Sales automation requires content to be developed that engages sales leads and builds desire to learn more about your product or service. This content may be articles, blog posts, videos, info-graphics or any number of other things that your customers and/or prospects want to know. The content is most profitably delivered with an email campaign integrated with an
online CRM.
The reason so many companies are increasing the amount of content being developed is that customers simply demand it. It no longer works to chase sales leads and use the old tried-and-true closing techniques. Buyers will recognize those methods in seconds and dismiss any consideration of what your sales team offers. Instead, today’s buyers want to be informed and educated. To reach them, you must give the sales lead content for them to review when they are ready to consume it.
We found an article from the Content Marketing Institute to be interesting. While the title is “42 Content Marketing Ideas for 2013”
, I would suggest that you only select one or two of these suggestions to implement immediately. We have created this list for our clients:
- 1.“Develop and refine your content marketing mission statement.” Knowing who you want to reach and how you will reach them is critical to effective use of content. Start by looking in your CRM software to find your best customers and develop a composite persona of your ideal client.
- 2.“Compile a substantial piece of influencer content.” One
of the most effective ways of filling your pipeline with sales leads is to give
something extremely informational away free. For example, people who may not even pay attention to anything else will often respond to a highly valuable eBook offering information about how to solve a pain they are currently experiencing.
- 3.“Develop a list of the top 100 questions coming from your customer base.” If your sales team and customer service staff are recording questions asked by current customers, you will get very useful information about what should be in the content you broadcast.
- 4.“Ask whoever is in charge of customer service what their top 10 complaints were in 2012.” This
item is much like the one above – with a twist. The 100 questions should focus on what people want to know…what information do they need to either make a decision to purchase from you…or what do they need to maximize what you offer.
- Complaints are a totally different animal. Complaints can give you a lot more. First, knowing what customers complain about gives you an opportunity to change the processes within your company. Second, once the correction is made you can create a really powerful piece of content that shows your company is made up of humans who are fallible. Apologies for errors are a wonderful way to engage sales leads and customers. When you are willing to admit mistakes, correct the error and then tell others what was done; it will establish a customer relationship filled with loyalty and appreciation.
- 5.“Whatever you do in 2013, make sure you are telling a different story than everyone else in your industry — not just the same story told incrementally better.” Way too many companies are trying to market with content that essentially screams “BUY ME” without an even small nod to the experience of their customers.
- Content that overtly pushes what you have to offer will almost always have the opposite effect in today’s marketplace. Today’s buyers want to be in total control of the sales process. They depend on you to inform and educate. Yet the decision making and the timeline for making a decision must be totally in their control. What one or two content goals will bring your company more profit this year? Let’s get started today.