Social selling. Hype or an essential element of your Sales Process?
I’m afraid that the ship has sailed on this topic. If you want to be a sales leader these days, you must employ social selling as one of your sales tactics.
The challenge I hear regularly is “how can I get my sales team to write content”?
CAVEAT, If you are a large organisation with a marketing department and lots of resources available to you. Or you outsource your content, which can be a great option too. Don’t read on.
If you are like the many small but high-growth companies, I work with who don’t have a rock solid sales infrastructure and the support of a marketing department. Read on.
For me, there are some real benefits to getting your sales team to write content.
1) It is bloody hard. And how is that a benefit Ronan, I hear you ask? Because it gets you thinking, and thinking is after all your highest value task in selling.
What I find is that humans default to over-complicating when writing, presenting or selling. When you write content, you are forced to simplify. Simplicity and clarity are all good traits of effective communication.
You are in the communication game. When you learn to hone your writing skills, you will hone your communication skills. It is a win-win.
2) It is leverageable. In other words, you can reuse one piece of content throughout your sales process, repeatedly. And all of your team get to share the benefits.
3) Buyers read content. The latest research indicates that buyers and senior Decision Makers read at least five pieces of content before they engage sellers. So, you are giving your customers what they want.
So How Do You Start?
I suggest you start with a team session. Often the barrier to writing content is that you don’t know what to write about. So, why not focus on this area first and it is surprisingly simple to get started.
Here is what I suggest.
1) List your potential buyer’s FEARS
Those of you who attend my workshops or sessions will know that I refer to FEARS a lot. They matter and you need to be aware of all of every FEAR your buyers might have.
Remember that buyers buy the product or service with the LEAST RISK. Your job as salespeople is to help mitigate risk or perceived risk for buyers. And your content can deliver for you.
Create content that tackles these perceived or real risks head-on.
2) List out your buyer’s FAQ’s (frequently asked questions).
My strategy with my blogs and videos is simple. I try to answer all the questions I get asked daily. I have a list of questions that I have captured in my ToDoist app numbering 166 in total. And I keep adding to them. So, I don’t think I will ever exhaust your FAQ’s. Your team can do the same. Capture all of the questions your buyers might have about your product or service. And set yourself the objective of answering every one of these through your content.
Now you have an endless resource of new and reusable content for your team.
Key Takeaways
Getting your sales team to create content can be tough, but rewarding. When you have to condense an idea into a short article or post, it forces you to sharpen your communication toolbox. That is a really positive skill development for all budding sales leaders.
Remember, content is just ONE of your tactics, but in an increasingly digital world, it is becoming an essential tactic.
TIP – allocate just one hour a week for the next twelve weeks for content creation. Little and often is the secret. Practice will make perfect.
Regards Ronan
Ronan is the “Sales Infrastructure Guy”.
Helping high growth tech companies build world-class sales systems and processes that scale.
Call me on +353(86) 7732201
Ronan Kilroy | Insthinktive Sales Leadership Ltd. | Blanchardstown, | Dublin 15, | Office 01 8220523
More Sales, More Consistently, In Less Time
