When I started out in high tech sales back in the pre-internet 1980’s, clients could get their info from three places:
Trade shows. Trade shows were great but everyone couldn’t go.
Trade magazines. Very important. This is where most of the information came from.
And third was a vendor’s sales reps. This is where a lot of info came from. The informal “here’s how other people in your industry are tackling this problem” stuff. What’s new, what’s coming, what other companies were doing…these were all important parts of a sales call. Salespeople were an integral part of a customer’s education and finding out what was going on in their industries.
Now your customers can do their own research. And they do. Your customers are gathering information.
They want to know if other people have problems similar to theirs.
They want to know how those companies tackled the problem.
They want to know if a solution to their problem is even possible.
Then, after gathering that information, they want to start looking for companies that have the ability to help them. These days, they will often select the finalists – the two or three or four companies that they think can help them – before they ever reach out and initiate that first contact.
That’s why you need content. If you can publish content that shows you have seen the problems your customers have or will have, understand what is involved in fixing those problems, and that you have experience successfully helping other people solve those problems, you have an “in” for getting on that finalist list.
And the more the merrier. A steady drumbeat of good content reminds people that you have this experience they need. It shows that you understand their problems because you have looked at those problems from a lot of different angles.
Salespeople used to be needed in order for companies to keep up with the latest and greatest developments in their industries. Not anymore.
The worst thing you can do if you are the best kept secret in your industry? Stay the best kept secret in your industry.
Obligatory boilerplate: I do not work for or have any association with LinkedIn, other than being a user who pays them for his Sales Navigator subscription every month.
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