One hard truth that every sales pro must learn sooner or later is that perception is reality. What the prospect perceives to be true is true. Or it may as well be because the prospect is going to act as if it is true, and you will either win or lose based on that perception. That’s true whether you are doing business online or off line.
The same thing is true of your current customers. If they are not satisfied with the level of service they are receiving, you have to fix that.
How do you do that in an online environment? There are strategies for building perceived value through content. In fact, that’s essentially what content marketing is all about. You must build a solid reputation for yourself as a knowledgeable expert within your niche. Your ability to do that is directly related to the level of content that you produce. High quality content speaks to high quality skill. That’s how your customers and your prospects see it.
In the SEO world, quality content means maximum SEO. That’s how the SEO community views it. But what does that mean? You can’t second-guess an algorithm. Especially when you don’t know it.
True content marketing is about making yourself appear to be the expert that you are. Your prospects have questions; you have answers. They have problems; you have solutions. When you position yourself to be the solution to your prospects’ and clients’ problems, then you are building perceived value. Do it through content, then do it through service.
