* This article was originally published here
Monday, September 30, 2024
How To Start Earning With the Amazon Affiliate Program (2024) - shopify.com
How To Start Earning With the Amazon Affiliate Program (2024) shopify.com
* This article was originally published here
Discover how to make money fast with affiliate marketing - subscribe here!
* This article was originally published here
Instagram Chief Says ‘Following’ Feed Option Won’t Work
IG boss Adam Mosseri says that people don’t actually want a ’following’ feed option.
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, September 29, 2024
Meta Showcases Updated VR Avatars
The next generation of VR depictions is coming.
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Instagram Launches Signature Sound of the App
It’s not pleasant, but maybe that’s not the point.
* This article was originally published here
Friday, September 27, 2024
Meta’s AI Bots Run Counter to the Value of Social Media
Meta’s looking to replicate human interaction with AI bots. But is that a good thing?
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, September 26, 2024
When It Comes to Hiring, Experience Is Overrated
Some years ago I was doing a training session with a sales team. Typically how these trainings work is we’ll teach a communication principle or two and then role-play them in real time. We’ll do this several times over the course of an hour.
When it came time to start our first role-play, the most senior member of the team was adamant: I’m not doing that. I’ve been selling for 20 years and I don’t need to practice.
Now, I know role-plays can be uncomfortable — and I know this guy probably was a pretty good salesman.
But, if I were building a sales team, would I hire him? Absolutely not.
His response proved to me exactly what I’ve often found to be the case.
When it comes to hiring, experience is overrated.
That deep resume filled with years of experience can be more of a drawback than a benefit.
Experience often comes with rigidity and a sense of privilege. Of course, this is not always the case. There are countless pros who foster a growth mindset even as they accumulate years of experience.
But when I help companies hire — especially for sales, marketing, and customer service — nine times out of 10 I advise them to hire for coachability and eagerness, not experience.
What to look for instead of experience
In the knowledge economy, the ability to learn trumps the accumulation of experience.
These learners could be young folks with energy and passion, but they don’t have to be fresh-faced twentysomethings. Older professionals can be learners as well — especially if they switched careers at some point to try something new.
According to research from PWC and others, companies are increasingly turning to industry outsiders. The feeling goes like this: If we hire from inside the industry we’ll hear the same old ideas that have all been tried before. But if we get an outsider, we can bring in a fresh perspective.
Increasingly, organizations are looking for something novel in their applicant pool: the ability to adapt, explore, question, and invigorate.
And as I help companies hire their next great sales and marketing pros, I’m moving in the same direction. Coachability and growth potential top pretty much everything else.
The only question is, how do you actually find it?
3 ways to verify an applicant's coachability
Here’s the problem. It’s easy to see experience on a resume: three years here, director of this, responsible for that. It’s harder to see coachability.
So, how do you evaluate something you can’t see?
I’m not going to lie — it can be hard at first, but here are three things you can try.
1. Get more out of your hiring task
In almost every hiring situation, you should include real-world tasks for the applicant to complete.
When you do this and how you do this will depend on the role and your needs, but the tasks should mimic the actual responsibilities the applicants would have in the role if they’re hired:
- The manager facilitates a role-play 1:1 with a troubled employee
- The marketing applicant needs to design a mini campaign
- The salesperson puts together a prospecting strategy
- The videographer produces a quick video
And so on.
Now, the smart thing to do is to use these tasks to measure more than just competency.
Sure, you want to know that your content manager candidates can write a good article. You want to know that your sales rep candidates can put together a strong presentation.
But that’s not where the evaluation should end.
When you collect their work, don’t just use it to check a box for whether they can do the job or not. Instead, offer specific feedback. Tell the candidate in advance that a feedback session will be coming, and make sure some of the feedback you give is critical.
This is the important moment.
Watch the candidate react to feedback in real time. Do they squirm, blame the assignment, or glaze over? If so, they’re not demonstrating coachability. Rather, they’re rejecting your feedback, passing the buck, or just pretending to listen.
Now, imagine the difference. When you offer feedback, a candidate engages with you. You have a discussion. She pushes you to explain a few things more clearly — not to be argumentative, but to really understand your point of view. She takes some notes. Her body language is receptive, open, comfortable, and focused.
That’s the coachable person. That’s the one you should hire.
2. Scrutinize recommendation letters — and follow up
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that recommendation letters are fairly worthless. Not because the opinions of coworkers and managers don’t matter. They do. A lot. The problem is that rec letters are all pretty much boilerplate.
I’ve read a lot, and they mostly all say the same thing:
Hard worker
Stays organized
Team player
And so on.
To find what you’re really looking for in a rec letter, look closely for stories of struggle, perseverance, adaptability, and contribution.
If you don’t find them, set up a time to speak with the supervisor or colleague who wrote the letter and ask.
Be specific. Ask about growth and development, and when things did not go the person’s way.
