Financial Services, Speaker and Coach

This week I attended the Hospitality Business Breakfast in Eagan, Minnesota. The HBB is a monthly education session for those in the Hospitality Industry produced by a mentor of mine named Stuart Gray. Stuart brings in professional speakers who are acknowledged experts in various disciplines to speak in a public forum for those in this industry. The audience includes restaurateurs, restaurant managers, sales trainers, food service representatives, and others in this multi-billion dollar industry.

This month’s speaker was Ryan Estis, a nationally known authority on “Employment Branding,” which is how a company positions itself in order to attract and retain A-level talent. Ryan gave a fascinating presentation on what companies must do to become and remain “Employers of Choice.” Ryan skillfully demonstrated the challenges employers will have due to a shrinking US workforce, employment attitudes of younger people in the workplace, and the demands being made on HR Departments of companies of all sizes.

If you work for a company, it has a brand. Americans buy brand. Brand is by far the largest component of the buying decision. At the same time YOU have your own personal brand. You are the “Human Capital” of your sales business. To maximize your sales potential, you need to develop build a unique and distinctive personal brand that identifies you as the “Vendor of Choice” within your market.

David McNally, co-author of Be Your Own Brand with Karl D. Speak, says that brand is a relationship with your customers. So, what is the “experience” that people have when they do business with YOU? Consider the following questions for your business?

  1. What makes me different than my competitors?
  2. How would my customers describe what it like to do business with me?
  3. What do I provide for my customers that they don’t have to pay for?

These and other questions can help you become the “experience within the experience.” They will provide the reasons that when all other things are equal, your customers choose to buy from you.

Good selling!