Expert pull

Disciplines > Sales > Prospecting > Expert pull

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Become an expert in an area where prospective customers have a need for expertise. Or use the expertise you have and develop your sales skills further.

Get your interest and expertise known, for example by:

Publishing interesting articles in trade journals.
Writing a book on the subject.
Speaking at subject conferences.
Starting a website that is a 'category killer' in the subject.
Writing a blog on the subject.
Announce your expertise on your business card.

With enough publicity, people will beat a path to your door.

Example

A pen salesperson becomes a national expert on writing style and graphology.

A professor of medicine helps in the sales team for medical instrumentation to major customers.

Discussion

Expertise first of all gives you credibility, and credibility engenders trust. With expertise you have the power of authority and can make unchallenged assertions.

With expertise you can also help your customers resolve real problems and so create an exchange dynamic.

People like experts, partly because simply by associating with the expert, they feel a little more expert too. The certainty that the expert brings also helps people feel a stronger sense of control.