- What role does this person tend to play? Hero or victim?
- How did they respond to adversity?
3. Ask the candidate
This sounds obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. Ask the candidate directly: Are you comfortable learning new things and receiving candid feedback?
Be clear that these are parts of your company culture, and that the person should know this upfront.
Of course, anyone looking for a job is likely in interview mode, so take what they say with a grain of salt. Still, it’s important to set expectations from the outset so they know what they’re going into.
At IMPACT, we have all new hires read a half-dozen books that line up with our core values. We want them to know from Day 1 that we value candor, collaboration, and involvement.
Hiring for the high upside
Imagine this.
You’ve narrowed it down to two applicants: Candidate A and Candidate B.
If you knew that Candidate B had way higher potential than Candidate A but would take some time to get there, which would you choose?
When you hire an experienced candidate, you’re getting more of a known commodity. That’s both good and bad. The good is obvious, but the bad is this: There’s a good chance that this person has already reached his potential. His capabilities for growth are more modest, so what you’re getting might be good, but it’s unlikely to get much better.
Think back to the salesman in my opening anecdote. Was he good? Probably. Was he going to get much better? Probably not. He had already peaked in his mind, and he was unwilling to do the work to improve.
Not only that, but he was also limiting the growth potential of every person in that room.
When you hire someone hungry and coachable, their best days are far in the future.
That’s a really exciting prospect — but it requires patience and mentoring to bring to fruition.
You will have to play a part in that person’s development. Otherwise, he will never reach his full potential.
The future of your business
The nature of work is changing — and the challenges that lay ahead can’t always be predicted a few months ahead of time.
Let alone a few years.
If the pandemic and the dawning of AI have taught us anything, it was that adaptability and creativity are crucial, while strict allegiance to the status quo can be a death sentence.
In her book Rookie Smarts, author Liz Wiseman writes, “While experience provides a distinct advantage in a stable field — like the realms of bridge building, ballet, or concert piano performance — it can actually impede progress in an unstable or quickly evolving arena.”
When you look to hire your next team member, don’t be bound by the outdated principle that experience matters most. Hire someone coachable, hungry, and ready to learn. You want a company full of workers whose best days are ahead of them.
Author: jbecker@impactbnd.com (John Becker)
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Stop Avoiding AI: Here's How it Can Enhance Your Business [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 66]
About This Episode
If you lead a company, you’ve probably heard the buzz around AI and wondered, “Would it really be that helpful for us?” Maybe you’ve dabbled with AI tools like ChatGPT, or perhaps you’re more cautious, watching from the sidelines as others dive in. It’s natural to feel hesitant. The landscape is constantly shifting, and your concerns about security, ROI, or whether AI will truly integrate with your team are valid. But here’s the question: What if AI could help your business without replacing the humans driving it?
That’s what Alex Winter and Chris Duprey, Principal Coach at IMPACT, explore in the latest episode of Endless Customers. They discuss how AI, when used right, can help any sized business not just survive, but thrive.
Feeling AI Hesitation? It’s Not Just You
You’re not alone if you’re on the fence about AI. Chris has been traveling all over the country, talking to business leaders and CEOs. And guess what? Even though AI has dominated headlines, many CEOs and decision-makers still don’t quite understand it.
“I start every workshop,” Chris explains, “whether it's with a CEO group or a company, with ‘On a scale of 0 to 10, how much do you use AI every day? Zero means you can’t spell ‘AI,’ 10 means it’s part of your workflow.’”
The result? Most responses fall between a 0.5 and a 2. People are aware of AI but often dismiss it as a tool for writing poetry or cheating on school papers, rather than something that can revolutionize their business. The fear of the unknown keeps them from seeing its full potential.
Changing the Narrative from Fear to Curiosity
Chris has witnessed firsthand how quickly a room can go from skepticism to excitement once people start understanding AI’s real capabilities. He recalls a workshop with a company in the security industry where the mood was initially tense.
“It was fear-based,” Alex adds. “They were a security company.”
But within 15 minutes, that fear started to dissipate, replaced by curiosity. Chris explains how this shift happens: “In just three hours, you can take people from thinking, ‘AI is dumb,’ to ‘Oh, holy smokes, this could help us.’” Once people see AI as a tool to make their jobs easier, the anxiety melts away.
AI Is Not Here to Replace You—It’s Here to Help You
One of the most important messages from Chris is that AI isn’t here to take over human jobs. In fact, it’s more like an advanced assistant. You wouldn’t hire someone today who refuses to use email, right? That’s how AI will soon be perceived—an essential tool that makes your life easier.
Chris emphasizes that many business leaders fear AI because they think it will replace human workers, but the reality is different. AI is here to handle the tedious, repetitive tasks that take up valuable time. That leaves your team free to focus on high-level work that drives real results.
