How Content Marketing Helps Your Sales Process
Posted by Patrick Hopkins on Thu, Jul 26, 2012
Despite all of the great information out there on content marketing, many brands are missing the mark. They aren’t sure how content ties to sales, so they ignore all of the great advice out there on white papers, blog posts and social media updates. They don’t see a clear connection between what they publish and their sales figures.
Content marketing isn’t just a trend – it’s an essential sales tool. When you embrace your role as publisher and start using content on your website, on your blog and via social media, it makes it a lot easier to reach out to your target market and convert them into customers. It can be just the thing to turn your software marketing or technology marketing around.
Here are four key places where you can use content to help move prospects closer to yes.
Introduction to Your Solutions – Website Content
Optimized website content is your opportunity to not only bring in search engine traffic but to help your audience understand your solutions. Content on your website and blog can help your readers define their problems and know what type of solution to look for. For example, your target audience may not understand the risks of going without a solution like yours – so a blog post that explains the dangers would be a perfect fit. It leads right into a natural introduction of your solutions.
Generating Leads – Top of the Funnel Offer
Your website content and blog posts create the right background for your website traffic to understand the value of your leads – but a top of the funnel offer moves them on to the next step. A white paper, cheat sheet or how to resource that requires an email opt in is the next step in the content assisted sales cycle. It requires a little more commitment on the visitor’s side, but it indicates that they are willing to get more detailed information on your solution. When your website visitors opt in to receive your top of the funnel offer, they’ve taken the first full step toward becoming a customer.
Turn Leads to Qualified Prospects – Middle of the Funnel Offer
The next step in the content assisted sales cycle is to separate the wheat from the chaff in your leads list. With a low barrier of entry, your top of the funnel offer may be attracting some tire kickers. A middle of the funnel offer – like an ebook, case study or assessment with customized report – can help you find those prospects that are ready to buy your solution.
Creating Customers – Bottom of the Funnel Offer
The potential customers that get to this point should be ready to buy. You can help them make that final decision with a bottom of the funnel content piece. Brochures, executive summaries and demos can help your sales team assist with closing the sale and lay the groundwork for a great customer relationship.
Content can help throughout the sales cycle and beyond. Using these essential content pieces can help you target your ideal customers, show them the value of what you provide and close the sale. Content shouldn’t be published in a vacuum. When it’s applied to the sales cycle and used strategically it can increase your profits.