Have you ever had the common objection from a prospecting saying “Just send me some information”. Normally in the sales world, we counter that with something to bypass that objection and get to a meeting. If they ask you to send over some information, is that really a bad thing? Is getting permission and getting there email address such a bad thing? This is where a digital content marketing strategy and can help.
We live in age where people use content to be educated on things they are interested in. So why don’t sales people use content more to educate and engage potential buyers? Below we go over a step-by-step process on engaging prospects through content marketing and answer the question, how content marketing drive sales?
Send Targeted Content That Solves a Problem
Content Marketing Institute says content marketing generates over three times as many inbound leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less. If you have an inbound lead come in or cold emailing a prospect, try and lead in with content first and nothing else.
A lot of salespeople are sending mass cold emails asking for meetings on the first email and same with the follow ups. Next time you send a cold email, send over a link with a piece of targeted content that solves a problem or makes their job easier. The same goes for cold calling a targeted prospect. If there is a fit with your company and you ask them if you can send over some information, they will most likely say yes. You are taking the pressure off before they can brush you off. You can use this to your advantage as you are getting there permission and capturing there information for future nurturing.
Don’t Ask For a Meeting Yet
You see so many people asking for appointments way too soon. Why would anyone take an appointment with you off your first email or your first call? I don’t care how good the conversation is. If I am going to take a meeting, I want to see information on your company and see if you are credible. Asking for the meeting early can hurt you instead of help you. Salespeople need to develop a sense of patience because nobody is going to sign an agreement 1 week after your conversation with the prospect. So what’s the point of rushing things? The less you beg early on the better you will be. Try to help and educate early on and the selling will come naturally.
Follow Up
Once you have sent the targeted content to your prospect, wait and let them marinate on it. Prospects are busy and they probably won’t read your content on your first email. That is why the key is in the follow up. Build a cadence follow up plan to reach out and see if they had a chance to review the material. After 2-3 follow ups, they will review the content and see if this is something that can help their business. If the response is positive, you can ask for meetings, demos, discovery calls, or whatever your next commitment is. If the response if not a fit, you can move on and not force it.
Creating a content marketing plan is complicated but you can simplify it to qualify new prospects. Use a variety of tools that your company provides such as company news, videos, blog posts, etc… Use whatever it takes to educate and provide value to your prospects. It all boils down to making their jobs easier and solving their problems. As time goes on, your audience will appreciate the education and you will start to build a relationship based on the value you are creating. Sooner or later they will come back to you about your products, because you were the first person they thought of to fill a need they have. They came back to you because of the…………..Content!
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