“I’ve been in rooms with CEOs who were initially afraid AI would replace jobs,” Chris says. “But when I show them how AI can actually make training, onboarding, and even translation tasks easier, they start to see the potential.”
Real-World Applications
In Chris’s travels, he’s seen some surprising places where AI can make an impact. You might think AI is all about marketing and sales, but he’s found it can be incredibly useful in areas like training and onboarding.
“Most people think of AI for things like creating landing pages or writing articles,” Chris explains. “But when I ask CEOs how they would experiment with AI, many of them think about training and onboarding.”
For example, companies can now use AI tools like HeyGen or Synthesia to create training videos in multiple languages without needing a professional film crew. That’s huge for businesses that need to train employees quickly and cost-effectively.
Another example? AI tools can create an avatar of you that speaks in the primary language of your clients. Chris shares how he used an AI tool to translate a video of him speaking English into French for a presentation in Quebec. “It wasn’t just a direct translation,” Chris says. “It even had the Quebec accent. People thought I’d suddenly learned French!”
The Fear of AI in Sales and Marketing
Of course, a big concern for many businesses is how AI will affect sales and marketing. Will AI automate too much? Will it take away the personal touch that’s so crucial in building relationships with customers?
Chris’s answer? Not if you use AI the right way. The key is to view AI as a co-pilot, not a replacement. It’s there to handle the tedious work—like gathering customer data or organizing reports—so your team can focus on what they do best: building connections and closing deals.
And when it comes to content creation, AI can streamline processes without compromising quality. But again, it’s not doing the work for you; it’s enhancing your ability to deliver personalized, relevant messages faster than ever.
Don’t Fall Behind on Learning AI as a Tool
Imagine running a construction company where you refuse to use power tools. Sure, you can still build a house with hand tools, but how long would it take? How many more mistakes might you make? Now imagine your competitor is using power tools. They’re working faster, producing better results, and growing their business. That’s what AI is like—it’s a power tool for your business.
As Chris puts it, “If you’re not trying to figure out how to sharpen the saw—how to get better, more efficient, and more useful—you’re going to struggle.” AI isn’t going away. It’s here to stay, and businesses that don’t adopt it will get left behind.
Getting Started with AI
The best advice Chris gives to companies? Start experimenting. The only way to know if AI can help your business is to try it out. Begin with small tasks, like asking ChatGPT how it can help with a specific job function. The more you use it, the more you’ll discover how powerful these tools can be.
For instance, when Chris first used ChatGPT, he simply talked to it like he would a colleague. “I asked it questions just like we’re talking now,” Chris recalls. “And it gave me exactly what I needed.” The key is to not overthink it—just start the conversation and see where it leads.
Be Curious, Not Judgmental
Chris leaves us with a piece of advice borrowed from Ted Lasso: “Be curious, not judgmental.” If you’ve only tried AI once or twice and didn’t see the value, try again. AI evolves rapidly, and what didn’t work six months ago might now exceed your expectations. The more curious you are, the more you’ll uncover ways AI can benefit your business.
“If you’re judgmental and not curious, you’re not going to die,” Chris says with a laugh. “But you will get left behind as more people adopt AI and start finding efficiencies. And cash flow is king.”
So, take the first step—experiment, learn, and grow. AI isn’t just for big tech companies or the future. It’s here now, ready to help you drive your business forward.
AI is not a threat—it’s an opportunity. Whether you’re looking to improve your sales, streamline your onboarding, or create multilingual training videos, AI can help you do it better and faster. Start small, experiment, and stay curious. That’s the key to embracing AI without losing the human touch that makes your business unique.
Connect with Chris Duprey
Chris Duprey is a sought-after speaker and business coach with over two decades of leadership experience.
Get to know Chris through his IMPACT bio page
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Keep Learning
Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Meta Launches New Developer Hubs To Facilitate External Projects
An important update for developers building with Meta's tools.
* This article was originally published here
Monday, September 23, 2024
How to Simplify Your Transition to AI: HubSpot's AI Tools for Marketing & Sales [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 65]
About this Episode
Chances are you're familiar with HubSpot. Or perhaps, you're considering leveraging its suite of tools to streamline your marketing, sales, and service processes. Recently, HubSpot's INBOUND event delivered a wave of new updates designed specifically to cater to growing companies like yours—offering solutions that promise to scale without overwhelming.
So, what are the key takeaways for businesses?Jess Palmeri, Director of HubSpot Training at IMPACT, breaks down the most significant features introduced at INBOUND 2024 (HubSpot’s flagship event, gathering business leaders, marketers, and sales professionals to hear about the latest features and updates to the platform) and explains how businesses can use these new tools to grow their customer base effectively. Spoiler alert: AI is front and center!
