In today’s episode, we teach you the power of giving yourself away. And that my friends, is also very much applicable when it comes to sales. Our awesome guest is Michael Schein. He is a writer over at inc.com and one of his articles that struck me “One Habit That Will Immediately Improve Your Sales”. The concept is to “give yourself away”.
Michael owns a content marketing & strategy firm, MicroFame Media, which works with companies that are looking to sell their complex or expensive products.
So, many companies now want to do online sales and marketing to drive business online. But it falls apart because they don’t have the time and the know-how. This is where their company comes in wherein they have a system that focuses on utilizing available resources and a systematic approach to create the kind of content that will drive their customer’s business.
After leaving his corporate job, Michael became a freelance copywriter. Leveraging on the power of using writing blueprints or templates to drive business, Michael has naturally transformed himself from being a writer to an owner of a marketing agency.
Here are the highlights of my conversation with Michael:
Two learning points from Michael’s evolution:
- Recognize the pain businesses couldn’t solve.
- Have a process!
Learning points from Michael’s article:
Give yourself away.
The way people buy today is way different than way back. If you’re selling a considered purchase, educate (or entertain a little bit).There’s no reason to be scared of giving value. Be online sharing as much great stuff about what you do as anyone. Always share what you know and what’s unique.
How do you do this?
- Create a content that will drive those opportunities.
- Become a professional in the business you’re in and not just in sales.
- Become a thought leader by having your own podcast or blog or work with your marketing team to do speaking or different means to become an expert in your industry. You no longer have to close deals because they will naturally close for you because of your expertise.
- Build your business without having to sell.
- Build a “big enough” audience.
- Invite persons of influence to appear on the blog or podcast.
- Push of transmedia, which is storytelling across platforms (starting from one device and finishing up on another device)
Stop being a pitchman.
When you’re selling a complex solution to a problem…
- Always have a strong pipeline by sharing what you know. Set yourself across as having interesting, unique ideas and a lot of people would come to you and may even want to collaborate with you.
- Leverage different channels to be able to maximize your reach or your ability to extend yourself and give value.
Current projects Michael is working on:
New podcast coming!
Connect with Michael through email at mfs@microfamemedia.com or call him at 917-273-9885. If you guys have a question, Michael is more than happy to talk to you.
Michael’s Major Takeaway:
“A strong pipeline makes a lion. A weak pipeline makes a lamb.”
Focus on having as many opportunities in your deal flow as possible so you can be more gentle in turning them into business.
Episode resources:
Michael’s article on inc.com: One Habit That Will Immediately Improve Your Sales
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