What is you special offer?

When people buy my services they are assured of following three things:

1. Absolute Reliability

2. Quality work at a very fast pace

3. Unmatched support

Improvement towards flow and measurable results.

My clients get to reduce their actual or expected IT staffing requirements while greatly improving both the breadth and quality of their IT services. We're also 70% cheaper than hiring their own IT staff and hosting their applications themselves.

Personal service and professional excellence.

This is a very interesting question, because the way many people answer this question is fundamentally different than the way Hsuanhua posed it.

For instance, Volvo is selling 'safety.' And, for many of us service providers, we fall back to 'excellent service' or something similar to that.

Or, we talk about the results that people get.

For instance, Volvo also provides a smooth ride, a luxury car with all that comes with that, etc, etc. These are measurable results

But, I think there is something deeper going on here in the question, and it has to do with these deeper qualities or needs that many people are yearning for.

When Volvo has managed to say that they provide 'safety' - it's not measurable (you can measure statistics, but you can't measure whether someone has actually received 'safety' - it's an internal feeling).

And yet there is a profound satisfaction that comes to the heart of a parent or family member, trusting that the Volvo they are in will safeguard their health and lives on the freeway.

This is well worth pondering.

I'm wondering what our clients think they get from us, in terms of these unmeasurable qualities...

<pondering>

What's we want our clients to carry with them, is a deep sense of strength and heart-nourishment in their business.

Thanks for such a great question!

I develop creative and strategic design solutions that help businesses achieve their goals.

We provide peace of mind for our business and individual clients.

As Mark said, the "nuts and bolts" of this vary from client to client: for some, it's estate planning documents. Others need help with corporate formation documents, contracts, or even litigation. The real "deliverable" for our clients, at least we hope, is the peace of mind that comes from knowing that someone (a well-trained, experienced someone!) is looking out for your best interests.

Great question, Hsuanhua!

This is a difficult exercise for most of us because it requires digging deeper. We've told clients who undergo this process to keep asking , "So what?"

When you buy a Volvo you get side air-bags, traction control and rear seat head restraints.

So what?

Your tires don't slip in wet weather and your head is protected.

So what?

You have peace of mind with the knowledge that your five-year-old in the back seat is protected when you are rear-ended by that driver distracted on his cell phone.

Now we're getting closer.

What Mark said is so important. Whether you are giving your customer peace of mind, or feelings of safety, or more quality time with their spouse, it is those core emotions—"yearnings," as Mark put it—that's what we should be uncovering.

Thanks for making us think, Hsuanhua.

I love the "So what?" questions!

I provide my clients with "Wisdom Without the Pain of Mistakes".

As your business mentor, I've already made most of the mistakes and can guide you through the challenges during YOUR entrepreneurial journey.

Good thought provoking question, Hsuanhua.

I think sometimes it's the negative feelings we are trying to eliminate that make us buy. The fearful driver buys the Volvo. We have to know our customers' pain and describe it accurately. That gets their attention. Our solutions are only a breath of fresh air to those who are seeking to breathe easier.

I think that is why so many of my products have sold to experienced moms as gifts for others. They have felt the pain of being unprepared, recognized how my products could have made their experience traveling with baby easier, and now they want to give that gift to their friend or daughter.

Maybe all of us could say our special offer is "I know how you feel. I felt that way too. Here's what I have found."

Cherie's comment is perceptive. I, too, do not think we should ever shy away from recognizing the negative emotions our prospects might be feeling. Those are usually the most powerful ones! Recognize the pain (yes, even with comments like "I've been there") and then propose the best, the most perfect solution.

As "Dr. QuickBooks", I provide value by being the only Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and QuickBooks for Windows or Mac trainer in Puget Sound who specializes in making house calls (I don't do taxes or bookkeeping) to make my client's lives easier and so they don't have to waste their time in traffic and going at the slowest person's pace in a class.

I teach them preventative financial health care to keep their business healthy (such as the proper way to enter data and the ten things they need to do each month), fix their financial aches and pains (mistakes they have made in QuickBooks), and teach them how to fish (or make tofu if they are a vegan) for themselves so they can count dollars instead of sheep and sleep better at night.

Essentially, I save them money by finding their mistakes and teaching them how to fix them such as one client who incorrectly set up their Labor and Industries payroll tax items incorrectly and paid more than $21,000 in the last year. I always end up paying for myself with the savings I find.

Someone recently asked me in a business context to tell them about myself. I replied "I'm a really cool guy and a lot of fun to work with." I got the job and am in the process of living up to my claim. So far--so good.

Unfortunately, technology can bring frustration, confusion, disappointment and hardship rather than delivering on its promises.

By understanding the soup-to-nuts of technology from over thirty years of practice, I generally insure that investments deliver returns--sometimes measureable, sometimes not.

Even if I fail to adequately address a client's disappointments. I usually succeed in maintaining a positive relationship and committment to another opportunity.

Through technology, I have had the pleasure of meeting many very interesting individuals and learning more about their businesses than would have been otherwise possible.

Everyone is special and offers something special. I offer friendship, a pair of ears to listen, fingers to type, thoughts to contribute and solutions to technical problems. If someone chooses to pay me, so much the better.

Your (still starving) technology artist,

Marty

With us, it's the product that creates the bond, changes lives, empowers. But A Special Offer does not mean a change in anything. We support and stand behind and earn a person's order by delivering the product the same way every time. The Bicycle may be different. Details change. Service does not.

As to video, you are only as good as your service. I know of quite a few that charge big bucks, but deliver very little or the cookie cutter version or formula version. And it's even harder to get the work.

I have posted Promotions, but so far very little has come from them. I keep showing up and will have another video event soon, but it still comes down to looking around and see what you can offer - but I also think that others should look around and see what others offer as well. This is how I view and utilize networking here and everywhere else. And Specials are only as good as the offer and the people who see enough value to order them.

This is a great question and after working with thousands of people I am convinced that it takes awhile for most business owners to be able to answer this. I see it an the inner quality or foundation. In a way its almost like the real gem or juice of your business regardless of the products or services. What my clients get is ability to get in touch with their inner authority and ability to see their own business with clarity.