Fallacy: To Win You Must Be Superior

Have you ever found yourself in this situation? You’ve pitched a prospective client that you were convinced would give you their business because you knew you were the superior choice.  After all, you know more about this client than any competitor and you’ve had more success in this industry than any of the competition. And yet in the end, and to your great surprise, the prospect chose someone else.

I know this might sound crazy but, you might not have won because; you are superior.

Consider this: when selecting a product or service for yourself, how often are you really looking for the very best? Do you need the best dry cleaner in the business? Do you need the best accountant? Or even the very best pet food for your pet? And how much time are you willing to devote to researching the best options? Probably not that much, particularly if there are “very good” options close at hand.

The reality is most people aren’t looking for the best choice; they’re just trying to avoid making a bad choice. Even market researchers who conduct customer surveys will tell you, when the survey asks, “why do you continue to do business with this company?” the most frequent response is, “because I’m comfortable with them.” Not because they’re the best. Not because they’re excellent. It’s just the comfortable choice. You see, most people just want “good enough.”

So the next time you’re pitching a client and you believe you’re the best choice, instead of focusing on your superiority you might give a little thought to the “risks” a prospect might see in hiring you. Like, maybe you’re more than they think they need. Then, without calling attention to the negatives, address and mitigate each potential issue.

In the end, you just might find you’re a winner. Because, you are “good enough.”

..This much I know.

-Jeanine