Triad Tempo: Creating Quality Engagement

The Triad Tempo is a strategy that yields impressive results for your team and business. What is it exactly?

One of the most important shifts in today’s sell-to marketplace is the role that online content now plays in attracting and retaining customers. It’s a Right on the Money must-do activity now.

But a lot of people still get it wrong. They assume they just need to pump out massive quantities of content and then sit back and wait for the phone to ring. That’s akin to throwing handfuls of seeds to the wind and praying for rain.

When it comes to online content in today’s transformed marketplace, you must have a strategy for who you reach, how you reach them, and what you want them to do next.

Building and executing that strategy is what I call the Triad Tempo, and I cover it at length in Chapter 4 of my new book, Right on the Money: New Principles for Bold Growth. In essence: it’s a strategy that increases sales while positioning sellers as a source of vital information and insights so buyers don’t waste hours searching aimlessly.

Your Triad Tempo creates quality engagement. It does that by anticipating well-qualified customers who have a lot of questions, who value their time, and who are highly selective of who they trust. And then it gives those people content that’s meaningful and encourages them to raise their hand to ask you questions.

Here’s how you get there. Once you’ve chosen your top three platforms (Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, for example), you must create and publish three types of content.

Triad Tempo: The 3 Types of Content

1. Original, High-Value Material

This can be an article or video in which you offer insightful, forward-thinking views on current events relevant to your industry. You could also share a thought-provoking how-to tip as a status update or tweet. What you’re doing here is showcasing your thought leadership and creating a “tell-me-more” environment for your audience.

That’s what research companies like Gartner do. They freely share snippets of research (the full details of which are typically available at a considerable fee). It attracts people and engages them in the subject matter. And that engagement raises the value of the research work even further. It also stirs discussion and builds a sense of community. A software company client of mine regularly posts stories about the latest compliance regulations in their industry. They earn attention and status because they talk about issues that matter to their customers.

2. Share Great Material From Other Sources

The strength of your Triad Tempo is also determined by the quality of material you share from other sources. That can include timely news articles, witty anecdotes, and success stories. But never just click “share” without first providing context! Take a moment to write a sentence or two explaining why you think this is important for someone else to read.

Previously, I talked about an oil and gas client who regularly shares news about Tesla and self-driving car technology. Here’s another example: a smart agricultural consultant I know constantly posts articles—both for and against GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Regardless of which side of the argument his clients fall on, it stimulates conversation. And in doing so, that consultant keeps on capturing a broader share of the market than his competitors do.

3. Comment on—and Share—Your Customer’s/Prospect’s Articles or Posts

Don’t overthink this. It could be a simple question, a thought-provoking statement, or a congratulatory note. What’s important is that you let your customers know you’re listening to them. People often worry that following clients and sharing their information could be misconceived as stalking. It’s not. Buyers put content out there for the same reason you do: to get noticed. If they didn’t want that attention, they’d have kept it unpublished. By noticing and sharing, you build rapport. And when the time comes to buy, you’ll be top of mind.

OUTCOME: QUOTA ATTAINMENT GOES UP

Looking at the three types of content you must publish with Triad Tempo, when you plot the engagement level (see illustration), sales go up commensurately. That outcome that I see regularly with my own clients is also backed by third-party field research.

A study of more than 10,000 companies by CSO Insights found total-quota attainment rises when more sellers are online, being social, and producing information for which buyers are looking. While average quota attainment was 57.7%, organizations that reported their content strategy needed significant work had below-average rates of quota attainment (only 51% of sellers hitting targets). Those who stated their content strategy met or exceeded expectations saw higher-than-average rates, with 70% of sellers hitting quotas. In other words: engagement takes work…and it really pays off.

Show up with quality material and be consistent. That’s the key to creating quality engagement with your customers. Triad Tempo is your framework for action. Repeat each of its actions three times a week, and you’ll quickly see how this strategy yields impressive results for your sales team and your business.

You need fresh thinking and bold, new strategies to survive—and thrive—in today’s forever-changed marketplace. Get the facts and gain a plan on how to be an indispensable, customer-aligned supplier. It’s all there in my new book, Right on the Money: New Principles for Bold Growth. Get your copy today.