If you had the choice of dealing with a salesperson who possessed an average knowledge of her product/service /industry or one who demonstrated superior expertise, who would you prefer to deal with?

Since there's usually no second place in sales, the prize typically goes to the salesperson that out-prepares and out-sells the competition. To do that, you need to put your knowledge and ability in front of the decision maker. You need to position yourself (and/or your company) as an expert in your field.

Here's how:

Join a LinkedIn group whose members include the type of decision maker you work with. Post questions and tips to the group and answer as many of their questions as you can

Create a series of video-based tips relevant to your product or service and post them on your business-focused YouTube channel

If you sell CRM software, write a blog about CRM

Write a book (or booklet) on a niche area of your industry and print quantities as required using a digital printer

Write articles and post them on ezine sites like this one (and submit them to trade publications etc)

Develop an information-based seminar or webinar and find venues to present them to targeted decision makers

Write targeted reports and white-papers for the decision makers you sell to. I.e., Three Underused Tips a VP of Sales can use to Increase Sales

Many decision-makers go the internet to help them source potential suppliers. Once there, they are bombarded with choices. But if you've created useful content that is readily available, they just might find you.

Failing that, if you're prospecting for new business, the information-based marketing tools outlined above may be the ticket to get you in the door and keep you there. Sure, writing books, blogs and articles and creating videos etc. requires hard work, but it's the kind of work that pays off time and time again. It could be your game changer.