Speaking As An Expert

ou should develop a genuine focus on being “of service.” Develop authentic curiosity - focus on everyone’s favorite subject, ME. Ask questions focused on them, such as “tell me how you got started in this business?” or “who would be a good referral for you?”

I once worked with a salesperson who pointed out a lawyers office as we were driving and then a few moments later, a chiropractor’s office and said, “They do business together because of me – I brought them together. They are both my clients and now each others clients.” That’s netweaving and it’s one of the most powerful ways to prove your value to people – and stand head and shoulders above the crowd of other me-me-me sales people.

In fact, your goal should be to become a you-you-you sales professional!

Are you magnetic?

Another aspect involves the concept of magnetism. Working like a magnet – to attract people to you, almost irresistibly – instead of laboriously panning for gold among the pebbles can make the single biggest difference in dramatically increasing a sales professional’s effectiveness.

What if, through your efforts, you drew people to you? You have heard of people with magnetic personalities? This is called magnetic marketing!

In magnetic marketing, you move away from sales “rocks” to find your valuable iron ore – or sales “magnets.”

Here is a question to get you started thinking about magnetic marketing – How can you convert prospects into SUBSCRIBERS?

That’s right – subscribers. People who actually want to hear from you, value the information you bring to them, and look forward to the next time you call, email, or send them something in the mail, simply because of its intrinsic value.

In other words, how do you keep prospects coming back for more of what you have to offer? Simple: offer useful information on a regular basis.

Becoming a geyser of information

That leads to the next logical question, which is How can you become a valuable geyser of useful information?

Once you’ve answered this question, you’ll start pulling people toward you so they will WANT to do business with you. They will call YOU! Wouldn’t that be something? Well it can be done!

The way to do this is to develop a marketing/ prospecting plan, including creating information products, outreach tools, and using speaking and publishing opportunities (yes, for salespeople) to build your expert status.

Publish a newsletter on a regular basis and send it to your clients and prospective clients. Fill it with valuable tips, advice techniques and information. Don’t use boilerplate newsletters prepared for your industry – make this real, make it personal, and aim it squarely at your best prospects and clients.

Let’s face it: you are an expert in your particular product and industry – or should be. So show off your expertise!

In the age of technology, cost is no barrier, because you can create a wide variety of valuable tools electronically: annotated PowerPoints, white papers, audio programs, cost and savings calculators, short articles, tip sheets, and checklists. These take minutes to create (maybe an hour or so to do one really well) and can pay off in huge ways.

Just make sure you don’t produce a thinly disguised sales pitch (people can see right through that!) and do provide solid information to increase your credibility.

Secret #1: Publishing

Most publishers of industry and trade magazines and newsletters are HUNGRY for content. Not to mention websites, e-zines, industry specific online forums, and countless in-house publications (probably a good number of which are published by your prospect companies!)

The content is gobbled up every month and editors are always looking for NEW stuff. So all you have to do is ask and submit! When you get published you now have (wave the magic wand) TAAA-DAAA…Instant credibility!

Suddenly you’re an “industry expert.” Hey it’s not fair – but that is how it works! Wouldn’t you want to buy from an industry expert? Or at least speak to him or her for a few minutes on the phone to tap into their expertise?

Secret #2: Speaking

Associations are HUNGRY for speakers and they need one every time they have a meeting.

Package your expertise as a nice little 30 minute talk and you are now ready to speak to your future buyers!

Again, don’t make it a sales pitch; make it content rich and helpful.

If you sell copiers, do a talk on 10 Hot Trends in Office Technology. If you sell restaurant supplies, do a presentation on How to Increase your Business Traffic 100%.

When you speak, you become an expert – and usually get a list of the attendees so you can follow up.

Now you may say, “I’m not very good at public speaking.”

Usually when I hear people say that, it means one of three things:

They tried it before and didn’t like it because they gave a pitch from the podium and got zero response (which is exactly why I warned you about this a minute ago!) They don’t want to put in the “extra work” to create, develop, and pursue delivering short, value-rich speeches. They don’t know where to begin. If you fall into the first two categories, all I can suggest is that in order to change your results, you’ll need to change your behavior. If you’re in the third category, there are many options open to you, including the truly valuable Toastmasters organization, and presentation coaches who can get you comfortable, and even excited, in developing good speaking skills within a couple of months. Here is the formula: PR+V= Cx10 Good PR and Visibility increases your Credibility times 10!