We all know that continually up-leveling and bettering your skills is crucial to excelling as a salesperson. Once you become stagnant, you fall behind.
We also know that the content provided to your prospects in sales cycles is one of the few ways sellers are able to articulate and communicate their value and differentiation to buyers.
So, it only makes sense that as salespeople, we should all want to level up our writing skills to create more effective and actionable content for our buyers. Right?
But, how do you get started on the journey to being a better writer?
Well, not all of us learn the same way. Some of us can sit down and read a book for hours on end, others learn by listening, shadowing, or engaging in an active conversation with someone. Whatever your flavor of learning, we’ve compiled the resources to help you write better than your competitors.
Book to Read: Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
“Writing matters more now, not less. Our online words are our emissaries: They tell our customers who we are.
Our writing can make us look smart or it can make us look stupid. It can make us seem fun, or warm, or competent, or trustworthy—or it can make us seem humdrum or discombobulated or flat-out boring. That’s true whether you’re writing a listicle or the words on a SlideShare deck, and it’s also true of the words you’re reading right here, right now.
And that means you have to put a new value on an often-overlooked skill in content marketing: how to write, and how to tell a true story well.
And that means you have to choose words well—and learn how to write with economy and style and honest empathy for your customers.”
That’s just a taste of the advice, wisdom, and framing Ann Handley provides in her book. It’s been a favorite of our sales team and can help *anyone* write better.
Link to her website: https://annhandley.com/everybodywrites/
Community to Join: Sales Hacker
Sales Hacker is one of the largest communities of B2B sales professionals on the planet. One of the best resources at your disposal is their online forum and discussions. With over 21,000+ active members, the discussions page is a great place to ask for and offer advice, search for solutions, and gain expertise in sales.
But, it also has a hidden benefit. When looking at the questions posited by members, you can also learn how to craft compelling questions and concise answers. How many times have you seen a discussion topic asked and someone needs clarification before answering the question? On the flip side, how many times have you seen a solution is given but it requires additional clarification before truly being resolved.
By reading through the missteps of others and finding patterns, you can better your writing just by engaging in a conversation.
Our favorite discussions:
- What’s your secret to crafting catchy subject lines?
- What's your strategy for email personalization?
- What is one important skill everyone should have?
- If someone is thinking about a career in sales, what skills are crucial to get started?
Blog to Subscribe to: Gong.io
The best way to know your content is working? Data. And there’s no bigger aggregator of data in the game than Gong. If you’re unfamiliar, Gong is a Revenue Intelligence platform that analyzes sales calls to determine the effectiveness of different messaging, strategies, and team members so you can close more deals.
Each month, their software listens to thousands of outbound calls and they have an entire data science team who takes that data and makes it sing in their blog.
An immense amount of data + actionable nuggets in the form of content? Sign us up.
Our favorite reads:
- This Sales “Best Practice” Is Actually Terrible For Your Discovery Calls (And It’s Not What You Think.)
- These Are The Best Sales Email Tips You’ll Read In 2021
- 10 Proven Sales Prospecting Techniques To Book More Meetings
Podcast to Listen to: Sales Influence - Why People Buy!
In a buyer-centric landscape, having a deep understanding of buyer behavior is a priceless skill. Hone yours via this podcast from Victor Antonio. In his podcast, Victor discusses how people buy by using the latest studies in consumer behavior and neuroscience to sell more effectively. Critical insights to crafting your message and writing in a way that will resonate with your audience.
He has over 350 episodes ranging from long, 30+ minute interviews to quick, 5-minute anecdotes on a way to re-frame and position your offering to your prospects.
Our favorite episodes:
- 351 - Change Client Priorities
- 349 - Help Your Customers
- 344 - Sell the Big Picture
- 334 - It’s about Decision-Making Confidence
Out-Write Your Competitors
Now you may have gotten to the end of this list and were like, “Hey! These resources weren’t just strictly about writing and grammar! What gives?” Often, the key to being better at writing is deeply understanding and empathizing with the content you’re writing. Arming yourself with knowledge and empathy (+ maybe getting some grammar help from your friendly, neighborhood marketer or a tool like Grammarly) will make you a better sales writer than any course or writing boot camp ever will.
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