What to Write If You Cannot Write at All

Communicating and sharing knowledge casually is an enjoyable activity for many people. However, if that communication has to be written, something enjoyable turns into an intimidating chore quickly.

Here’s a simple fact. If you can talk, you can write. I know, it sounds simplistic but here’s what I mean.

All day long, you share your expertise. What do you say when you are in front of clients and prospects explaining how you’re going to help them?

Write it down and you instantly have an article. If you can’t write it down, record your ideas, have them transcribed and edited and your article can be developed without ever actually writing a word.

You may be thinking, “Who wants to read what I have to say?”

Other people do not have the depth of understanding you do when it comes to your business. No matter what business you’re in, you are an expert in that space when compared to other people.

The only way other people will know about your expertise is if you tell them about it.

An easy way to “tell” them is to write an article and send it to your new prospects. There is one catch, however. Only send the article with your contacts permission, or it will never be read.

You gain a new and interested sales lead. Your prospect gains more knowledge that will help them in their business. It's a win/win.

The person reading your article will also see you as an authority in your field because you sent them credible and helpful information that you wrote. They trust you more because you appear to be a knowledgeable expert.

As my good friend Michael Goodman, founder of AZ Sales Pros reminds us, interest, trust and credibility equals a sale.

Here’s how the cycle of permission marketing works using just one article.

1. Call your 'suspect' to ask for permission to send an article you wrote that talks about ______ (a value the listener would want to receive)

2. When they give you permission to send the article, set up a time to reconnect by phone to see if the idea you shared had value for them.

3. Reconnect by telephone at the appointed time and explore their potential as a client. That means, look to uncover a “pain” they’re experiencing that you can alleviate. All you really have to do is find out why they wanted to read your article.

If they are ready to talk when you call, they are interested and a strong potential client.

If not, realize they are not experiencing enough pain in your area. In that case, leave a message, then send a note in the mail and move on.

Reconnect with them again in about 3-months. Do it once by email, once by phone, and once by US Mail. Make a specialized offer to motivate them to reconnect.

5. At the point of setting a live meeting (the sales appointment), marketing has completed its job. You have “attracted” a new, potential client.

Now it’s up to your system of selling to convert attraction into revenue at LEAST 1 in 5 times.

Launching a permission marketing campaign with articles is a very simple, low impact/high return idea. It establishes interest or lack thereof quickly and allows you to build a sales pipeline of qualified perspective clients in minimal time.