Who is Influencing Your Clients?
There is an old joke that says, “Those who can do it, do it; those who can’t do it, teach it.” Having become a management and sales trainer myself, I’ve never taken that joke personally, firm in the knowledge that I have sold and managed successfully for more than 35 years before becoming a consultant/trainer.
By the way, ‘experience’ and ‘success’ are not synonymous terms. Many people with twenty years experience really only have one year’s experience twenty times, and some have no successes under their belts other than keeping their jobs.
But many self-described ‘experts’ today have little if any experience, and even fewer have had any successes in what they teach! So those who couldn’t do, find it easy to resort to teaching with the magic of the internet.
Anyone can start a blog, an e-letter or build a network online with no credentials. Why am I telling you this? Is it a slam at some of my competitors?
Is it to brag about my own successes? Or was I duped by one of these online gurus? None of the above.
I’m telling you because you need to be aware of the unqualified ‘experts’ who might be steering or influencing your prospects and clients! Do a search yourself some time and you’ll be shocked at the long list of guru’s who knock advertising or don’t even include radio as a contender in their alleged analysis of the pros and cons of various media.
We’re in the information age, but a lot of what’s spread as information is actually misinformation!
If one of your clients or prospects has become a disciple of one of these frauds, you’re going to have a tough time persuading them about your rightful place in their marketing plans.
What can you do about it?
1.) Ask your clients and prospects if there is a particular blog or marketing guru they follow, then learn what these experts are preaching. If their teachings are false, tactfully expose them, and if they make sense, show how what you are offering is a perfect fit with their teachings.
2.) If your client is interested in broadening their marketing knowledge, suggest blogs like our SoundADvice or Roy Williams’ Monday Morning Memo. You can also recommend books and gurus that do justice to your medium.
3.) Become an expert yourself…not just at selling what you sell, but at understanding and helping your clients’ success. You can only become an effective ‘teacher’ by becoming an avid student.
And after all, selling is merely teaching; teaching your prospects how and why you offer the best solutions.