AI at the Core: Enter HubSpot’s “Breeze”
Have you ever wished that your business tools could work with you, almost like a personal assistant? Enter Breeze, HubSpot’s newly announced AI tool. Breeze integrates AI across all aspects of the HubSpot platform—marketing, sales, and service—allowing businesses to leverage automation in a seamless, intuitive way.
Breeze was compared to the likes of Microsoft's Copilot and Google’s Gemini—other tech giants that are also incorporating AI into their ecosystems. What’s different with Breeze? It’s designed to remove the complexity that typically comes with AI tools, ensuring that even those not familiar with prompting or advanced AI commands can still reap its benefits.
According to Jess, “HubSpot wants to make AI approachable. It’s not about scaring businesses off with technical jargon or advanced functions. It’s about making things easier.” This means that whether you’re a marketer or a sales professional, you can use AI to your advantage without needing to be an expert.
Breeze Copilots: Your Personalized Assistant
One of the standout features Jess highlighted was Breeze Copilots, which is essentially like having a HubSpot assistant at your fingertips. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by data entry, report creation, or just navigating through your CRM, Breeze Copilots has your back.
Jess explained how Breeze can walk users through complicated tasks, such as building reports, in a context-aware manner. “It’s not about throwing complex AI at you and expecting you to figure it out. It’s like having a HubSpot trainer sitting beside you, guiding you through the process,” she said.
For example, if you need to run a content ROI report but don’t know where to start, you can ask Breeze to guide you. This functionality even extends to mobile devices, making it easier than ever for business leaders on the go.
The Power of Breeze Agents
Jess also emphasized how Breeze Agents can be a game-changer for growing companies. These agents can perform various tasks across marketing, sales, and customer service. There’s a social media agent that automates content creation and scheduling, a prospecting agent that assists with identifying high-value leads, and a customer service agent that helps manage queries.
These AI agents don’t replace jobs—they enhance productivity. Think of them as team members who handle time-consuming, repetitive tasks. Imagine automating follow-up emails for prospects who visited your website or using AI to predict the best time to post on social media, based on your brand’s historical performance.
Alex Winter pointed out, “It feels like someone on your team who knows your CRM inside out and can help you navigate it. That kind of assistance changes the game for busy business leaders.”
Smarter, Streamlined Lead Scoring
If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number of leads in your CRM, struggling to figure out which ones to prioritize, you’ll love this next update. HubSpot's lead scoring process just got a massive upgrade, and it’s designed to help businesses pinpoint those warm, ready-to-buy prospects more efficiently.
Lead scoring is now tightly integrated with AI-driven insights, and it’s more customizable than ever. Jess highlighted this feature, explaining that the new lead scoring makes it easier to see which leads are engaged and ready for sales to step in. For sales teams who are juggling numerous accounts and leads, this is a breath of fresh air.
“You can now have the system alert you when prospects re-engage with your content. No more digging through analytics—HubSpot does the heavy lifting for you,” Jess said.
Podcasting & Video Analytics - A Marketer’s Dream
For businesses producing podcasts, YouTube videos, or other forms of multimedia content, HubSpot now offers enhanced podcasting analytics. As Alex mentioned during the episode, podcasting can be an effective way to build trust with your audience. However, tracking ROI has always been tricky.
Jess shared the exciting news that podcast analytics is now built into the platform, allowing businesses to track engagement and conversions right from the HubSpot dashboard. Even better, you can now repurpose video content into blog posts or turn written content into videos—thanks to integrated AI.
This is a huge deal for businesses relying on content marketing. You can now get more out of every piece of content you create, ensuring that your investment goes further.
Social Media, Made Simple
We all know how important social media is for building brand awareness and engaging with customers, but it can also be a time-consuming and often daunting task. With the new updates, HubSpot simplifies social media management by allowing users to schedule posts, create content, and manage accounts all from one platform.
Jess excitedly noted that with Breeze Social Agent, HubSpot can analyze your past performance and suggest the best times to post, and even generate social posts tailored to your audience. “It takes the guesswork out of social media,” Jess said.
Imagine how much easier your marketing team’s job will be when they can automate much of the busywork and focus more on strategy and creativity.
Closing the Loop on Customer Service
One feature Jess was particularly excited about was the new Breeze Customer Agent, which brings AI directly into customer service. If you have a large knowledge base, the customer agent will leverage AI to respond to common customer inquiries, helping your support team handle more queries at scale.
Not only does it serve up answers from your company’s existing content, but it can also intelligently route more complex issues to a human. This hybrid model ensures that your customers get the answers they need quickly while freeing up your human support team to focus on higher-value tasks.
What Does This Mean for Businesses?
As Jess explained throughout the episode, these updates can have a profound impact on businesses using HubSpot. From automating lead scoring and prospecting to streamlining content creation and customer service, HubSpot is making its platform even more powerful without overwhelming users with complexity.
For a business pulling in over $5 million in revenue, these updates could be the catalyst to scale faster, provide better customer service, and free up time for higher-level strategic planning.
