Post on 04-Aug-2020
Quick Tip — How “Helping” Beats “Selling”:
3 Tips from Content Marketing World’s Keynote Speech
By Kathryn Gillett
When you want to increase response or sales, “helping” works better than “selling.” That may sound
contradictory, but — based on research shared by Jay Baer during his keynote presentation at this
year’s Content Marketing World — it’s true. What follows are highlights of that presentation.
After years of experience, when I
sign up for a conference, I set my expectations pretty
low. I figure if I learn one helpful thing in each session,
I’ll be thrilled. So, 6 sessions, 6 new things….that’d be a
great day.
Well, at this year’s Content Marketing World, I learned
way more than that in the first hour! Keynote speaker,
Jay Baer(1), shared research that shows how focusing on
the audience and developing trusting relationships is the
key to increasing sales. What really excited me was how
the research he shared supports what we’ve been
exploring in these monthly Quick Tips.
Here are three highlights from Baer’s keynote speech:
Quick Takeaways:
1. Always be asking yourself: “How can we create something our prospects and customers would pay for — and give it to them for free?”
2. Make sure your information is easy to understand, meaningful, and memorable.
3. Trust is the prism through which all business success must pass.
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Quick Tip — How “Helping” Beats “Selling”
1.
?” (See a related Quick
Tip: “Get results FAST with Trust-
Building Content.”)
An example of this
happened to me
recently. I opted in to
receive emails from an
organization I was
interested in doing
business with. One day,
they sent me a link to a
free Forrester report
that was worth real
money to me. It was a complete surprise,
and, not being a Forrester subscriber, it
was a valuable freebie for me.
Your freebie doesn’t have to relate
directly to your solution. Just create
something that’s useful to your audience;
something they’d pay a
couple bucks for. But give it
to them for free. Baer told a
story of how an athletic-gear
company built a mobile app
that helped coaches check
the weather forecast
anywhere in the world.
Coaches loved this free app because it
helped them plan better. Sales of the
company’s athletic gear reflected the
increased goodwill.
It makes sense: people will use your
freebie and have a positive emotional
connection to you whenever they do.
Then, when they’re ready to buy, they’ll
think of you. (See the Quick Tip that
explores the science behind why every buy
is an emotional buy.)
The next step, Baer emphasized, is
critical: market your freebie. Social
media can be great for this. But remember
to promote your freebie, not your
company. (See a related Quick Tip: “Less
Promotion + More Trust = Higher Response
and Sales.”)
This is not something to do just once — or
once a year. This needs to be a strategic
question you’re always asking: “What’s
another way we can create something
our prospects and customers would pay
for — and give it to them for free?”
2.
(See a related Quick
Tip: “The Evolution of Techno-
Speak and the Shift to Authentic
Connections.”)
The research Baer shared
showed that before people buy,
they need more information than ever
before. Maybe that’s because people are
risk-averse; they want to make sure they
make the right decision. But it also may
be simply because there is so much more
information out there. One way to stand
Create freebies
your audience
would pay for.
Then market the
freebies — not
your company.
Before people buy,
they need more
information than
ever before.
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Quick Tip — How “Helping” Beats “Selling”
out, Baer says, is to present your
information in ways that help them make
the decision.
This reminded me of the shift in
perspective we discussed in the Quick
Tip, “Why the Product Isn’t the Hero.” Yes,
it’s your sales pipeline, but it’s your
audience’s decision journey. And your
content needs to help them move forward
in that “adventure.” (Also check out a
related Quick Tip: “The
Secret of Heroic
Persuasion.”)
Baer’s point supports
other ideas we’ve
explored in the past.
You know how you can
remember tiny details
from a book you read
years ago? The same
neuro-mechanics
causes your audience
to remember content
that’s laced with
stories, metaphors, and symbols. For
similar reasons, we’ve also discussed the
importance of avoiding techno-speak, of
creating authentic human connections —
and the need to place your audience (not
your solution) in the role of the Hero. All
of these are essential for sharing your
information in ways that are meaningful
and memorable.
3.
(See the
Quick Tip about the myth-busting
formula: Less Promotion + More Trust
= Higher Response and Sales.)
This concept is more important than you
may think. The research Baer shared
showed that in business-to-business,
70% of the buying decision is made
before the prospect talks to a sales
person. That means
that in lead gen, our
leads are the tip of
the iceberg! The
majority of our
prospects are under
the waterline!
This is huge! Our
audience is going to our
websites, checking us
out, getting a sense of
whether or not they
trust us to help them
solve their
problem…and we don’t even know they’re
there. That’s why the content on our sites
needs to be thought through with a new
strategy: our content must do more
than impart information; it must
create a lasting connection with our
audience. (See a related Quick Tip: “The
Myth of B2B Communications.”)
Yes, you offer free stuff that prospects can
receive by filling out a form. But everyone
knows that giving you their contact
Because 70% of our prospects are
under the waterline, our content
must do more than impart
information. It must create a trusting
connection with our audience.
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Quick Tip — How “Helping” Beats “Selling”
information is going to plug them into
your sales process. Have you ever NOT
filled out a “contact us” form? Of course
you have. Most people — including your
prospects — are the same.
That “strategy” just doesn’t
work anymore. What to do?
Offer valuable information
for free, no questions asked,
and let the resulting goodwill
do its magic. (See a related
Quick Tip: “How Selling
Doesn’t Cultivate Sales.”)
Baer suggests something else
that will help your audience make the
best decision for themselves:
Transparency. (See a related Quick Tip:
“Get Results FAST with Trust-Building
Content.”) For example, give them a
meaningful comparison chart that shows
them what their real options are. “If you
need A, B, and C, then give us a call. But if
you need X, Y, or Z, then we’re not the right
solution for you.” Admitting your
shortcomings creates trust —
and trust helps remove the
doubts of your prospects. That’s
a good thing because doubts
cause friction. And friction
reduces sales.
While you’re building goodwill
and trust with a more targeted
audience, you’re filtering out
leads that aren’t a good fit. (Your
sales team will thank you for it.) And,
trust is very “sticky” over time. When
your “lost” prospect’s needs change, the
trust will pay off. They’re that much more
likely to come back to you.
If not, why not? The one big
takeaway from Baer’s speech
was this: Don’t just create
content that shares information. Create
meaningful and trust-building connections
that your audience values.
1. Jay Baer is a marketing consultant and author of the
bestselling book, “Youtility.”
About the author: Kathryn Gillett, creator of The Hero Method, and author of the forthcoming book,
“Facts vs. Feelings: The Surprising Truth about ‘Irrational’ Content,” is committed to creating messaging
and content that helps…and sells. Learn more about The HERO Method at www.TheHeroMethod.com
or contact the author at Kathryn@TheHeroMethod.com. Don’t miss another Quick Tip! Click here to
sign up to receive the latest Quick Tips as they’re released.
HubSpot
(known for digital marketing analysis) gave
Kathryn special recognition for “thought
provoking content and new research for the
sophisticated marketer.”
Content must do
more than impart
information; it
must create a
lasting connection
with our audience.