Help others to see the big picture of your business offering
Many businesses and individuals have experienced the frustration of seeing a customer or contact go elsewhere for support they could easily have provided. It’s not that their capability, services or products were doubted – more often, the other party simply didn’t realise the full range of their expertise.
This common challenge was the focus of our September Business Club discussion. Members explored why this happens and how to broaden awareness so that customers, contacts and referrers fully understand the services a business or individual can provide.
Why pigeonholing happens
The general conclusion was that it’s easy to get “pigeonholed”. People often see us through the lens of the work we’ve already done for them, rather than the broader value we can bring. Being regarded as the “go-to” for something specific is flattering, but it can also be restrictive.
Why breaking out of the pigeonhole makes commercial sense
Broadening customers’, contacts’ and referrers’ perspectives brings distinct benefits. The obvious one is picking up more work, but it also builds trust.
People prefer to work with those they already know. By expanding awareness of your wider services, customers save themselves the time, effort and potential risk of trying out new providers. At the same time, you avoid the cost and effort of constantly seeking new customers. Over time, this mutual benefit creates a steadier flow of profitable opportunities.
So how can businesses and individuals expand that picture, so that customers, contacts and colleagues appreciate their wider value? Business Club members reflected on three perspectives: the individual, the wider business, and the referrer.
The individual challenge
The first focus was on what individuals can do to avoid being pigeonholed and broaden perceptions of their wider offering.
A central theme was understanding customers’ and contacts’ needs – especially by asking open questions to uncover areas where additional support may be relevant. Early conversations can be particularly powerful in shaping perceptions about the breadth of support you can bring.
Other tips included:
- Proactivity – sharing stories, case studies and examples of outcomes to showcase wider expertise without being overly promotional.
- Keeping in touch – staying close to changes in a customer’s or contact’s circumstances helps you offer timely support.
- Educating referrers and introducers – explaining specific “trigger points” prompts them to think of your expertise when certain situations arise.
- Reciprocity – making introductions yourself encourages a culture of mutual support. When others benefit from your expertise, they are more inclined to recommend you.
Opening doors across the business
Attention then turned to what can be done at an organisational level – encouraging teams and colleagues to communicate, collaborate and cross-sell the business’s wider value.
Clarity across teams and stronger internal communication were seen as essential. Too many opportunities are lost because colleagues don’t know what others are working on. Internal newsletters or updates, informal get-togethers and buddying colleagues from different teams are practical ways to break down silos.
Other tips included:
- Mapping services and products in a matrix to create cross-team customer plans, highlighting the most relevant offerings for each client.
- Introducing customers to the wider business through round tables, seminars, joint meetings or thought leadership.
- Educating colleagues to look out for client “triggers” and helping them gain confidence to position others’ expertise in a professional way.
- Building a ‘reliability’ culture – colleagues will only refer if they are confident others will deliver.
- Training and collaboration – training colleagues how to spot and successfully convert opportunities in their client and contact relationships. Also buddying up teams and encouraging collaborative initiatives.
- Incentives – firms that embed cross-selling into their culture and encourage a “firm-first” mindset rather than “my customer” see stronger results. Rewarding collaboration helps shift attitudes and behaviours positively.
Winning over referrers
The final perspective was on referrers – and what helps them understand your wider offering and feel motivated to introduce business opportunities.
Members agreed referrers need simple signals to recognise when to involve you. At the same time, individuals and businesses must earn the right to be referred by consistently doing good work, keeping referrers updated and, ideally, referring opportunities back to them.
Other tips included:
- A strong professional presence – both online (such as LinkedIn) and in person through networking and one-to-one catch-ups. These build referrers’ confidence in you.
- Packaging product or service offerings in ways that make things easy to explain. By simplifying their offer, individuals help referrers describe their value more persuasively to others.
- Collaboration – co-hosting events, writing articles or presenting jointly helps referrers experience your value first-hand.
- Being match-ready – availability matters. If you appear too busy or overstretched, referrers may hesitate to make introductions.
Pulling the ideas together
As our September Business Club session showed, there are many ways for businesses and individuals to broaden awareness of their full offering.
Common themes included:
- Clear communication, both internally and externally;
- Educating others about capabilities;
- Earning the right to opportunities through responsiveness and quality of work;
- Building trust through reciprocity and mutual support.
The overall message was that broadening awareness isn’t about one-off conversations or quick wins. It’s about consistent, thoughtful actions over time. By doing so, businesses and individuals can strengthen relationships, reduce missed opportunities and create a steady flow of work across their skills, products and services.
Thank you to all our Club members who contributed their experience and ideas to this insightful discussion.
If you’re interested in joining us for future Business Club events, please visit our Godalming office page for more information.
