supporting your smb sales team with content
TRANSCRIPT
www.bredin.com
Supporting Your SMB Sales Team with Content
www.bredin.com
www.bredin.com
Increasing SMB Acquisition, Engagement and Retention
Insight Lead Gen Content Sales Support
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The Marketing / Sales Relationship
• Marketing works least closely with sales on content development
• Sales team’s use of marketing content, and follow-up on leads, lags marketing expectations
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Awareness
On a scale of 1 (very unlikely) to 5 (very likely), please rate how likely you are to first learn about a product or service for your business via each of these specific sources / formats.
Top-two box
N=530
Email newsletters are the most effective content format to drive new product awareness
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Infographic
Audio podcast
Radio
Outdoor billboard or signage
YouTube
eBook / guide / handbook
White paper
Banner ad on a website
Webinar/webcast
Analyst report
One-off email
Video on vendor website
Blog
Postcard, letter or catalog in the mail
Press release
Case study
Print newsletter
Research report
Forum or discussion board
TV
Resource section of a vendor’s website
Newspaper / magazine (print or online)
Call from or meeting with sales representative
Product section of a vendor’s website
Email newsletter
Event or trade show
Peer / colleague
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Lead Generation
Marketers sometimes require registration, or providing contact information, before you can access the content they provide. On a scale of 1 (very unlikely to provide contact information in order to access it) to 5 (very likely to provide contact information in order to access it), please rank each of these same content elements:
Top-two box N=506
Data-driven content is the most effective format for lead gen
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Blog post
Cheat sheet
Infographic
Slideshare
Podcast
Template
Kit
Workbook
Ebook
Checklist
Whitepaper
Guide
Article
Case study
Webinar / webcast
Video
Survey / research report
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Sales Meetings: Print
When you meet with a salesperson, please rate how much you like each of these kinds of printed materials they might review with you. Please use a scale of 1 (do not like at all) to 5 (like very much).
SMBs most prefer product information and assistance with configuration
Top-two box N=534
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Customer stories or case studies
Handbook or guide on a business management topic, like how to get newcustomers
Checklist or worksheet to determine the right product configuration for yourneeds
Sheets or brochures describing the product
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Sales Meetings: On Screen
When you meet with a salesperson, please rate how much you like each of these kinds of materials they might review with you on a tablet or laptop. Please use a scale of 1 (do not like at all) to 5 (like very much).
SMBs most prefer order confirmation and product information
Top-two box N=534
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Video presenting customer stories or case studies
Video on a business management topic, like how to get new customers
Presentation featuring customer stories or case studies
Presentation (like a PowerPoint) on product features and benefits
Interactive tool to determine the right product configuration for your needs
Video describing the product features and benefits
Instant quote / order confirmation with specifications, costs, deliverytiming, etc.
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Nurture
On a scale of 1 (not at all interested) to 5 (very interested), how interested are you in each of these ways to stay in touch with vendors if you have researched a product or service, but are not yet ready to buy?
Prospects prefer to keep in touch with a vendor via email
Top-two box
N=534
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Text messages
Letter, postcard or other mailing
Print newsletter
Occasional call from a sales representative
In-person meetings with a sales representative
Email newsletter
Occasional email from a sales representative
+
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Key Considerations
• Partner with sales to develop strategy:o Ideal lead o Key competitive advantages o Objections and responseso Content preferences: internal and prospect / customer-facing
• Execution:
Buying StepRole of Marketing:
DEMAND CREATIONRole of Sales: DEMAND
FULFILLMENTSales Support Activities / Materials
Awareness Generate awareness through integrated ongoing campaigns
Provide feedback tomarketing on program performance
Generate awareness through: Mass / social media Referral program
Events Email
Lead Gen Develop targeted content
Qualify / nurture leads Survey-driven content and PR campaign
Video
Webcasts White papers Search Display Direct mail
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Key Considerations
Buying StepRole of Marketing: DEMAND
CREATIONRole of Sales: DEMAND
FULFILLMENTSales Support Activities / Materials
Meetings Help prospects decide which solution is the best fit
Qualify sales-worthy leads
Nurture qualified leads that aren’t ready to buy
Position company selectively with desirable target audiences to be a ‘top three’ contender
Engage ONLY if lead is qualified
Clearly convey value proposition
Orchestrate the agendas of executives critical to the decision
Consultative questions Pitchbook Lead summary with qualification info Call scripts / talking points
Intranet, microsite or secure site to manage sales dialogue and content
Industry-specific collateral Presentations
Pre-written emails for sales reps to modify and send
Value-added experiences to build relationships
Solutions content Executive letters
Proposals Make it easy for sales team to generate proposals
Probe for top three to five requirements that will assure a win
Concise, top-shelf written proposals Scripts for proposal presentation
Suggested experiential support (entertainment, personalized ‘thank you’ gifts, etc.)
Nurture Make it easy for sales rep to send emails
Automate process as much as possible
Execute nurture plan Maintain contact lists Make calls
Send emails Post social media
content
Call scripts Templatized emails Social media “nuggets”
Internal Make it easy for the sales team to find content on your intranet. Organize it by segment, pain point and sales stage
Keep the content current; provide a wide range of formats
Involve sales in campaign concepting and development; educate them on the use of all pieces
Provide industry education – buyer needs, trends, economic / technological / regulatory overview etc.
Continually monitor program results and review the process with Sales
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Make all content comprehensible and user-focused
Talk to the SMB sales support experts at Bredin
Consider survey-driven reports for lead gen
Join me for our next Fastcast on Marketing to Millennial SMBs at 1pmE on Thursday November 6
Five To-Do’s
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Stu Richards, [email protected]: @SBDF
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