How many articles have you read that talk of closing more sales lately, and if you have, you would admit they say almost the same.
There’s certainly value in reading up on the latest cold calling, email, and networking techniques, but if you haven’t taken a look at your website lately, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity to position yourself as an expert in your industry and close more sales.
Being an expert in your field makes the sales process easier. You have case studies, posts, calculators, and more at your fingertips. Adding these would increase the weightage of your name. It follows that when a prospect sees your email signature, it will garner respect.
Let’s look at some techniques for becoming a thought leader and improving your sales outcomes.
Conduct case studies (and share them too!)
Conduct your own independent research and publish the results via your blog or email list. Having this research in an easy-to-read format is a fantastic way to show your prospects (and competitors) who are being proactive within the industry.
Case studies don’t have to cost thousands of dollars. Depending on what you’re inspecting, you can get much of the analysis and data from your own business or customers.
Make your own case study using these tips.
Show your knowledge with an active, useful blog.
Not only will a keyword-rich blog help in terms of your searchability on Google, but it will also demonstrate that you have a deep level of insight into your chosen field.
Blog posts don’t have to be as in-depth as case studies. Trendy topics, breaking news, or simple tips that can be written in 1-2 hours are perfect. Not only does having a blog look good to prospects (and can help them find you), you can use posts as resources; when a client has a question, “hey! We’ve got an answer–in the form of a post.”
Go to conferences
Conferences can cost a lot of money, but there’s no doubt that they are beneficial.
Firstly, it allows your group to learn from great minds. Keeping up with the latest and most effective trends in your industry is invaluable. Once you’ve learned what the top dogs are doing, you can immediately implement something even better within your organization.
Secondly, brand recognition. During pre-conference breakfasts (and post-conference happy hours), your team should be mingling and getting the company name out there. You never know where a partner or client could come from. Getting to know people face to face can lead to better conversions down the line.
Treat your employees right
What makes an employee want to learn and grow within your company?
Yeah, you guessed it: being treated well.
Employees that feel valued are going to be motivated to learn new techniques, travel to speaking events, and develop their own skillset. Being able to bring an individual expert into a sales conversation can make all the difference for your prospect.
Keep your employees happy with fair benefits, a few extra perks, and daily motivation.
Have an active, personable social media presence.
All the above ways to become an expert are only as good as how well you share them. Publishing case studies and posts and treating employees with respect are all things your prospects are interested in seeing. Share these items on your social networks so people can see.
Make it about them.
The last thing your prospective customer wants to hear is all about how great you are – because if you are, that will show through in your content and online presence. Instead, focus your knowledge set on what you can do to make your customer’s lives better. Show your customers that you understand their needs and challenges and be clear about how you can solve their problems. Earning the trust and confidence of the customers will not only position you as a thought leader but help you in closing more as well.
Become an industry expert! Get all the leads. Make all the conversions.