As AI becomes more accessible and integrated into everyday business tools, there’s never been a better time to embrace automation. The future of business growth lies in leveraging tools that make your processes smarter and more efficient—and HubSpot’s updates from INBOUND offer just that.
Connect with Jess
As IMPACT’s Director of HubSpot Training, Jess Palmeri guides teams to HubSpot mastery — no matter what their starting point.
Learn more about Jess on her IMPACT bio page
Connect with Jess on LinkedIn
Learn how we help teams get more from HubSpot
Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)
* This article was originally published here
Sunday, September 22, 2024
Saturday, September 21, 2024
YouTube Expands Access To Pause Screen Ads
A new ad consideration for your YouTube campaigns.
* This article was originally published here
Friday, September 20, 2024
Support for US TikTok Sell-off Is Waning [Infographic]
The TikTok sell off push could see the app removed from the US early next year.
* This article was originally published here
Thursday, September 19, 2024
How Do I Get my Old School Sales Reps to Buy in to They Ask, You Answer?
I say it all the time, but it bears repeating: the way people buy is changing — and it's changing faster than most people realize.
Increasingly, this means that the way sales teams and salespeople operate has to change to cater to the way people want to buy today.
According to a recent study published in Forbes, 75% of B2B buyers would prefer an entirely seller-free buying experience. Now, that number might be high, but think about that for a second. As many as three quarters of your buyers would prefer not to talk to your sales team at all.
They want to be able to purchase exactly what they want without any contact with a sales rep.
We’ve seen this play out for years in the retail space with cashierless checkout lines, and now touchless sales are becoming more and more popular in every industry. Today, people buy their mattress online. They buy their groceries online. They buy their TV online. Heck, you can even buy a car or a condo online.
Considering the state of sales today, the company that best serves its customers — and the way those customers want to buy — is the company that will win their business.
The companies that cling to the old way of doing things will get left behind by buyers who’ve changed, and who expect companies to change as well.
Why They Ask, You Answer serves the modern buyer
Today, before buyers make a purchase, they spend a great deal of time doing research. This could mean looking up reviews for a product, comparing two services side by side, or researching how to get the best price.
Or, it could be joining a social media group or chatting with Google Gemini about different options.
Then, when they’re ready, they reach out to a company. At this point, they’re much more educated than buyers in the past. In fact, much of what used to be part of the sale process is already complete at this point.
If a company can provide the educational resource that makes potential customers feel more comfortable as they’re approaching a purchase, that company will see two enormous advantages:
- First, those customers will trust you, provided they see you’ve been open and straightforward.
- Second, those customers will be more qualified for sales conversations, as they already know enough to make an informed decision.
They Ask, You Answer urges businesses to obsess over the questions their prospects have — and to answer them honestly on their website.
This way, customers can find the answers they need and build a trusting relationship with your brand.
And it's not just through organic search that these resources can help your business. Sales reps can send content to prospects during the sales process — a technique we call assignment selling.
These benefits of They Ask, You Answer (driving traffic, building trust, shortening the sales cycle) will allow your business to best serve today’s buyer.
However, it will only be a successful initiative if everyone at your company is bought in, including leadership, marketing, and... wait for it — sales.
They Ask You Answer needs sales team buy-in to be successful
I have taught over 300 on-site trainings with sales teams over the past 15 years. What I’ve seen is that the most successful content marketing initiatives are those from companies where the sales team is bought in. When content is seen as something that only belongs to marketing, it never gains traction and influences sales. Instead, this furthers the divide between the two teams.
If you want They Ask, You Answer to succeed at your company, you need your sales team to be on board — and in order for them to be on board, they need to see that it works.
Salespeople are often resistant to change. If they have a tried and true method, they’re unlikely to try something new that is more uncertain.
But even these salespeople are sure to recognize that buyers have changed. Today, buyers are more informed than ever before.
And, if you can acknowledge that your buyers are getting information from somewhere, you can easily see the advantage to having them get it from you.
Getting They Ask, You Answer buy in
The key to getting They Ask, You Answer buy in from your sales reps is to show them how the methodology will make their lives easier.
Like with most things, a top-down approach will only get you so far, and you'll get plenty of resistance and resentment along the way
It’s fine to eventually make They Ask, You Answer a requirement for all sales reps, but you should only do that once you’ve built a cohort that is bought in and will be able to help you spread the word.
Bringing They Ask, You Answer to your sales team in 5 steps
In order to get full adoption, start with a subset of your team — and build consensus from there. That early group will be crucial to full team buy in.
- Find your players. Pick a subset of your sales team (say, 25%), who are typically more open to new initiatives. Teach them They Ask, You Answer, preferably with a coach who can help with training.
