from Butterfly Blu
Image: True Love

For example, I work with Sarah – an extraordinary accountant. Of course she is good at accounting... but that's not why I work with her. There are lots of good accountants out there. I work with Sarah because she makes me feel like she is part of my business and she really cares about my success. I don’t have to worry about the accounting details, getting my tax return in on time, or how changes in legislation affect me or my business.

Sarah keeps up to date on everything, advises me what to do and gets things done. She really has walked the extra mile for me on several occasions. I trust her completely. And she just knows stuff... stuff I would never know, or even care to know. I don't worry about my tax returns being late. I don't worry about my staff's PAYE payments, I don't worry about preparing financial reports or deciphering management accounts.

I don't worry, period. We have worked together for over seven years... and wherever I go, Sarah is my designated accountant. We respect each other. And we just love working together.

At the end of the day, your customers choose to work with you because of the distinctive benefits you provide in your product or service. Think about how your customers would describe working with you? What do your friends, associates and clients or customers say you are amazing at? This is the value you bring to your customers lives.

Tom Peters has been ranting about "searching for excellence" for more than 20 years. In his inspiring book Re-Imagine he laments: "We [still] applaud the ideal of the 'satisfied customer'. Instead, we must focus on creating a scintillating... encompassing... dramatic... novel... 'customer experience'."

Write down a list of benefits you provide your customers... not what you do... but how what you do makes them feel. What their experience is.

"I want to put a ding in the universe" Steve Jobs

How does your business stack up against the competition? Do you stand out or fade into the crowd? Have you done a competitive analysis for your business?

Your competitors may be other companies and enterprises offering a similar service or product... but they might also be circumstances, the economic climate and other barriers to entry.

Once you have completed this important step, you will be able to re-evaluate your business offering and perfectly frame your value proposition to attract more customers and get more business from your existing customers.

The Butterfly Blu Small Business Program outlines the ten practical, action-oriented steps you can take to make a big and sustainable difference in your small business. Click here for more information.