Episode 380: Control the Narrative: What Buyers See Before You Meet

Why do clients “check you out” online before the first sales meeting?

Buyers now assume that everything about us is only a few mouse clicks away, so online “checking you out” happens before the calendar invite becomes real. Because this scrutiny is routine and increasing, therefore your credibility is being scored before you speak a word in the meeting. The script frames this as a certainty for salespeople: prospects will look at your social media and search results to decide who you are and whether you are worth their time. Because the check happens before the conversation, therefore it can either lift trust early or create doubt that you have to fight through later.

Mini-summary: Pre-meeting research is inevitable. Because it happens first, therefore your digital presence shapes the starting trust level.

What should salespeople assume buyers will find when they search?

Buyers may use a standard search engine, or they may search using tools driven by artificial intelligence, and the question is whether the results look random or controlled. Because random results can misrepresent you or hide your expertise, therefore the recommended aim is “content within your control.” The script does not argue for perfection; it argues for intentionality. Because prospects are forming an impression from what is easiest to see, therefore you want the first page to reflect business credibility rather than accidental content.

Mini-summary: Buyers will search. Because first-page impressions form quickly, therefore you should control what appears.

How does “content marketing” function as pre-selling for sales professionals?

Content marketing is described as putting your wares up for free on social media to demonstrate you provide value. For sales professionals, the instruction is to be clinical about what you publish. Because your job is to earn trust before the meeting, therefore your content must help buyers solve problems, not merely announce your existence. This is “pre-selling” in a practical sense: your expertise does part of the persuasion before you arrive. Because value is visible, therefore trust is easier to earn when you finally meet.

Mini-summary: Content marketing is proof-of-value in public. Because it is visible before the meeting, therefore it pre-sells your credibility.

What kind of content builds credibility without triggering buyer resistance?

The script recommends articles about issues in the industry or market and how to fix those. It warns strongly against propaganda for your company, product, or service. Because audiences disengage at the first blatant hint of gross self-promotion, therefore credibility-building content must sound like useful analysis rather than a brochure. A further advantage is distribution: these articles may also suit industry or business magazines because editors want high-quality free content. Because third-party placement signals seriousness, therefore good articles can multiply your authority beyond your own channels.

Mini-summary: Lead with market problems and fixes. Because overt self-promotion repels attention, therefore keep the value educational and practical.

How can one idea be repurposed into blogs, podcasts, and video?

The script outlines a simple repurposing chain: write a blog, then read it into a microphone, record, add light production such as music, and turn it into a podcast. Because many people multitask while learning—walking the dog, running, commuting, or training—therefore audio makes your expertise easier to consume. The same blog can also be delivered on camera to create video content for YouTube, either live-streamed on a phone or recorded with higher-quality gear, including teleprompters, if you choose. Because different buyers prefer different formats, therefore one core idea can become multiple discovery doors.

Mini-summary: One idea can become text, audio, and video. Because audiences consume content differently, therefore repurposing expands reach without inventing new topics.

What if you do not like writing but still need to publish?

The script uses Gary Vaynerchuk as an example of someone who relies on video as the main delivery channel and then strips audio for podcasts and turns transcripts into text posts. The practical lesson is not celebrity; it is flexibility. Because some people communicate better by speaking than writing—and many salespeople can certainly talk—therefore recording yourself can be a faster path to consistent publishing. You can then use support to shape transcripts into readable text if needed. Because the medium is a tool, therefore choose the channel that keeps you producing credible content.

Mini-summary: If writing blocks you, speak first. Because spoken content can be repurposed, therefore you can still build a strong footprint.

Why do “voice assets” matter for discoverability?

The script flags a shift: search is not only text; voice search is part of the game, supported by artificial intelligence. It argues that if you have not created voice assets like podcasts or video soundtracks, you miss the opportunity to be found by clients. Because buyers learn while doing other things and because search methods change, therefore audio and video become additional ways for prospects to encounter your ideas. This is not about trends for their own sake; it is about making sure your expertise is discoverable in multiple modes.

Mini-summary: Voice-enabled content widens discovery paths. Because search behaviour evolves, therefore podcasts and video audio can increase findability.

What is the strategic point of all this online presence?

The script is blunt: “The point is to control what clients will see by getting your best foot forward.” Because you will be checked out, therefore the only real choice is whether the buyer finds thin or strong evidence of expertise. The recommended approach is to “cram” your social media with content that makes you look like a legitimate expert. Because credibility can be built before the sales meeting, therefore the first conversation begins deeper and faster. The script ties this directly to the buyer mantra “know, like and trust” and treats online content as an amplifier rather than a replacement for relationship-building.

Mini-summary: The goal is narrative control through evidence. Because buyers will research you anyway, therefore fill the footprint with credible proof of expertise.

Author Bio

Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, he is certified globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, and has authored multiple best-sellers including Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery, alongside Japanese editions such as Za Eigyō (ザ営業) and Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人). He publishes daily blogs, hosts six weekly podcasts, and produces three weekly YouTube shows including The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show.