Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here.

Today’s edition can be read in 4 minutes.

You probably don’t actually sell what you think you sell.

And your buyers certainly buy something completely different to what you sell.

Think about it:

• Wedding photographers don’t sell a person pointing an overpriced chunk of glass and metal, they sell beautifully captured moments of an important day.
• Stock brokers don’t sell a tiny piece of ownership in an asset, they sell financial freedom and surviving retirement.
• Even McKinsey or Boston Consulting Group don’t sell a slick powerpoint presentation presented by an even slicker consultant, they sell data-based support for an executive to make a decision with lower professional risk.

You’re in a niche business

A niche is a subset of the whole. And every service, product and business is in a niche.

Sometimes that niche is tiny, other times it is massive.

With over 40,000 McDonalds locations worldwide they serve 69,000,000 plus people every day, but I bet you can think of someone (maybe yourself) who refuses to eat there.

And McDonalds is in 118 countries and territories. There are 193 countries that are recognised by the UN.

So at least 75 countries don’t have McDonalds.

If one of the most recognised fast food restaurants is a niche, then what you’re selling certainly is too.

“I’m a Sales Trainer”

When it comes to what you sell you can either tell your customers or let them do the mental arithmetic to work it out themselves.

My business is sales training and sales consulting. If I lead with “I’m a sales trainer” you, my buyer, have two choices.

Either do a tone of thinking to work out:

• “What sort of sales trainer is he?”
• “Does he work with people like me or my business?”
• “Am I the target audience here?”
• “Do I need a sales trainer?”

Or, most likely, my buyers are not explicitly looking for a sales trainer and simply move along.

“I work with Founders who sell, but aren’t salespeople”

If instead you heard my niche statement - I work with founders who sell, but aren’t salespeople.

When that doesn’t match them, people rule themselves out.

For example they run a business with over 300 staff and haven’t, personally, sold anything in 5 years, ruled out. Or they run a Shopify store selling branded t-shirts and hoodies, not interested.

However anyone who does fit that criteria is interested to hear more and its a great conversation starter.

• A 32 person marketing agency where the founder brings in most of the business? You bet they’re interested.
• A 12 person technology company where the founders sell to mid market and enterprise? They often say “tell me more”.

Exercise for the week - Niche Statement

Before your next sales meeting, work out what you actually sell. I call this a “niche statement” and have worked with dozens of founders to create the statement for their business.

If you want help with your statement reply “Niche” and we can have a chat.

TLDR Wrap Up

• Your buyer doesn’t buy what you sell​
• Every business, product and service is automatically in a niche, own it
• My sub niche statement example
• Make your own Niche Statement

And that’s a wrap….

If you found this valuable please:

Until next time,
Scott Cowley

PS I help founders who sell, but aren't "sales"people. Whenever you're ready here are two ways I help:

1. Niche Statement: Want some help with your niche statement? I'm offering 1-1 calls to people on this newsletter. Booked up until September. Reply: "Niche Statement" if you're interested.
2. Fractional VP of Sales: Are you ready to move from founder-led sales to stepping out of sales and being the leader your company needs? Reply "Fractional" if you're interested.