April 3, 2017 | 1 minute read

Show what you know. Build trust. Sell stuff.

Get in touch

James Barclay

CEO Passle Inc

Get in touch

James Barclay

CEO Passle Inc

I am not complicated and I do not think business is that complicated. There are many very important jobs - my brother is a surgeon, my Mum was a teacher. Business is not life and death - we just try to make more money than we spend. My job is to sell stuff - simple. And content marketing as part of that process does not need to be complicated either and it is very much part of my sales job.

When it comes to content marketing I have read a lot of definitions some of them too complicated.

Last week we attended the Legal Marketing Association in Vegas. It was a big show with thousands of attendees. I had a lot of conversations about content marketing. What I found myself saying again and again was this - content marketing leads to sales by this process:

Showing what you know
Building trust and a relationship
Selling your product or service
Repeating to ensure client maximises value from product and buys again

It does not matter if you are law firm, an accountant, a recruiter or, like me, someone who sells technology - the process is frankly not complicated and can be replicated.

It is worth noting that the building of trust needs to focus on listening and then providing information, introductions and, if relevant, solutions. It is important to remember that even a 'close lost' could still have great benefits. I might not have sold to a target as I would have wished but if I provided information and relevant expertise then they may well still recommend me and in the future they might buy.

By helping to solve problems that potential clients have through providing information - i.e content and introductions - I am placing myself in a good position to sell to them. As a salesman marketing is key to my success and is my responsibility.

My marketing team put me in the right position to sell - they give me the tools, share best practice and provide me a framework but it is up to me to create content relevant to my audience. It is me who needs to actively participate.

Marketing is a key part of my sales job.

The most powerful way to establish yourself as a subject matter expert is to demonstrate your authority with your content rather than simply claim to be an expert. Trust works the same way. ...overall, serving your audience with the right valuable content is the best way to demonstrate your trustworthiness... ...the natural impulse to hide your economic motivations or business objectives is almost always a mistake. Realize that people increasingly think everyone is “on the take,” and your primary job is to assure your audience that you’re not.