Using content marketing to boost B2B sales enablement is a very wise strategy. Your sales team needs all the assistance they can get to smooth the path of the buyer’s journey. Marketing needs to work hard to provide the sales department with all the content they think they need, and then some.
With sales and marketing working together, a very efficient and successful content marketing strategy can be put into effect. The following are some of the best strategies that can be used to create content so you can boost both your B2B sales and B2B sales enablement.
1. Gather Input from Your Sales Team
Since your sales team consists of those that are in personal contact with your clients, it is important to gain insight into what they have learned. Often, they know how people will react to different wording, what their next step will be depending on the customer actions, the type of language that does and does not work, and much more. They have learned to read people and situations through their experiences with clients. This is information that can only be gained through direct contact with your target account.
If you really wish to create effective content, your first step should be to talk to your sales team. Put forward the time and effort needed to gather any information you can from those who are on the front line. This should be a non-negotiable step in creating your content marketing strategy. The sales team will be happy to share these insights in order to make their jobs smoother and increase their B2B sales enablement.
2. Create a Large Arsenal of Relevant Content
There is no such thing as having too much content because it can always be used at some point. Having a lot of content on hand for a sales team to use is incredibly helpful. Sometimes, they need just one more fact, or a piece of information to close a deal. If the content is already created, the sales process with being quicker and smoother because the salesperson can easily pull up the content they need.
3. Automate Triggers Based on Customer Actions
Setting up an automated campaign is like having an extra salesperson working on a deal. The campaign should have triggers set that send out customized content according to actions that customers take. For instance, if a viewer is trying to exit your website on the sales page, you might have a coupon or survey appear. You might also send a new eBook a couple of days later so that you can regain that customer’s attention.
4. Provide Personalized Content in Multiple Ways
People are very different and have different responses to different things. Therefore, expecting one piece or type of content to push your client through the sales journey is unrealistic. While one client may respond well to blog posts, another might do better with an infographic or a chat opportunity. Additionally, some may respond better to social media posts while others respond better to emails. Though it would be perfect to know each person’s trigger, that is not realistic, either. Instead, spread the content out into different messaging types through different platforms.
5. Continue Providing Content Even After Sale is Done
Clients want to feel valued. Being forgotten after a sale is complete makes them feel the opposite. Content needs to continue past the sale. This may come in the form of a downloadable guide to getting the most from your product or service, a coupon for their second purchase, or a long list of other things. Content marketing needs to continue way past when a deal closes if you want to enjoy repeat customers and a loyal customer base.
Are you ready to expand your loyal customer base and increase your revenue? Developing a content marketing strategy improves your B2B sales enablement process is a smart way to make this happen. Content is one of the most important facets of making sales and running a business. Follow the tips above to revamp your content marketing strategy into one that helps you meet and exceed your goals.
