Keep More in 2014: Rethink Value (part 2)

I received several questions following my last post around how specifically to identify and disseminate customer value. You can read my previous post on Rethinking Value here. There are over 20 different ways in which you can assess customer value, here are the most powerful:

1. Customer Forum: Hold a customer forum with key customers to brainstorm ideas on how they can improve their business.

2. Customer focused events: From annual customer conferences to providing targeted events to introduce the valuable work you are delivering to other clients; finding a way to demonstrate current client value is a great way to identify new opportunities for value.

3. Sales script and reporting: Training Sales to have the difficult or uncomfortable discussions with customers to understand, capture and validate what specifically customers value in your existing services, and how specifically they perceive additional value could be delivered. This is often a change in mindset and culture, but the outcomes of making this shift can be dramatic.

4. Third party support: Bring in an expert in customer value to interact with sales and key customers to identify “value opportunities.” Employees and customers are always more willing to open up to a recognized professional as long as questions are positioned correctly.

5. Prospect targeting: Identifying prospects in desirable markets and pursing face to face meetings to learn more about their business and what they value in their supplier partners.

These are proven techniques that are obviously a little more complex in application then I can describe here, however they will provide you insights into where you can improve upon existing practices to further identify, capture and disseminate customer value.

© Shawn Casemore 2014. All rights reserved.