Use Content to Spur Deal Origination and Sales
Strategically Use Marketing Content to Develop Relationships with Buyers
Leveraging marketing content to forge relationships with potential buyers can significantly influence deal generation and sales. By disseminating content that addresses the issues you solve, you enable buyers to grasp your offerings and the ways you can assist them. Distributing a variety of content types, such as insights, case studies, instructional articles, and more, aids in transitioning buyers from the exploration phase to being ready to make a purchase.
Although sharing content may seem straightforward, it's the strategic application of content where many falter. What distinguishes one piece of content from another in terms of value? How can you ensure the content you share resonates with your audience? How can content be transformed into a sales opportunity? These questions often create obstacles for those in charge of managing relationships.
Consistently using content to influence the perceptions of buyers and maintain relationships presents another hurdle. Relationship managers may initially share content successfully but then struggle to keep up a regular sharing schedule. This might be due to a lack of quality content, reluctance to share too often for fear of seeming pushy, or simply a lack of follow-through.
Thankfully, these challenges, among others, are surmountable with the right approach.
Identify Your Target Audience
To effectively disseminate content to clients and prospects, it's essential to first identify the specific contacts you wish to engage with. If your goal is to reach out to hundreds of contacts, consider utilizing mass marketing techniques rather than individual outreach, which is best suited for a limited number of key contacts. You might want to target individuals who are at an advanced stage in your sales cycle, or perhaps focus on key decision-makers involved in significant early-stage opportunities. Developing a clear strategy regarding whom you're targeting and the reasons behind it is crucial.
Once you have defined your target audience, gathering essential contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers, and social media profiles is the next step. This ensures you have the necessary details to reach out to each individual across different channels. Managing this information within a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is beneficial, as it allows for easy access, use, updates, and exportation of data for sales and marketing activities. Furthermore, a CRM system can help you convert your sales and marketing engagement data into actionable insights, enabling you to fine-tune your content dissemination strategies, enhance engagement, and foster lasting relationships over time.
“Following up to discuss the content, even in a casual setting for a brief period, allows buyers to ask questions while providing you with the opportunity to emphasize key points.”
Select Content With Purpose
Choosing the right content to share is a critical next step. Start by clarifying your goals to inform your content selection process. If your target audience includes clients and prospects nearing the final stages of their decision-making, consider sharing case studies, client testimonials, and other sales-focused content that supports deal closure.
For engaging decision-makers involved in significant, early-stage opportunities, consider content that provides industry insights and discusses strategies for addressing common challenges, thereby helping in shaping and advancing potential deals.
Sharing content without a clear purpose won't benefit you or your clients. Instead, focus on your objectives when sharing and carefully select content that resonates. Remember to explain the relevance and value of the content to your audience. The more effectively you convey your intent, the more your audience will value your insights and assistance.
Use Email To Share Content
Email remains a powerful tool for distributing content to your network, especially when you're reaching out to someone you have a personal connection with. The key is to avoid overcomplicating your message before sending it. Stick to a clear, well-crafted message that outlines what you're sharing, its significance, and a compelling call-to-action inviting further discussion.
Avoid the temptation to add unnecessary branding, complex graphics, or superfluous information that might muddle your message and detract from the content you're sharing. A direct, personal approach not only signifies your intent to assist but also enriches the interaction and is likely to make a lasting impression. Personalized messages are also more likely to receive a response from recipients.
Use Social Media To Share Content
In today's professional landscape, social media stands out as the foremost avenue for disseminating content within your network. By tagging contacts in your posts, you guarantee their visibility to the content you share. Similarly, employing direct messaging proves effective, particularly for content tailored to specific individuals.
Moreover, the frequency of your posts is pivotal. Given the fleeting nature of social media updates and the short attention spans of recipients, establishing an optimal posting cadence is essential for maintaining visibility and engagement. By blending your own content with material from other relevant sources, you ensure a steady stream of compelling content over time.
