I recently came across an article from CMSWire.com entitled “It’s Time for Sales to Embrace Content Marketing” . In the article, author Amanda Wilson highlighted a few key points that have been addressed in previous Mediafly blog post, “Want Better Sales and Marketing? Here Are 5 Things You Must Do”. In addition to stressing the importance of creating a strong support system between sales and marketing teams, Wilson went on to explain how the two functions can use each other in order to revolutionize the selling process.
Stuck in the Dark Ages
We all know that the customer buying process has changed. Thanks to the advancement of smartphones, customers are more informed than ever when making their purchasing decisions. Despite this, many sales teams have neglected to change their methods when it comes to connecting with their target markets.
The “one size fits all” rule does not apply to sales anymore. Rather, sales teams need to develop a more unique and personalized approach in order to create strong and ongoing relationships with their customers. This is where the marketing-sales alignment comes in — according to Wilson, sales executives and content marketing teams must become familiar with one another.
As defined by the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is the practice of attracting and retaining customers by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content. This means that instead of squeezing various needs and desires into a single pitch, sales teams can tailor their approach to each buyer persona. Once each persona has been developed, sales can use that information to determine where the customer is in their buyer’s journey and tailor their approach accordingly.
Deploy the Data
It may sound counterintuitive, but getting personal with your customers means relying on the numbers. By utilizing data from CRM systems, marketing automation systems, Google Analytics, and other analytics tools, sales teams will be able to better understand who their customers are, what they want, and how to deliver. The Corporate Executive Board has found that 53 percent of the buying process is complete before a customer talks to a supplier, which means that it is essential for sales teams to be up to date on customer information before going for the sale
Once sales teams have the numbers on their side, it becomes much easier to target customers based on their needs, values, lifestyles, and so on. The next step is to create relevant, curated content that will capture the attention of the customer — not once, not twice, but continuously. Repetition is key, because content marketing is about developing an ongoing relationship. This means crafting content that is evolving and changing as often as the customer.
From Cold to Hot
Cold calling got its name for a reason — it’s a practice that is irritating and impersonal. In order for sales teams to be effective, they need to move away from these age-old practices and develop strategies that are more consistent with this day and age.
What are some ways in which your organization’s sales team has created authentic relationships with their customers?
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