It’s one of the most common questions we are asked when we start training a team.
We meet lots of different people in our Digital B2B influence training, and they tend to fall into groups.
All analogue: People that have never come closer to any digital commercial activity. They see what is going on but don’t see how they would fit in to their professional lives and don’t understand what it all means.
Digitally curious: People that have watched what is going on on social media and are interested in how it works but don’t necessarily have the skills yet. They have an idea of the benefits of adding digital weight to your commercial plan but haven’t yet taken that first step.
Social savvy: People that are active on social media, they have lots of accounts for different things. They get it and just need to be pointed in the right direction and they are off.
For most people, the idea of putting out content is worrying.
👉What if people don’t like it..?
👉What if someone has a go at me..?
👉What if nobody reads it..?
All valid questions that come from a place of insecurity and concern but, like anything new, you can’t expect to go from a standing start to excellence without training and practice, you need a framework and you need to understand the mechanics of how it all works.
We talk about the Digital Twin of your sector.
In this Digital Twin there are individuals and organisations owning the conversation around your specialism and absorbing all of the benefits. In this Digital Twin there are opportunities for all but the language is different. The techniques and methods are different, the mechanisms are different. Understanding this goes some way to clearing up some of the insecurity and concern, the remainder is pure practice, consistency and development.
Here is a real life case study:
We are working with an organisation who were previously ‘All analogue’, a great business that has flourished to date on relationships and word of mouth. They were ‘Digitally curious’ enough to reach out to us for a conversation around a digital future. We listened, began to understand their business and the future plans and came up with a plan for them. A plan that was centered around creating an initial digital footprint for the business against a financial plan.
We started by creating a plan for their company’s presence on Social Media. We developed a content strategy and put that content into action across multiple platforms. Building up a portfolio of content around the specifics they want to be known for.
We focused on creating a compelling and interesting content plan for the company pages and growing those networks.
Often when we audit a client’s digital activity we find that the company pages have been neglected and, more often than not, only focus on “we are here at an event…”, snippets from product brochures and re-posted individual content .
There is an opportunity to break from this and create something different: dynamic and engaging content which is unique to the company profiles and works in parallel with the team’s individual social media activity.
Once this started to take hold and started growing, we trained the team in Digital B2B Influence, how to take their individual specialisms, history, knowledge and personality…and put them to work within a long term strategy.
Initially the team were cautious, they were all different stages and mindsets with social media but the training we did brings everyone to the same place.
As coaches, we need to meet people where they are as individuals in order that we bring the team along together.
We understand that Social Media can seem overwhelming.
A loud, noisy place that moves at pace. Good training and coaching allows professionals to see their opening, find their place, sow their seeds and grow with confidence.
When a team makes the switch from writing content for themselves to producing content that is designed for their target audience, everything changes.
Content that speaks to the main issues your clients worry about and addresses industry problems, content that demonstrates time after time that you genuinely understand your sector’s issues and have the insight and specialism to help…things start to shift.
This is the strategic influence shift and it is powerful.
This team is now off and running.
They have a great digital company presence, they have created a new website and are now producing content that plays to their strategy and it is all working in balance to deliver what they want. A once ‘All analogue’ team now staking their claim to the territory on the Digital Twin of their sector.
One of the team was concerned that nobody would be interested in what they had to say, they had never posted content before, this was all new to them. The first 2 pieces of content they posted had over 600 pieces of engagement and over 100,000 impressions. These 2 pieces of content allowed them to grow their digital networks and connect with new people and begin conversations. From a standing analogue start to digital action with training, methods and confidence.
Social Media is there for you. It’s there to allow you to share your insight and perspective, it’s there for you to claim your commercial territory and lead the way – believe it or not, people want to hear from you.
Many businesses are searching for a magic wand, something that can be waved quickly which will address all of their commercial concerns.
You and your team are the magic wands…
We are all afraid of something, especially now with all that is going on in the world.
Fear creates uncertainty and that destabilises us, it distracts us and causes us to second guess ourselves.
You know that getting yourself out there on Social Media is important, but you have worries, its natural.
Understanding how it all works allows you to take control. When you understand how content works in your professional favour you will realise that you voice is welcomed and valued.
In many cases a lack of confidence is the only barrier to what you want to achieve and this stabilised with a good strategy, good training and a framework you can use every day to grow as a team
You are not alone, we are here to help you – Working together, sharing what we all know, creates success for all of us.
You are the magic wand, nothing else, just you.
Eric Doyle (F.ISP) – The OGV Studio
Eric Doyle is the Managing Director of The OGV STUDIO, a company that provides strategic Digital Media consultancy, training and delivery services. Eric is a fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals.