STOP TRYING TO GET NEW LEADS!
This may come as a surprise to some. But I say this because of the horrible chasing mode everyone adopts when trying to generate new business. The hard sell from cold calling, spammy emails, and linked-in DM's, to name a few, can all be very damaging for your business and brand.
What are all the problems that have stopped you from being able to grow your business?
Please, write a list of everything that comes to mind; you have a minute… I'll wait.
By now, you may have a list that looks a little like this:
- I can't find enough business
- I can't find the right business
- I can't find the right quality leads
- I can't charge the prices I want to
- I can't win enough clients
- I can't keep our best clients
- I can't find the right talent
- I can't keep my best people
- I can't afford to bring in support but have no time to find new business
- The list goes on…
I’m not saying you have all these problems, but hopefully, you’re getting the gist. The good news is that these problems can all be solved with one solution.
The solution?
To become a true authority in your chosen market.
What do I mean by that?
Well, becoming an Authority will activate the following things.
1.) Find + Keep the best talent
2.) Raise Prices
3.) Increase inbound leads
4.) Retain the best clients.
In 2022, buyers are looking for trust. They want to feel confident and reassured that they can trust the brand they are doing business with. This is why building brand authority will matter more than ever.
It comes from centring your company around people and painting them as authoritative experts in their field. The more customers that can relate to your brand as trustworthy people who know what they’re doing, the faster your business will grow.
Think about it.
Once people trust you and see you as an authority in your market, the leads will come to you.
Are you struggling to charge the right prices? Establishing yourself as an authority will help you command those higher fees; people will want to do business with you for being you.
So, the question is, how do you build brand authority?
1. Identify your Audience's most common questions.
Being an industry expert goes beyond just knowing about your product or services. It's about knowing what your customer wants to know. To do this, you must understand what prospects ask daily while considering a purchase.
Figuring this out, though, is easier said than done; here are some ways that can help you do this.
1a.) Talk to Sales - These guys need no introduction; who knows your customer better than the team that's in front of them directly every day? What are the most frequently asked questions, and how do they answer these questions?
1b.) Become an expert on your personas - Putting the time to clearly define each different persona and their unique individual path throughout the buyer's journey will help you better understand what your customers are asking and when.
1c.) Keyword research - Finally, keyword research is a way you can start understanding the search intent for your prospects.
2. Create Authoritative content
Creating authoritative content in the form of blog posts on your site can turn your brand into a credible source of information. On-site content is a great way to share valuable information and focus on your buyer’s pain points. It’s important to create informative and regular content which is written for humans and not just for search engines trying to boost your rankings.
A regularly updated blog with plenty of valuable information gives people a reason why they should visit your site over and over again. This will also help your business stand out and drive relevant traffic to your website.
Follow these four steps to help keep your content straightforward and audience-focused.
2a.) Create a user-focused design for your content that makes it easy to read.
2b.) Include easy navigation to what readers are looking for within your content.
2c.) Always cite all experts or sources used with a name and bio as well as a link if possible
2d.) Include facts and data research to prove your expertise.
3. Conducting insightful industry research
Marketers and businesses love to cite reputable brands to help back their arguments. A great way for a business to get its name out there is by conducting its own research, which people can rely on and share.
All you need is a sizeable sample pool and well-designed questions to conduct research.
4. Brand Your Team as In-House Experts
What’s more authentic than a company? A person. That’s why it’s always a good idea to brand your business with the individuals behind the curtain.
Yes, this is a bit more tricky for smaller, lesser-known companies. However, it is still possible to establish authority around your team members. A great first step is to have subject matter experts on particular subjects within your industry.
5. Leverage social proof to your advantage
Social proof is defined as a psychological and social phenomenon wherein people copy the actions of others in an attempt to undertake behaviour in a given situation.
So, how can we incorporate social proof?
5a.) Customer Review
5b.) Case Studies
5c.) User Generated Content
5d.) Client Testimonials or quotes
6. Update social media profiles regularly
Maintaining an active and healthy presence on relevant social media channels is an effective way to connect with potential business partners, customers and influencers. Social media allows you to share your knowledge and address criticism or questions as they arise.
7. Be Genuine
Finally, this may seem obvious, but be who you say you are. This all leads back to my initial point of being trustworthy. Business is about people, and by following through on your business promise, you’ll prove your trustworthiness to prospects and customers.
It’s now time to get started - In a world filled with sceptical buyers and educated consumers, it's more important than ever to know you are dealing with a business you can trust. This is why it's so important to have brand authority front of mind when planning your marketing activity.
If you're going to take one thing away from reading this, please remember, it's not just about knowledge; it's about trust. People buy from people. So use your brand authority strategy to rip down the curtain of your business and reveal the hard-working people behind it.
