The best thing a sales person can do in 2012 is start a blog. Yup, that’s what I said. Start a blog.
It has never been more important for sales people to be seen as experts. Sales has never been more reliant on reach and personal brand. Blogging enables all of this. Not blogging is selling in anonymity and selling in anonymity will put sales people behind the eight ball.
Why blog?
It establishes you as a subject matter expert: Blogging allows you to express your understanding of selling, your industry, your products, your competition and more. Blogging creates a place where you can showcase your knowledge and experience. Knowledge and understanding have never been more important in the selling process. Why wait to let people know what you know. Start telling them now.
It creates reach: Blogging allows you to create an audience, it gives you followers and a community. Blogging regularly brings people to you; people who are interested in learning more about the industries you write about, the products you sell, the processes they use and more. Blogging gives you access to the audience you are selling to. Cold calling is NOT dead, but relying on it is a bad move. The best sales people will learn how to develop an audience of potential customers that will compliment their traditional lead generation efforts. Reach will be the holy grail of selling in 2012 and beyond.
It will accelerate your career: Imagine having 100’s of poignant, engaging posts that illustrate your understanding of your industry, your approach to selling, your knowledge of products and the competition. A blog provides a vivid picture of you and your approach to your job a resume simply can’t provide. Blogging accelerates your career by combining reach, with your knowledge to elevate your status among other non blogging sales people.
What would you rather give a recruiter, an ordinary resume or your resume and a link to your blog with 100’s of examples or your work?
It expands your knowledge: Not only does blogging showcase your knowledge and understanding it expands it. Committing to blogging forces you to be cognoscente of what is going on around you. It forces you to look critically at what you do and how you do it. It forces you to take account of things you would normally miss. It causes you to evaluate your environment. Doing these things provides inspiration for blog posts. Blogging forces you to become more conscience and aware of what you do and why you do it and that makes you better.
It creates differentiation: Differentiation is critical in everything, including sales. Blogging allows you to create a unique brand around you and your selling approach. It creates a personal brand associated with you and what makes you good. It let’s people know what makes you different and why. Differentiation in people is just as valuable as differentiation of product. Start differentiating now.
It will get you more business: Creating a blog will increase sales. You will make more money. No, it won’t happen in the first quarter, and it probably won’t happen in the second quarter. I wouldn’t expect it to happen in the 3rd quarter, but it could. However, by the 4th quarter of regular blogging (3-4 days a week) and into 2013 you will start to see the fruits of your labor. You’ll have more leads, you will have more job opportunities, you will have better rapport with your customers and you will wonder why you didn’t start blogging earlier.
Blogging is a long term investment that will pay off big time! How we go about selling is changing. Knowing what is changing and capitalizing on is the key. Of all the things you can do in 2012 to respond to the change is start to blog.
If you start a blog because of this post, let me know. Send me the link and I will post about it on this blog. Yup, I think it’s that important and want to help you get a jump on it.
The best thing a sales person can do in 2012 is start a blog. Go on, what are you waiting for.