- Choose your plays. Focus on small-scale adoption for quick wins: Sending 1:1 videos, sharing content during the sales process, and focusing on education instead of a sales pitch
- Get some reps. Let those sales reps practice They Ask, You Answer techniques with prospects. As they get the hang of it, have them share their successes with colleagues.
- Build momentum. As word of successful adoption spreads, prepare to offer They Ask, You Answer trainings to the whole team, using early adopters to help instruct and encourage.
- Change the culture. Make They Ask, You Answer required for all sales reps, with the clear indication that leadership will help support their adoption.
Once They Ask, You Answer is a requirement at your company, make sure to put the structure into place to allow for a successful full adoption. This means ongoing training and support, as well as the meeting time necessary to make sure sales and marketing are working together.
Putting They Ask, You Answer into practice
Although They Ask, You Answer is primarily a sales initiative, the bulk of the work falls to marketing. After all, they will be the ones writing and publishing the content. Because of this, getting sales to do their part is a relatively small ask.
Sharing questions with the marketing team
One aspect of this process is easy. Get your sales reps to share the questions they’re hearing from buyers with the marketing team.
A recurring content brainstorm meeting every two weeks or once a month will be sufficient for this. It’s a small time commitment, after all, and makes a big difference.
Assignment selling is harder, and requires training
However, to truly embrace They Ask, You Answer, your sales reps need to practice assignment selling. That is, they need to use the content in the sales process.
The marketers have produced the content that answers the customer questions. Now, it’s up to sales to use this content to better educate their buyers. This can be done proactively — they send a piece of content that answers an anticipated question — or reactively — sharing content after a call to fully satisfy a question that came up in a conversation.
In order to do this well, you’ll need some training. Sales leaders need to be ready to provide the necessary instruction and support.
To get you started, you can use the resource below, or talk to us about our coaching services.
🔎Related resources:
Adapt now... or become obsolete
In the last few years, I have seen hundreds of businesses embrace virtual selling (that is, selling over a Zoom or other video call), many of which, before the pandemic, had previously been very skeptical of such practices. Instead, they found that virtual selling could work for their industry.
With the buying process continually moving away from the traditional sales model, now is the time to implement a They Ask, You Answer initiative at your company.
It will allow you to best serve your modern buyers, and to build trust in the marketplace.
The time is ripe for change.
Author: msheridan@impactbnd.com (Marcus Sheridan)
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
From Zero to $17 Million: How Social Media Drives Revenue and Business Growth [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 64]
About This Episode
Running a business can feel like a high-stakes balancing act, and a lot of times, a business’ social media presence can be something that falls through the cracks. Many medium-sized businesses, even with more than $5 million in revenue, struggle to turn social media into a profit center. Maybe you've dabbled in posting or hired a college-age intern to handle your accounts, but the results are lackluster. Sound familiar? Well, you're not alone. The struggle to make social media work for your business is real, but it doesn't have to be a losing battle.
In this episode of Endless Customers, host Alex Winter dives deep into this topic with Robyn Nissim, a social media expert with 14 years of experience. Robyn has worked with global brands like Michelin, Nissan, Ulta Beauty, and more, taking social media accounts from nothing into a serious revenue driver.
Robyn Nissim's Journey to Social Media Mastery
Robyn's journey began with a unique edge: being a millennial at a time when that was a hot topic. "I made a career for myself out of being a millennial," Robyn shared. In meetings with VPs and CMOs, she was often asked, "Millennial, how do we reach you?" She leveraged this to her advantage, candidly telling them that spending a million dollars on a TV commercial wasn't the way to go. "If you want to reach me, it's on social media," she explained. This straightforward approach opened doors, allowing her to take brands like Michelin and Nissan online, even sending a viral tweet to world-famous music producer and DJ, Deadmau5, that resulted in 350 million impressions.
Robyn's career took off as she navigated the ‘Wild West’ of early social media, eventually leading strategy and execution for Ulta Beauty's influencer marketing program. She later managed social media at brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills and Alo Yoga. Her track record is proof that social media isn't just about posting pretty pictures—it's about crafting a strategy that drives results.
Misconceptions About Social Media
Many business owners have misconceptions about social media, one of the biggest being, "My target audience isn't on social media." Robyn debunked this myth with a statistic: 64% of the population over 18 is on social media. "There is a good chance someone in your target is there," she emphasized. The challenge is not whether your audience is on social media, but how to reach them effectively.
Another common misconception is that anyone can do social media. "Back in the day when social wasn't monetized, anyone could do it," Robyn said. "But now, social media is a revenue-driving channel." She shared her experience with Alo Yoga, where she turned organic social into a $17 million-a-month revenue-driving channel. "You don't just create that stream of revenue with luck. There's strategy involved," she added.
Getting Strategic with Social Media
Social media done right is a blend of brand marketing, digital marketing, and creative execution. Robyn highlighted that outsourcing social media to someone who only knows how to post company pictures isn't enough. "You're missing two-thirds of what it takes to be successful," she pointed out. A successful social strategy involves understanding your user's journey, creating a blend of content, and tracking results.
