What do you think of when you hear the word sales?
That probably depends on whether you are the owner or recipient of the sales pitch.
If you are on the receiving end, do you –
- Groan at yet another pitch?
- Look for the fastest way to disconnect?
- Block it with your spam filter?
As business owners, we all sell – even if we don’t like to think of ourselves as sales people.
So, why do we hate to be sold to?
Do these reasons sound like your gut response to sales?
A. I don’t know you
B. I don’t trust you
C. I don’t want whatever you’re selling
We use Caller ID and spam filtering to stem the tide of unsolicited sales. We check the From box first and the Subject line next before opening emails.
If you are a business owner, how do you ever get your message delivered?
It’s simple – it’s called sharing.
The Simple Sharing Solution
I often refer to myself as a Pollyanna in the way I view the world. But, even this Pollyanna needs the same trait that others do before committing – it’s called trust.
One way to gain trust is through sharing.
- Sharing information
- Sharing a piece of yourself
Here are some ways to do that in your business.
Share Your Expertise
If you have a niche or certain knowledge, share that expertise.
- Write informational blog posts
- Answer questions in forums, public sharing platforms
- Share your expertise in comments
- Create free reports, white papers
Share Informational Articles
- Send them to clients who share the same interest
- Post links to them through social media
- Review them on your blog
Share Introductions
- Connect clients with similar interests
- Promote qualified candidates for job openings
- Provide referrals and recommendations for people you work with
You don’t have to know the person to share information.
Try sending an industry article, free report or other information as a follow-up to the email marketing recipients who have not responded.
The secret is sending information with no strings attached.
If you’re perceived as someone who helps more than sells, the trust will come.
And with trust comes sales.
How do you build trust?
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Helping you Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours – contact me for help with your business writing needs.
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Cathy, this was a great post.
Let’s build on that. As you build trust, people will seek out your opinion and information. It’s called the snowball effect.
It’s also called maintain your integrity!
Thanks, Roy-couldn’t agree with you more. I appreciate you stopping by.
Cathy, I’m like you… I like people and am a natural net-worker. I don’t believe in competition and sharing comes easily for me… wonder if that was true when I was 3?
Thanks for pointing it out.
LOL, Anne. As a middle child of 7, I’m surprised I share at all. 😀 I’ve always said one of the most pleasant surprises for me when I started freelancing was the incredible generosity of the writing community. And you are one of the best examples of that.
Thanks for stopping by, Anne!
Thanks for this post (and it makes me revisit the objectives behind certain behaviors).
Although I do think the underlying intention can be good and it may lead to sales, I think people should also ask the question as to whether they first understand the other person’s business (to demonstrate listening and understanding) and then volunteerr articles, etc.
I know that it sounds harsh but I’ve had people throw articles with a “helpful” commment, but if the person sends several articles that are not indicative of the business and perhapys even out of date, tome it demonstrates little understanding of what I even do, and my opinion of the becomes worse (as in why is this person sending me this and asking me these questions?).
Just another thought but I may be too harsh with other people, sometimes. But maybe I will also view this as way for me to remember: Will this really help anyone? Do I understand the problem(s) and if not, should I listen more?
You make a good point, Susan. I still believe you can share articles with a prospect, but you need to know what they are about. Have you reviewed their website, their blog, the information about their company? Have you seen comments of theirs on social media sites? Then only share something you think they would find of interest.
If you don’t keep it real, most people will spot that in seconds. Thanks for giving some other tips to consider, Susan.
Thanks so much, Susan, for making this important point so clearly. I find that if I let myself get too absorbed in the “I must market myself” mindset, my frustration level goes up and my pleasure in my work diminishes. It’s important to remember that writing & editing are ultimately about improving people’s lives. For our own sake as well as our clients’, keeping it real is essential.
Hi Freya: Thanks for sharing your comments. I do believe you can keep it real in marketing and in fact if you don’t, you might as well hang it up.
Being a great writer and marketing do not need to be mutually exclusive. I like sharing information and receiving it from others. When done in that light, that’s keeping it real to me.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Great post, Cathy! I think that it is vital to offer yourself. Because I tend to be more in my wheelhouse when talking about personal development, I offer seven classic eBooks in the personal development genre. One of the best things to do is be yourself. Some people think they know what they want to write about when they start, but I think it’s better to start wider and then figure out what your own voice is.
Most importantly: make sure it’s your voice. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen presentations where I can tell exactly who their guru is because of their key words. Instead of sounding like the guru (which means that people will just look for the original once they catch on), sound like yourself and you become the person they trust.
Thank you, Steve. I definitely agree. As I mentioned in one of the other comments, keeping it real is what it’s all about. People want to know you, not the guru. If they wanted the guru, they’d go to his/her presentation.
Thanks for stopping by, Steve.