How To Sell Your Content Skills This Coming November: The Full Guide

Let’s begin this guide by admitting one universal truth: most people don’t really know the true essence of content. To an agency, a client, a business owner, or even an aspiring newbie content writer, “content” is this big umbrella that covers pretty much everything that goes on a page or a website. This could be a landing page, a homepage, a FAQ page, a paid ad, a Business information site, etc.

Unfortunately, this overly simplistic explanation is very misleading. Sure, almost anyone can write a sentence or two about a business. How about filling out a FAQ page? No, big deal. Completing ‘the about’ page for a client? Piece of cake! Creating a landing page? Yeap sounds easy, as well. And there you have it, the biggest fallacy and misconception of all: content writing is really something that everyone can do.

Well, writing a book is really nothing more than putting a string of sentences on a page, so why isn’t everyone going around proclaiming to be an author? Because being an author, much like being a content writer, is much more than just sentence writing. You are not just selling your words; your words are creating a story that sells. And choosing the right words is a delicate task of striking the perfect balance between information transactions and reaching your audience’s heart.

The Best Approach To Selling Your Content Skills

The best way to sell your content skills is by selling what your content does and not what your content is. Copywriting is not as impressive or eye-catching as design or as mesmerizing as an intricate website layout. It does not produce the “wow” effect that video animations do. Neither will your content woo your potential client the way new technology will. Because let’s face it, content is just words.

So what do you do when you have nothing to show but words? You sell the value of your words and not the words per se. And you do this by showing how your words or content are critical and outline what they do.

1.    Without good content, you cannot have branding

Many business owners do not understand content, but they certainly understand branding. Branding is your trademark, your business DNA, what sets you apart from your competitors. Branding ensures that you position yourself in your market and that you have brand-loyal customers. Without branding, you cannot increase your sales, and without content, you cannot have branding.

So, this is the first step in selling your content skills. Show that your content goes above and beyond simply writing the “About Page” for your client. It is about writing the “About Page” in such a way that customers are immediately drawn to your client and whatever it is that he is selling.

2.   Without good content, you cannot have a seamless user experience

You can invest all the money and energy you want in an ideal web design, but without carefully planned and thought out content, your web page will result in zero conversions. Appropriate content will transform your impressive web page into a functional one. Your web page is not just there to look pretty. It has to serve a function. Otherwise, what is the point of investing in it, to begin with? And what is the ultimate function of a webpage? Conversion.

And this is the second step in selling your content skills. Show that your content will provide a seamless user experience, guiding viewers from point A to point B and finally shifting them through to conversions. Explain how content is critical in engaging potential customers and inducing them to allocate your page more than its 15 seconds fare share. In a virtual world where the competitor is literally only a click away, proper content can ensure that your viewers land on your page and stay on it.

3.   Without good content, your webpage raises more problems than the ones it solves

Nothing takes away more precious time from your team than having to constantly pick up the phone and answer customers’ questions or respond to endless emails to solve their queries and resolve their problems.  Good content ensures that your customers find everything that they need, all perfectly in order, on your webpage or landing page or google my business page. Good content solves more problems than the ones it raises. It frees your sales team from the tedious task of having to deal with customer comments and concerns. Good content allows your customer to easily find the answers they are looking for and the support they need without having to dial your number or writing you an email.

And this is the third step in selling your content skills. Anyone can write a couple of sentences. But not everyone can create content that is so perfect that will free up your teams’ resources in terms of time and energy.

4.   Without good content, you cannot expect conversions

Content is not just words. Content is words that inspire and words that have a potent call to action. Content can make or break a business, and it is a crucial factor determining the rate of conversions.

And this is the fourth step in selling your content skills. Show that your content is paramount in the success of your client’s business. Show your client that investing in your content is a recipe for success. Potent words back strong calls to action. Humans are emotional creatures. They feel before they think. Your content will make them feel first and decide to convert later.

Making sure your clients are sold

Selling your content skills requires that your clients are first sold or utterly convinced of your content’s value. The only way to achieve this is by showing how your content will lead to branding. Show that your content is critical for establishing a seamless user experience. Outline your content’s benefits and show that it will free valuable assets in time and energy from your sales team. Most importantly, show them that good content will lead to conversions.

So when selling your content skills, remember not to sell what your content is. Sell what your content does. Do this, and you are on the road to success.