Robyn recommends crafting strategies that support the business from all angles. She used the example of a law firm, saying you should uncover deeper stories beyond just their services, like the history of the firm or community initiatives they're involved in. "You need to find something to talk about that people who aren't in the law space can connect with and share," she said.
Creating Variety and Engagement
Robyn strongly recommended the importance of variety in your content. "The best social media is a blend," she explained. Using her "content matrix," Robyn ensures that content stays on strategy while diversifying to keep the audience engaged. The goal is to prevent content fatigue and keep things fresh.
Robyn also stressed the need to give content enough time to resonate with your audience. "You start to get a sense at the six-week mark, but you really don't know before three months," she advised. It's important to iterate and find the right way to deliver your message.
Overcoming the Buy-In Challenge
Achieving buy-in from leadership and the entire company can be the catalyst in turning social media into a powerful revenue driver. Robyn shared her remarkable experience with Alo Yoga, where she was brought in with a clear directive: make the brand sensational. Unlike many companies that hesitate to commit, Alo Yoga was all in from the start. "They brought me in saying, we want to be sensational. Your only job is to blow this up, and we will give you every resource you need," Robyn recounted. With this level of support, she transformed organic social media into a $17 million-a-month revenue channel within just one year.
Robyn highlighted how critical it is to have the entire organization on board, not just the leadership. "You need to be so plugged into what every single department is doing so that you can be successful on social," she emphasized. Social media isn’t just a one-person job. It requires collaboration across departments like PR, customer service, and product development to keep the content fresh and engaging.
Without this level of buy-in, social media managers can quickly find themselves overwhelmed and burned out. "Without the buy-in, you will have a burnt-out social media marketer," Robyn warned. They’re the ones facing trolls online while also trying internally to get others on board. The lack of organizational support can make the role almost impossible to sustain effectively.
So, for businesses hesitant to fully dive into social media, Robyn suggests starting with a bit of competitor analysis. Look at what your competitors are doing and think about what makes your company unique. It's not just about copying others—it's about understanding the landscape and identifying how you can stand out. With the right buy-in from leadership and a collaborative effort across the company, social media can become a powerful tool to engage with your audience and drive significant growth.
Takeaways: How to Get Started on Social Media
- Understand Your Audience: They're on social media, but you need to know how to reach them effectively. Start with competitor analysis to see what's working in your industry.
- Craft a Strategy: Develop a comprehensive social media strategy that goes beyond just posting content. Think about your brand's story, values, and how you can engage with your audience on a deeper level.
- Create Diverse Content: Keep your content fresh and engaging. Experiment and iterate to find what resonates with your audience.
- Advocate Internally: Social media success requires buy-in from the entire organization. Be prepared to advocate for your channel across different departments.
- Balance Paid and Organic: While paid social can boost high-performing posts, focus on building an organic audience that truly connects with your brand.
Social media is a powerful tool for building trust and driving revenue, but it requires a strategic approach and a willingness to experiment. Whether you're just starting or looking to level up your social game, remember that it's not about overnight success. It's about creating a genuine connection with your audience and providing value that keeps them coming back. So, are you ready to take the plunge into social media and make it work for your business?
Connect with Robyn
Robyn Nissim is a social media and content expert with a track record of driving explosive growth for brands.
Check out her website
Connect with Robyn on LinkedIn
Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
The Most Popular Social Apps Among Gen Z Consumers [Infographic]
YouTube continues to drive trends among younger consumers.
* This article was originally published here
Monday, September 16, 2024
How to Get Better Quality Leads with Assignment Selling [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 63]
About This Episode
If you’re a business leader, you’ve probably faced the challenge of getting your sales team to fully embrace a new strategy. One of the ways we’ve seen this play out at IMPACT is when leaders try to get their sales team to adopt Assignment Selling, a concept that leverages content throughout the sales process to inform and engage buyers. Despite its proven effectiveness, many companies struggle with getting their team on board. But as discussed in a recent episode of Endless Customers featuring Alex Winter and Chris Duprey, mastering Assignment Selling could be a game changer—if you can overcome the initial resistance.
What is Assignment Selling?
At its core, Assignment Selling is about integrating educational content into the sales process. Rather than relying solely on traditional pitches and meetings, Assignment Selling gives prospective buyers resources—like blog posts, videos, and guides—that answer key questions before a sales conversation even begins.
Chris explains the concept best: “We leverage content to help educate buyers about the sales process... The more people are educated, the more they’re going to buy. And we can influence that in the sales process if we do it correctly.” This strategy allows sales teams to prime their prospects with knowledge and, as a result, shorten the sales cycle and increase conversion rates.
