Validating Your Company
Validation of your company can be a big objection to overcome, especially if you are selling for a new company or a company a prospect has never heard of. A prospect wants to feel comfortable with the company they are going to do business with even if they feel comfortable with you.
First, be compassionate about this and don’t vilify the prospect for this. Think how you would feel if someone tried to sell you a car you had never heard of. Chances are you wouldn’t buy that car even if it was cheaper or offered more options than others.
Here’s a few things I have used that have helped tremendously. A recommendation letter(s) from a fellow peer outlining how the company helped the peer save money, get extra options, add value, etc. could be all it takes to ease their concerns. I am a fan of recommendation letters because most of the time you can write it yourself and have your customer tweak it as necessary and sign it. I also like it more than human contact because you don’t know how your customer will act every time they are called by a prospect of yours. What if your current customer is in the middle of being audited or they just had a fight with their significant other? They won’t be in the mood and may not say the nicest things just because they are frustrated with external factors. Get it in writing when they are in a good mood and when they feel good about your company. Another tip is to not put a date on the recommendation letter. You only want to use it as long as they are a customer but recommendation letters with dates expire after 6 months to a year depending on the industry.
A professional presentation and marketing materials are also necessary to validate your company. A prospect is not going to feel comfortable working with a company that has black and white stapled handouts. Go to Kinko’s or Office Depot and get colored copies that are bounded. Other color lasered handouts with a slick layout and folder are bonuses.
Another way to validate your company is by getting your website linked on other companies/peoples websites. Write an article in your field on a popular blog about the same industry, be an exclusive provider to an association and get a link on their website, maybe you have to be approved by a commissioin and they post the approved vendors on their set, or be creative to think of another way.
These are great third party validations to overcome any fears a prospect may have to do business with you and the company you work with.