Are You a Vitamin or a Painkiller?

One Has Traction with Prospects, the Other Does Not

Any product/service can almost always be viewed as either a vitamin or a painkiller. Which do you (or your firm) offer?

Any product/service can almost always be viewed as either a vitamin or a painkiller. Which do you (or your firm) offer?

BVFLS Services Can be Either Vitamins or Painkillers

What’s the difference? Kind of obvious, but vitamins:

1. Are condition-generic and can be found in every grocery or drug store.
   And so, they’re easy to come by.

2. Don’t have universally recognized health benefits.
   And so, taking them may or may not make you feel better.

3. Are made by a lot of different companies and are indistinguishable.
   And so, they’re differentiated by meaningless shapes and flavors.

4. Are relatively inexpensive.
   And so, if you want them, they are easy-to-haves.

On the other hand, painkillers:

1. Are condition-specific and require a prescription.
   And so, they’re hard to obtain.

2. Have been proven to relieve specific symptoms.
   And so, they have a noticeable effect after they’re taken.

3. Are made by only by a few companies.
   And not every company makes every kind of painkiller.

4. Are usually expensive.
   But when you need them, they are must-haves.

BVFLS Services are Sold by Subject Matter Experts and Thought Leaders

What’s the difference? Maybe not as obvious, but my continuing analogy is that:

1. Vitamins are sold by subject matter experts…people who know stuff.
2. Painkillers are sold by thought leaders…people who are known for what they know.

The difference is positioning!

If we’re “only” positioned as subject matter experts, we may lose traction with our prospects, clients, and referral sources over time if:

1. We can be found in abundance.
2. Our services are generic.
3. And our work product is only needed to paper the file.

But if we’re well positioned as thought leaders, we can become indispensable to our prospects, clients, and referral sources over time if:

1. We are indeed rare gems.
2. Our services are relatively specialized.
3. And we demonstrate exactly how our work product creates value.

How to go From Being a Subject Matter Expert to a Thought Leader

Many of us don’t like marketing…so don’t think of it that way. Think of it in terms of strategies and tactics that build your authority…that move you from someone who simply knows stuff to someone who is known for what you know…which makes it easier for leads and prospects to find you and reach out to you.

Here are two tips to accomplish this transition.

1. Differentiate yourself from your competition; base it on what you do that’s different, which is easier to demonstrate than how you are better.
2. Probe your prospects, clients, and referral sources for their pain points and the value that they ascribe to getting rid of that pain.

And Here’s the Benefit to You

The benefit will be avoiding the energy-draining, phone-calling, hoping-to-gain-access kind of marketing with price-sensitive prospects that you’ve come to know.

Rather, you will be sought out by value conscious prospects whom will be perfectly suited to you because they know exactly what you do and how well you do it!

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Rod Burkert, CPA, ABV, CVA, works with BVFLS practitioners and firms that have hit a time or income ceiling and want to grow faster and smarter. If you are feeling frustrated by those limitations, e-mail Mr. Burkert at rod@rodburkert.com.