Share Content While In-Person
Sharing information in person adds a personal touch that enhances its memorability, whether it's content or any other material. However, the manner in which you share in person can significantly impact its effectiveness. While distributing printed materials is an option, they often end up neglected or discarded shortly after.
An alternative approach is to leverage digital sharing while still engaging face-to-face. Simply stating, "I have something I'd like to share with you," and sending it from your mobile device increases the likelihood of the content being read compared to sharing it without direct interaction. This allows for joint review and discussion of the content while physically present, and the recipient can easily access it later on. Additionally, sending a follow-up email within the same thread enables you to further highlight the content after the initial in-person interaction.
Call Attention To Key Messages
Engaging in discussions about the content you share holds more significance than simply distributing it. It's crucial not to presume that the recipient has read the material, particularly if it's transmitted solely through digital platforms.
Allocate time to review and converse about the content, even if only for a brief moment. These discussions need not be formal or prolonged; simply highlighting key points from the content during conversation suffices. It's beneficial to mention the source and recall how and when you forwarded it to them, facilitating easy reference in the future.
Keep in mind, the content serves as a conduit for delivering the message; the essence of the message itself holds the utmost importance. Engaging in a discussion ensures the message is effectively received.
Personalize Your Approach for Greater Impact
As you delve deeper into utilizing marketing content to initiate and steer conversations with potential buyers, you'll come to realize the immense value of this strategy. Not only will you see its effectiveness, but your buyers will also appreciate being engaged in such a thoughtful manner, positioning you as a trusted thought leader and advisor. Before long, you'll be eager to enhance and diversify your content-sharing endeavors.
Focusing on refining the content you tailor for specific individuals yields significant returns. Picture this: a key decision-maker in one of your pivotal early-stage deals becomes deeply intrigued by your efforts. Crafting subsequent content pieces to drive the deal forward is a savvy move to amplify your impact. In fact, you might even consider crafting exclusive content tailored specifically to individual decision-makers or select groups, further personalizing your outreach.
Moreover, identifying the preferred communication channels of each individual and optimizing content sharing accordingly adds an extra layer of personalization to your efforts. For instance, sending content via email just before an in-person meeting can create a powerful one-two punch, boosting engagement levels. Conversely, you might discover that sharing content through LinkedIn messaging fosters better connections than inundating inboxes with emails. Embracing what works best is simply a smart choice.
In Conclusion
Strategically disseminating content to potential buyers can significantly impact deal origination and sales outcomes. When carefully selected and shared in a meaningful manner, content has the ability to shape buyers' perceptions of your company and solutions, foster stronger personal connections, expedite sales cycles, and pave the way for future sales opportunities. Employed with the appropriate timing, content serves as a potent tool, offering a competitive advantage in both securing new business and maintaining a steady flow of future prospects.
Understanding your audience is paramount in choosing the most relevant information to effectively reach buyers. Deliberately selecting content that aligns with deal origination and sales prospects not only benefits the buyer but also adds value to your organization. Utilizing channels such as email, social media, and face-to-face interactions ensures that the intended recipients are not only aware of the content but also engage with it meaningfully. Following up to discuss the content, even in a casual setting for a brief period, allows buyers to ask questions while providing you with the opportunity to emphasize key points.
By following these simple steps and integrating content sharing into your deal origination and sales efforts, you'll quickly realize the value of personalized communication.
About John Fildes
I grow the top line by connecting marketing to business strategy. By leveraging powerful positioning, content marketing, and client insights, I help organizations drive qualitative and quantitative results at scale.
I've built an amazing network of incredibly talented people over the years. What I've appreciated most is those who have invested in me, mentored me, and helped me become the talented professional I am today. I pay it forward by doing the same for other high performing professionals and entrepreneurs.
Learn More: Marketing Leader | Adept Entrepreneur | People Developer
All views are my own and not those of my current or prior employers.
