Publishers have been hit with a plethora of bad news during the last few years. In this difficult situation, media organizations have two options: stay within their comfort zone and accept the defeat or challenge the status quo and innovate. For those interested in innovation, Ariel Giusti, CEO of Krealandia, explains the five key success factors to effectively selling banded content.
This post is part of the first edition of a branded content guide for local media organizations, a playbook released by the Branded Content Project, a partnership between the Local Media Association, the Local Media Consortium and funded by the Facebook Journalism Project.
1. A product that sells naturally
Create a “market fit” marketing product that sells naturally because it solves the unserved needs of the potential advertisers. Most common needs? Branding, video, native and social media. It is essential to integrate all in the same plan in a logical way and with a compelling sales message.
2. Client selection
This is crucial, the very foundation of any sales process. Since we create the product based on client needs, it should be evident what type of clients we can help best. We all know that that higher ticket products/services do better with integrated marketing solutions that involve branded content because those advertisers have:
A. Enough investment capacity
B. Higher need to explain and educate their audience
3. Consultation agenda
So you call and set up an appointment to present a sales pitch? Nope, you won´t go too far with that. Clients do not want sales pitches; clients want help. That is why the meeting is a consultation with a clear agenda that you must send in advance. The agenda should not cover specifics but rather general objectives such us: the objective of the meeting, marketing diagnosis, recommended strategies, action plan, feedback, next steps. Consequently the client values the time he or she will invest in receiving you.
4. Consultation vs. Sales pitch
The concept “sales pitch” is part of the traditional way to sell, where the salesperson pushes the features of the product. The modern salesperson is a marketing consultant that is prepared to do a full marketing consultation in less than 45 minutes (that should be the duration of the consultation unless the client requires more). What do you do during the consultation? Exactly what was promised in the agenda
5. Psychological triggers
The most important contribution that neuroscience has delivered to the sales world is, in my view, psychological triggers. They are tested ways to influence behavior based on the most common brain reactions.
A few examples:
Scarcity and urgency: One leads to the other. This product is not for everyone because our resources are limited.
Need causes pain, and pain causes change: It is imperative to make the client feel some pain, so he/she feels the need to change. Pain causes more change in people’s behaviors than pleasure. For example: without a branded content strategy, you are losing customers online every day and facilitating your competitor’s marketing efforts.
Structure and organization: We all want that in a marketing plan, but few have. The product should include all the necessary help for implementation: planning, producing, publishing and monitoring.
Conclusion
Branded content should be sold as part of a bigger plan that includes branding because branding drives direct internet searches (Google searches with the brand name, not keywords) and direct internet searches drive branded content. The sales process should focus on quality and not quantity with a market fit product and defined implementation steps. Finally, the presentation should not be a sales pitch, the presentation should be a consultation designed to solve client’s unserved marketing needs.
The expert: Ariel Giusti, CEO of Krealandia
Ariel Giusti is a media sales expert with 12 years of experience across all types of traditional media sectors: newspapers, radio, TV and outdoor. His company Krealandia is based in Madrid, Spain and it specializes in the creation and implementation of sales projects that help traditional media acquire new advertisers through new marketing products.
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Catch another planning article from the branded content guide – 6 reasons why you need branded content now
What’s your game plan?
What’s in the guide? The pages are filled with advice for those creating their first branded content initatives, those who are leading sales teams who have branded content in their toolbox, and those that are creating content for advertisers and looking for best practices and techniques. The articles in the guide are written by experts in the branded content space who have built impressive programs and are able to share strategies to help you navigate through this unique and sometimes complicated area of potential business. We’ve also included checklists geared toward sales, content, and development to start and grow your initiatives.
Take a tour through the guide to get action plans, step-by-step instructions, advice, and recommendations. And don’t forget to check out the checklists before you get started.
If you are taking your first step into branded content or giving your program a refresh, take a deeper look into our “SELLING IT” section and get actionable advice from branded content experts.
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