According to Gartner, content is a “key element” in the sales process. As we explained in our latest White Paper, 65% of the content produced by marketers is never used by salespeople. To help you address this critical performance issue, Touch & Sell gives you the top 5 most valuable pieces of content for salespeople.
#1 Customer Case Study
Mainly used in B2B marketing, customer case studies explain how the company’s product has helped a customer overcome a problem. Rather than a simple customer testimonial, a customer case study is a comprehensive document that explains the customer’s initial issue, how the product was successfully implemented, its benefits, and possible limitations and areas for improvement.
Salespeople with quality customer case studies can improve their sales pitch with practical cases, statistics and more. Their prospects can then better understand what the company has to offer.
Key fact: A study by The Marketing Practice (TMP) and B2B Decision Labs found that the best sales pitches are emotional and data-driven. They also show “integrity” as they do not try to hide the limitations of the solution being marketed.
#2 Competitive analysis
This is an internal content that allows sales representatives to better understand their industry. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the company’s market from a strategic marketing perspective. It includes: the company’s strengths and weaknesses, its main competitive advantage, a review of the buyers’ perception of the brand, the strengths and weaknesses of its main competitors, comparative tables that show how the company’s offer compares with that of the competition, benchmarks, “insider information” about the competitors’ sales approach, etc.
This internal documentation allows sales representatives to develop an overall view of the company, to understand its strengths and weaknesses, to better position the product in its field, to adjust their approach, and possibly to draw inspiration from the best practices of the competition. As a result, they become better equipped for meetings and are able to develop a relevant sales pitch.
Key figure: according to a study by EmailAnalytics, 61% of buyers expect sales reps to provide relevant and detailed information about the product, how it can be used, what makes it different from the competition, etc.
#3 Infographics
An infographic is a visual presentation that follows a logical path and presents sourced statistics about a relatively complex topic. Infographics have many advantages:
- Infographics use the power of images to make your message stick;
- Infographics are usually less “formal” than other types of content, featuring a variety of colors and shapes, which gives a fresh look to your sales material;
- This type of content provides the salesperson with relevant, well-sourced and contextualized data to enrich their sales pitch.
Key figure: according to this study, messages delivered in a colorful design are 39% better remembered than messages in a black and white design. A study by 3M Corporation found that our brains understand visual information 60,000 times faster than text.
#4 Ultra-personalized content for ABM
If you are not familiar with Account-Based Marketing (ABM), we recommend you read this blog post first. ABM is a prospecting approach that focuses sales and marketing efforts on a limited selection of high-potential accounts. ABM inherently requires a hyper-personalized approach. ABM content is therefore tailored to the target account or, at the very least, its industry. By providing your sales people with ABM content, you empower them to engage with key accounts that will help you achieve your growth objectives.
Key figure: according to an Aberdeen study, 75% of B2B buyers prefer to be “ABM-prospected”.
#5 Videos
Yes, B2B involves transactions between two entities… but in the end, the decision-making process remains in the hands of a human being. Your prospect most likely watches a lot of videos every day on social networks, be it for business or entertainment purposes.
When you align with this behavior, you engage your prospect by conveying a sales message in a fun way. Your salespeople can use several types of video:
- Motion design video summarizing the company’s value proposition;
- Product demonstration;
- A collection of customer testimonials in video;
- How-to videos on how to use the company’s product;
- A short film on the company’s history and culture, etc.
Key figure: according to an Eye Wide Digital study, videos can boost your conversion rate by 80%.
Touch & Sell has introduced the concept of Sales Enablement in France and is now the French leader in Growth Enablement. Our platform is compatible with all Sales Enablement formats: videos, 3D images, HTML, infographics, etc. You too can achieve a “wow effect” in your meetings with a smooth, dynamic and personalized presentation!