The foundation of this idea comes from Marcus Sheridan's "They Ask, You Answer" philosophy. In fact, one of Marcus’ early revelations was that customers who read 30 articles on his pool company’s website converted 80% of the time. From there, the company began assigning content proactively—such as a 30-page buyer’s guide—before meeting with prospects.
Why Assignment Selling Works
One of the biggest challenges in sales is walking into a meeting with an unprepared buyer. They might not know what to expect, or worse, they might come in defensive or even try to control the conversation. When buyers are in the dark, sales conversations often become repetitive and ineffective.
Assignment Selling flips that script by preparing buyers ahead of time. As Chris put it, “When people don’t know what to expect, they show up cold and defensive, or like the alpha dog that’s going to take charge of the call.” Neither scenario is ideal for closing a sale.
With Assignment Selling, potential clients are given the content they need before the meeting, answering common questions and easing anxieties. This not only builds trust with prospects and makes them feel more confident but also positions the salesperson as an expert and trusted advisor, setting the stage for a more productive and focused conversation.
The Hurdles of Implementing Assignment Selling
While the concept of Assignment Selling seems straightforward, getting your sales team to adopt it can be a challenge. Chris outlined some common hurdles leaders face when introducing this strategy:
- Sales teams resist being assertive. It’s a bit ironic, but many salespeople shy away from being direct because they don’t want to come across as pushy. Chris explains, “Sales folks don’t like to be assertive or tell people what to do... They don’t want to be the pushy salesperson.” Instead of soft-pedaling, Chris encourages leaders to coach their team to use firm but helpful language, like: “For us to have the best meeting and make the most of our time together, I need you to review these materials before we meet.”
- Many salespeople dislike using video. One of the most effective ways to execute Assignment Selling is through personalized, one-on-one video. However, some salespeople are uncomfortable with how they look or sound on camera. Chris reminds us that prospects see and hear you the same way in person: “It’s not like you can change what you look or sound like when you walk into a meeting. It’s you.” By practicing, your team will get more comfortable—and once they see the impact on their sales, they’ll be hooked.
- Lack of content. Many companies hesitate to start Assignment Selling because they feel they don’t have enough content. But as Chris explains, you can still start the process with simple, personalized videos or existing resources. He recommends recording a short video for a prospect outlining what the meeting will cover and why the content you’ve sent is important. Over time, more content can be developed, but the initial steps are doable even without a full content library.
- Consistency in execution. Leaders often struggle to get every salesperson on the same page with Assignment Selling. It’s crucial to offer support and guidance, but as Chris notes, “The best way to get buy-in is to have one or two team members start using it successfully, then share their wins with the rest of the team. This creates momentum.”
The Benefits of Assignment Selling in Action
To illustrate the impact of Assignment Selling, Chris shared one of his favorite examples: a company called Opus Partners. Before implementing Assignment Selling, their sales meetings were long—sometimes 90 minutes or more—because prospects would show up unprepared. Once Opus required prospects to complete pre-call assignments, including reading a buyer’s guide and filling out forms, the entire sales process became more efficient.
Prospects were better informed and, as a result, more serious when they finally got on the call. Opus could also weed out unqualified prospects, saving time and effort. Their sales cycle shortened, and they found that better-qualified leads led to more closed deals.
This shift in approach transformed the company’s sales process and ultimately improved their results. Chris points out that this method works across industries, from IT to roofing companies, because when people know what to expect, they show up better prepared and more engaged.
Getting Your Team to Embrace Assignment Selling
So, how can business leaders get their sales teams to fully adopt Assignment Selling? It starts with strong leadership and setting an example. Chris suggests that leaders start sending one-on-one videos themselves to show that they’re embracing the process too. If your team sees you doing it, they’re more likely to follow suit.
“When leaders respond to people only in video, it shows the sales team that they’re all in. It’s uncomfortable at first, but once a few team members see success, the whole team gets on board,” Chris shared.
Assignment Selling isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a transformative approach to sales that can reduce the length of sales cycles and improve conversion rates. By sending personalized content and leveraging one-on-one video, you can educate prospects before they step into a meeting, creating trust and positioning yourself as an expert.
The most important takeaway from this episode? Assignment Selling helps your buyers feel more educated, which leads to better conversations—and ultimately, more sales. If you’re ready to take control of your sales process, start with small steps, coach your team, and lead by example. And don’t forget, consistency is key. Your team won’t adopt this overnight, but with patience and leadership, you’ll see the payoff.
Connect with Chris Duprey
Chris Duprey is a sought-after speaker and business coach with over two decades of leadership experience.
Get to know Chris through his IMPACT bio page
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Keep Learning
- Watch: How to Create Industry-Disrupting Content That Will Turn Heads
- Learn: What You Should Actually Measure to Have Better Closing Rates
- Discover: Leveraging AI Tools To Close More Deals
Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)
* This article was originally published here
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