It may seem extraordinary to hear, but the majority of salespeople I’ve encountered in my career have been so self-involved that they forget to ask what their customers actually want. This time last year, as a relative newcomer to the sales world, I quickly discovered that traditional sales tactics were redundant and ineffective, and that I needed to try a new approach. Don’t get me wrong. I started out using old-school techniques, but frustration soon set in as cold call after cold call fell on deaf ears. To combat the rejection, I did what I always do when I’m out of my comfort zone. I researched, I spoke to experts I respect and I thought outside the box before creating my own rules. To welcome 2015, I’ve considered the eight things I’ve learnt about commercial sales in the past year. Call it the content marketer’s guide to selling, if you will. 1. Believe in your product If you don’t believe in your product, find something else to sell. Work for someone whose product you believe in. Selling requires enthusiasm because enthusiasm is infectious and genuine. Unless you are really focused and love what you are doing, it is hard – if not impossible – to be enthusiastic. Customers will see straight through you. The best thing you can do is move on and find an area you want to work in. 2. Listen, don’t talk You have two ears and one mouth, so use them proportionally. This is where the expression “selling is not telling” comes into play. This advice was given to me early on in my career when I was told to listen twice as much as I talked. By listening to your client or prospect, you will better understand their business, their pain points and how you can best serve their needs. 3. Be a good consultant Reply to emails on time. Meet expectations. Get back to people when they call. Take notes. Consulting, as opposed to selling, is all about building structures and processes that keep your clients happy and loyal. To be good at it, you have to articulate your services in a business context that is relevant to your audience. 4. Marketing is sales and selling is marketing This is hands down the most important thing I have learnt so far. In the content marketing industry, selling is just one facet of the client relationship. Just one facet of a holistic process of customer engagement. When you market correctly, it can fill in the gaps between face-to-face meetings that you have with clients. It creates a constant touchpoint – whether a client subscribes to your blog or follows your posts on LinkedIn. There are many times when customers have read something I have written about, called me and said “I want that” or “great article”. When done well, marketing is a sales tool that can push prospects along the path to purchase. Use it. 5. Be confident, but never arrogant I opened this post with a quote from the film Boiler Room. If you want a study in arrogance, watch the movie. And then note

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8 Top Sales Tips From King
Content Director
CAMERON UPSHALL
BEING A CONSULTANT
ISN’T SEXY
BUT IT SURE DOES
SELL

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“TELLING’S NOT SELLING”
Greg Weinstein, Boiler Room

3. THE MAJORITY OF SALESPEOPLE
THAT I’VE MET ARE SO SELF-
INVOLVED, THAT THEY FORGET TO
ASK WHAT THEIR CUSTOMERS
ACTUALLY WANT
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4. TRADITIONALSALESTACTICS
DURING MY FIRST 12 MONTHS IN THE SALES
WORLD, I QUICKLY DISCOVERED
THAT TRADITIONAL TACTICS
DON’T WORK.
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6. 2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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Unless you are really focused and
love what you are doing, customers
will see straight through you.
THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS MOVE ON
AND
FIND AN AREA THAT YOU WANT TO WORK IN.

8. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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YOU HAVE TWO EARS
AND ONE MOUTH
USE THEM PROPORTIONATELY

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BY LISTENING TO YOUR CLIENT
OR PROSPECT, YOU WILL
BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR
BUSINESS, THEIR PAIN POINTS
AND HOW YOU CAN BEST SERVE
THEIR NEEDS.

11. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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BUILDING STRUCTURES AND
PROCESSES THAT KEEP YOUR CLIENTS
Articulate your services in a business context that is
relevant to your audience.
•
Reply
to
emails
on
:me
•
Meet
expecta:ons
•
Return
Calls
•
Take
Notes

13. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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14. THIS IS HANDS DOWN THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING I’VE LEARNT.
When you market correctly,
It can fill in the gaps between the face to face meetings that you have
with clients
It creates a constant touch-point; whether a client subscribes to
Your blog or follows your posts on LinkedIn.
1.
2.
In the content marketing industry, selling is just one
facet of the client relationship.
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15. THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN
CUSTOMERS HAVE READ SOMETHING AND
CALLED ME:
“I want
that!”
“Great
article!”
Marketing, when done well is a sales tool that can push prospects
along the path to purchase. Use it!
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16. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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17. BE CONFIDENT
BE OPEN
RESPECT THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS
DEMONSTRATE HUMILITY
CONFIDENCE INSTILLS CONFIDENCE
If you show a client that you are confident,
they will likely get the sense that you can
do the job for them.
If you show a client that you are arrogant,
the client will put up their defenses and
walk away.
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I can
do it!

18. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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19. There will be deviations, but if you
follow the process, the results will,
more often than not, be positive ones.
The more active you are within this process, the more successful you
will be. Once you understand the inner workings of your client’s
business, anything is possible.
Look at the activities that drive the most amount of
return and map out a plan to ensure that your
strategy is consistent. Track everything and refine
the approach.
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PROCESS = positive results

20. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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21. COLD CALLING MAY WORK FOR SOME PEOPLE,
HOWEVER I’VE HAD ZERO SUCCESS.
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I don’t like pushing things down peoples’ throats. That’s why I
love content marketing, because it’s not hard to sell.
I

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When you’re prospecting, use your network, give people
Value, share relevant content and get on board with LinkedIn’s
Publishing functionality. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who
might need your services.
Instant
Active
High Value

23. 1. BELIEVE IN YOUR PRODUCT
2. LISTEN DON’T TALK
3. BE A GOOD CONSULTANT
4. MARKETING IS SALES AND SELLING IS
MARKETING
5. BE CONFIDENT, BUT NEVER ARROGANT
6. SELLING IS A PROCESS
7. LINKEDIN IS YOUR BEST FRIEND
8. RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT BUT
RECIPROCAL
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To be able to tell a client that you think that they are
going down the wrong track or making a bad
decision is invaluable. This approach will build
respect and trust. Treat your clients like you treat
your friends, because all good relationships involve
give and take.
GIVE GIVE GIVE
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
ARE THE
KEY TO SALES SUCCESS
Give as much of yourself as possible. You will not need to ask for
anything in return – it will come to you.