According to The Corporate Executive Board, 77 percent of B2B buyers won’t even speak to a salesperson on the phone before they have conducted some research. What’s more, over half of prospects want to see how your product works on their first call with you. Now more than ever, buyers want to take control of the sales cycle.
They want facts. And they only want to work with brands they trust. When these things are missing, it causes friction and slows the process to a crawl. So, as an effective seller, how can you support buyers in their quest for knowledge?
By providing thought-provoking content throughout the entire sales cycle, you can inform your potential buyer, build trust, establish credibility and develop relationships.
Several things might cause friction in the sales cycle (no matter what you sell). Let’s explore these further.
When we talk about thought leadership at Articulate, we’re referring to high-value content that contributes to relevant discussions, shares expertise and challenges the status quo. It offers real value to readers and shows potential buyers you are a serious player in their industry.
So, let’s explore how and why this kind of content can reduce friction in the sales cycle.
Every stage of the buyer’s journey will need some content. Each piece of content will serve a different purpose depending on how far through the journey your prospect is. Sales needs to work hand-in-hand with marketing to get it right.
Let’s explore the stages of the buyer journey and the type of content you should share at each stage.
A ProfitWell study shows that 47 percent of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before they talk with a sales rep. Thought-provoking content matters to your buyers before they’ve even decided to speak with you. Build a content marketing strategy that prioritises SEO, outlines potential problems and solutions and educates prospects who might not know what they are looking for.
Types of content to consider: informative blog posts, regular social media posts and video content. Consider adding a call-to-action to a newsletter or gated content. Marketing will be creating this content, but sales reps should keep up-to-date on what’s available in case a relevant topic comes up in conversation.
At this stage, your prospect knows they have a problem and need a solution. It’s time to differentiate your product or service from your competitors. Use content to address specific needs and help them make more informed decisions.
Types of content to consider: product or service comparisons, long-form content (guides or eBooks) and testimonials. Send a series of targeted email comms that drip-feed this content to prospects. You could do this by setting up a marketing automation or sales reps could send content directly. Or, both!
Your prospect has all the information they need to make their decision. Now, you must reassure them they’ve made the right choice and get them over the line.
Types of content to consider: customer success stories, details and specifications of products or services, policies (including guarantees and warranties) and FAQs. Sales reps need to be driving trust at every touchpoint, and this content is proven to persuade.
Congratulations! You have a new customer. But your content journey doesn’t stop here. You’ll need to help your new customer take the next steps by providing everything they need to maximise their success using your product or service.
Types of content to consider: confirmation emails, product or service guides and tutorials, and a series of ‘welcome’ emails featuring support and information. Sales is responsible for handing this new customer over to the customer service team and co-ordinating the flow of content.
Did you know that content marketing can increase customer lifetime value by up to 70 percent? Once the purchase is complete, it’s all about customer satisfaction. You must turn your customers into loyal advocates to reap the rewards. Thought-provoking content will help.
Types of content to consider: articles that include tips and best practices, tailored loyalty or reward schemes, how-to videos and any news that could impact their experience. Customer services could work with marketing to build this ‘customer delight’ type of content.
According to Dale Carnegie, 91 percent of customers say they'd give referrals, but only 11 percent of salespeople ask for them. If you don’t ask happy customers for referrals, you are sitting on an untapped lead generation machine. But it’s a two-way street. Ensure your customers feel valued and consider providing something in return.
Types of content to consider: It’s time to create content with your advocates, such as guest blog posts, podcasts, case studies or webinars. You may also want to design an advocacy or referral program that rewards loyal customers and shares exclusive tips and insights. Marketers should discuss with Sales and Customer service teams which customers would be happy to engage in this kind of content creation process.
At Articulate, we always share our thought leadership content throughout the sales cycle. Last year, we saw a tremendous success rate after developing a health-focused campaign and sharing tailored, relevant content with our prospects. This resulted in an increase of 33.6 percent of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) that converted to Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs), as well as higher email click-through rates and improved average conversions.
Creating content that is meaningful, valuable and bespoke pays off. If you’re not already creating thought leadership content, now is the time to start. And if you are, it’s time to maximise your selling success by improving how and how often you share your valuable content with potential buyers.
To learn more about creating thought-provoking content and using it for sales success, you can speak to a member of the Articulate sales team, here.