model is my strategic plan. The “P” stands for “Perpetual”, the “R” is for “Referrals”, the “O” is for my “Operation and Systems”, and the “S” is for a “Sellable Business”. 

7. A strategist is willing to share their systems.  They know that the value what they are sharing will help those in their professional referral sources and those that they get the opportunity to share their strategies with.

Final Thought
Whatever your unique selling proposition is, make sure that when you present it to a client or professional referral source, you have the mind-set of a strategist.  You also have to prepare and practice your plan.  Come into that meeting as the best in your field, you know your business plan well and if you do that, the client/customer will realize after you present your plan, that they have just witnessed the greatest strategist that they have ever had the opportunity to meet.  Don’t be just a salesperson, be a sales strategist!

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