I have often admired the excitement of a competitive volleyball match.  I remember taking a volleyball class in college a number of years ago.  I was amazed at the ability of some in my class who seemed able to spike the volleyball and score effortlessly.  I soon learned the secret to an effective spike was the approach.  Footwork and timing enables good volleyball players to leap high into the air and precisely hit the volleyball at the apex of their jump. 

The importance of the approach as we sell EZ-NetTools is equally important as the approach to the spike in volleyball.  Both require a few skills, but in the approach lay the secret to effectiveness.

A good approach takes some planning and a lot of practice.  In this article, I will discuss the changes happening in the marketplace and how these changes positively affect our approach to EZ-NetTools sales.  Then I will suggest a few effective approaches that may be helpful to employ into your sales and marketing efforts.

A Changing Market

The website services market has dramatically changed in the last several years.  Six years ago when I first tried to explain to my wife what my new work involved, it took me a terribly long time to explain.  Many of the terms, like hosting, were not yet mainstream vocabulary and the services were very difficult for people to visualize.

The inability for me to effectively communicate the nature of the very company I worked for was very frustrating for both my wife and I.  Although we did not require counseling for this frustration and the dilemma became one of our ongoing jokes – who knows what Kip does during the day – I realized that as a new Marketing Director, I had a problem to solve in defining what our services were. 

At that time, terms like “new,” and “cutting edge technology” were very influential in selling our service.  Several years back, if a service was new and related to the Internet, business people were interested.  The subject itself was as hot as summer sun in Houston.

Today, things are much different.  The market has matured and our customers are much more knowledgeable than in the past.  They have a better understanding of the variety of features available to them.  This is clearly an advantage because they are in a better position to understand the benefits of the EZ-NetTools system. 

The EZ-NetTools system has many technical advantages, like:

• Integration of the key website creation elements in one solution
• The Web application approach to website development
• Advanced system architecture that provides more speed, reliability, expandability and security
• Flexibility of our e-commerce toolset
• Free technical support 
• Click here for more advantages. 

Unfortunately, along with a mature market comes more competition and aggressive advertising.  Even with the EZ-NetTools benefits, our recent competitive analysis shows that many companies recognize the advantage of an integrated system and are making a concerted effort to compensate for their lack of integration. 

For example, hosting companies are no longer generally focused on providing webspace like they did several years ago.  Now hosting companies provide webspace and either offer simplistic software or boast their ability to support MS FrontPage or Dreamweaver.  

There are also a variety of template based creation systems.  They sell domain names and offer websites as part of the sign-up process.  These services are very restrictive in design and functionality.  Our customers and prospective customers, however, see them as an option for a website. 

It can be hard for them to differentiate between EZ-NetTools and the competition.  We need to make sure we approach our prospects intelligently – knowing the current market.  Again, the secret lies within the approach.

A Few Approaches

To compete effectively in this new market, the first step to establish your approach is to recognize your competitive advantage.  You have a competitive advantage when your business offers products or services that your competition cannot copy. 

In a mature market your prospects may not initially feel that your services are of any more value than the next company.  You must be able to communicate your competitive advantage quickly.  If my wife were to ask me what I did at my work today, I would have a couple of one-sentence, easy to understand, descriptions that show uniqueness.

Each of the following approaches are different but can be effectively used to compete in today’s marketplace.  Of course, this is not a complete or comprehensive list but is based on our most current research. 

Approach #1 - Custom Websites You Can Maintain

When asked what services you provide, you might respond with the statement, “We provide custom websites that our customers can easily maintain.”  This is unique in the marketplace because most custom created websites are not easily managed.  Thus, this is an approach highlighting a competitive advantage.

Approach #2 - We Provide Unique Website Software and Training

This approach is unique because most website software solution providers do not offer personalized training from a company representative.  By stating, “we provide unique website software and training,” you will catch the attention of those who want to learn how to create and upkeep their own website.  This is a perfect match if you provide EZ-NetTools training as part of your product offering.  Imagine their surprise when you get into the details of your offering and they learn that your service is actually hostware!  Hosting included!  This, too, highlights a competitive advantage.

Approach #3 - We Provide Personalized Service Using the EZ-NetTools System

The simple fact that you are an EZ-NetTools reseller makes your offering unique.  You have a tool that most people find easy to use, especially after a brief orientation to the system.  Combining this fact with personalized service is a competitive advantage. Most companies just sell and don’t bother with post-sale attention.  You can even leverage the EZ-NetTools technical support team to help you provide this personalized service.  One key advantage you have when you work in your own community is the ability to make a personal visit.  No large national corporation can even touch this level of service. 

Approach #4
We Provide an Alternative to XYZ Company

In some communities, a company may own a large market share of website design services.  In this case, you can use an approach that offers your services as an alternative to the “XYZ” company.  Many times, customers just want an alternative to the “big guy” and will be excited to compare.

Conclusion
The market has changed drastically in the past several years and our customers are more intelligent in regards to website development solutions.  Being able to identify and communicate your competitive advantage is a central component to effectively compete in today’s market.  Although the approaches mentioned above are not a complete listing, they are based on current market research.

After you have adopted the approach that fits best into your offering, just like the volleyball player poised to spike the ball, you will be in an excellent position to make a presentation and close the deal.  Even during a mature market, its time to get jazzed about selling EZ-NetTools.