Content is one of the most-discussed marketing and sales strategies used by many companies, and for good reason: study after study suggests content marketing is among the top priorities of high-performing sales executives
The main aim of great content is simple: empower sales teams to design simple and enjoyable buying experiences for prospects by providing them with the right content at the right time, through the right channel. This, essentially, means figuring out which type of content should be used at which point in the buyer’s journey. Whether it is a blog posts, a press release, a white paper, case study, YouTube video, social media, a webinar, an emails or thought leadership piece, content can prove to be a powerful weapon in the hands of sales professionals if utilized correctly.
Great content comes from the following 3 questions:
• Why are people buying from us?
• What can we do for them?
• What benefits will accrue for them by using our product?
The above factors have been studied, and, out of these, the following 6 elements have resulted in being primary criteria for any content marketing team to focus on:
1. Like – When a company truly understands its audience, it knows how to reel them in toward the purchase. With highly charged engaging content, let your audience connect with your brand first. And, that means engaging with them in a way that will entice them to find your brand likeable.
2. Trust – A company is built upon trust; and, trust builds relationship. A blog is the perfect medium to build trust with your audience. Should you just post funny pictures on Instagram? Should you just update your Facebook page? Although you need a holistic content marketing strategy to start with, you need to use multiple mediums to build trust with your audience.
3. Trial – And, while liking is one of the parameters, a customer liking a company does not necessarily translate into a sale. Any customer needs that certain incentive to overcome that first barrier. Whether it’s a free eBook or a case study, it’s all about priming the customer for later paid transactions. And, that often means offering them a free trial or a demo of your product.
4. Purchase –This is the goal of any business, and content is required to achieve it. At this stage of the buying cycle, your customer is almost ready to say ‘Yes!’
5. Repeat – Most sales are generated from existing customers. This is true for any business, online or offline. An effective customer retention strategy not only cultivates your existing customer base but also primes them for the next stage in the buying cycle.
6. Advocacy – This is the ultimate stage of the buyer’s journey, and ‘high performing’ content helps to lead every customer to this point where they become loyal advocates resulting in more subscribers and sales.
According to a recent study, 80% of marketers and sales professionals believe content (good content), serves at least one of the following three purposes:
1. To market particular products and services.
2. To result in higher conversion rates, and also provide the base for better retention rates.
3. To flourish the business’ reputation and create brand health in a highly competitive market.
Content today is ubiquitous. Whether it is a B2C or B2B business, customers have grown rather smart. But the most advanced iteration of content strategy is Sales Enablement – where content acts as a living, fluid resource to provide a sound framework for sales efforts to reel in customers.
Are you utilizing content to communicate with your audience? Sales Enablement will empower your sales teams, and your customers to make a buying decision. Invest in a good content marketing strategy to achieve this.
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