(By Alec Drake) How can you compete with search results before your first point of contact with a prospect? Take these three steps to reduce confusion, boost your perceived value and increase your success rate when prospecting or converting a lead.
I once stood in front of my sales team with a raised smartphone and asked Google, “how do I buy radio ads with a limited budget?” The search engine instantly spits out several paid and organic results with links to websites and articles on how I could save money, be a better negotiator, and succeed on my terms to advertise.
The team was surprised by this unseen roadblock that could limit their sales success. Your prominent competitor for advertising dollars outside of other traditional media, ad-supported streaming services, or digital platforms is the simple act of a search result from the prospects’ initial questions.
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
You must switch places to understand what happens to your prospect. In this individual exercise, you take on the role of prospect and work through the step-by-step actions they take when deciding to advertise. Go to Google and enter straightforward questions a prospect might use.
- What is the best advertising platform?
- What will I have to pay for ads on a Radio / T.V. station?
- How do I get my commercial produced?
- How can I save money when advertising?
As you experiment with search questions and results, note the paid ads served on the search results and what companies show up organically.
You will learn what misconceptions arise connected to a prospect’s question that can be addressed in your initial communications. You will see the competition that is not on your radar. I guarantee you will be surprised in some fashion after this exercise, and it will shape your approach when you reach out to your next prospect.
Improve Your Online Profile
After your first attempt to contact a prospect, assume you will be searched online and how that may affect a response. If your profile on public platforms like LinkedIn, Meta (Facebook), or Twitter does not support your professional approach to a prospect, you are already climbing uphill. Everyone has a professional and personal persona, which is fine if they are balanced. Take inventory of your online exposure by searching your name in Google and seeing the results. Once you have managed and updated any information, it is time to consider content marketing strategies to promote your credibility as a solution provider.
A Content Marketing Plan Builds Value
There are two paths in content marketing, you can curate existing content, and you can create original content. Your first choice in content marketing should leverage your company’s sales collateral and supportive research. Thoughtfully filter company content to target your prospect profiles or business categories. Use industry knowledge from working with existing customer categories to collect and curate content relevant to similar prospects.
Use your LinkedIn profile to search for business articles in Google to share and add your comments and perspective. Curating content with your view is a fantastic way to build awareness for your knowledge journey. You can incorporate this same strategy on your blog or website. Business prospects want to work with someone well-informed and current on general business trends. Being an expert for the product you represent is a given, and your job.
Lastly, pay attention to your current customers when managing a content marketing strategy. An existing customer may share your content with someone they know in business.
Takeaways
Success in prospecting is the culmination of effort in many directions. It would be best if you had an action plan before any prospect contact that builds your brand, manages your online profile, and helps you empathize with the prospect’s point of view. Content has a long shelf life and could support your prospecting when you least expect the benefit. Keep going with the long-term strategy and be consistent, as that is a hallmark when preparation meets sales success.
Alec Drake is President of Drake Media Group, a revenue management consulting company. Alec can be reached at [email protected], by phone at 214-529-2007 or visit his “Sales Success Library” for more helpful articles at drakemediagroup.com.
