BusinessWeek: When you mention the company you represent or the products you sell to prospective customers, do they ever look at you funny and say they don't know what you're talking about? Take heart. This is a common challenge for many sales pros.

So what's a salesperson to do if prospective customers don't understand what he's selling? Here are some tips:

1. Analogies work.

If your company is not well known, you can say it is like company X but with quality Y with corresponding benefit Z. The idea is to springboard off the well-known supplier while carving out your niche and identifying your unique benefits.

2. Clarity matters.

Make sure your analogies are clear; don't be cute or clever. Your customers won't take the time or energy to figure out what you're selling.

3. Having to start your pitch from scratch can work in your favor.

There are several advantages to selling to a prospect who has never heard of your company or product. When representing a new company, you start fresh—few bridges have been burned before you got there.

Another advantage is the cachet factor. With almost every group of customers, there are going to be a few who want to buy something simply because it's new or unique. They want to be the first on their block to own what you sell. Look for customers who like to display their new watch, vehicle, or computer gadget. If they like cutting-edge products in one area, they probably like them in another.

Explaining What You Sell [BusinessWeek]

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