What does it take to write a weekly blog for years? The same thing it takes to thrive in sales: patience, discipline, persistence, and a willingness to face rejection. Writing and selling are remarkably similar.
This article is the 151st in the writing of Sales Pitch!
It makes me reflect. Did I know what I’d write about today, 150 articles ago? Of course not. Was I sceptical I might not have something to write about? Of course, yes. Yet, here we are.
In reflection, I want to respond to those who’ve shared a desire to write a weekly column or blog—and show how the journey is similar to selling itself.
Patience, discipline, persistence and rejection
First, start by assuring yourself that you can write. And not just randomly, once or twice; but consistently, weekly, and on time.
Do a 700-word piece for twelve consecutive weeks, all for yourself. If you cannot come up with a fresh idea every week and meet the deadline for turning in the final copy, you will struggle as a prospective columnist or blogger.
Your grammar may be impeccable and your message resourceful, but this is not a school composition.
Writing weekly is more than grammar and content; in fact, that’s the easy part. The difficult one is the discipline.
And when you submit an application to be a columnist (in a publication), this discipline is what any editor (buyer) will test before he grants you a dedicated column (sale). At least that’s what happened with me and the Business Daily.
The last thing he wants is to have a blank space to fill because you failed to come through. Worse is what your inconsistency does to his publication’s brand (product).
Read: FMCG Sales isn’t about you—It’s about consistency. Here’s why
This does not mean that securing a column is a science; it’s not—it’s an art.
I’m not an editor of any publication, but I can tell you from a writer’s perspective that it takes persistence and patience before you ultimately do secure a column—if at all you do.
Hmm… patience, persistence, and rejection—sounds familiar to selling?
Being and remaining useful to the buyer
Make no mistake, though.
Consistently writing a fresh weekly column about one topic is not a cup of tea. You already have the wind behind your back because you are a natural.
Or you have gone for training and feel equipped. Again, that’s the easy part. Today, with AI, the real differentiator is not what you write but how you write it. Use AI wisely—because it’s your style, not your content, that keeps readers coming back.
Read: AI is not coming for your job— your poor performance is
This doesn’t exempt you from racing, though. And the race in writing is done through research and personal experience. Research can be through reading and observations.
Self-pride has no place in writing—you cannot be the repository of all knowledge.
Writing and selling
Others have written better, others worse. Reading widely (or consuming content generally) enriches your repository and allows you to, in turn, enrich your readers’ repository. And this is the purpose of writing in the first place.
Read: Drop your pride and sell to the ‘irrelevant’ too
You are writing (selling) to a reader (customer). To be useful to them, you cannot see yourself as the sole wherewithal of information. Neither can you share what is obvious.
Read: Send your buyer to the competition and sell more
I’m deeply encouraged when readers tell me they find this column practical. I like the sound of that. Practical.
Purpose: the most neglected aspect
In my view, this is the most neglected aspect of both writing and selling. Why do you want to write (or sell)?
It is the failure to address this purpose that makes many fall along the way.
Read: Set selfish goals to succeed in selling
Like anything else worth doing, it cannot be for the money —you’ll be sorely disappointed. Writing a column in itself cannot sustain a lifestyle.
Write because you have a passion for the topic; write because if you don’t, you’ll explode from the craving to; and write because you want to create a brand for yourself.
It is purpose that will keep you going when you have moments of blankness (and they will come) for what to write.
Otherwise, the pressure for meeting the deadline will not be enough to jumpstart you.
Likewise, the pressure for meeting sales targets is good for motivation but falls flat on its face when it meets a purposeless salesperson.
A purposeful one is driven by something else, and no, it’s not just to make loads of cash; it could be recognition; a desire to help buyers thrive; perhaps competition; even a better lifestyle.
Read: Money is not a silver bullet to motivating sales people
Purpose is internal; external factors only kick-start it.
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