In the age of the Internet, B2B buyers have more access to information than ever before. CSO Insights reports that 70% of the buyer’s journey is completed before any contact with a sales rep. This results in a complex buyer’s journey, and sales reps must learn to adapt. A one-size-fits-all sales pitch just won’t cut it anymore, and the content offerings that accompany these sales conversations must be versatile and specific for the each conversation. This not only means that content must be relevant for each industry, role and stage in the sales cycle, but that content types should vary as well.
A thoughtful infographic from Eccolo Media illustrates the best content types for each stage of the B2B sales cycle. Sales reps looking to share content that will best resonate with prospects should note:
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Blogs and newsletters are optimal for early in the sales cycle when needs are broad and prospects are still learning about a topic.
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Whitepapers and broader guides are valuable during earlier stages in the middle of the sales cycle. This content should help prospects attempt to understand a problem and how to possibly solve it.
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Webinars and detailed guides are useful in the end of the sales cycle, when buyers are in the consideration stage and finalizing their purchase decisions.
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Thought leadership and tech support content is perfect for after a purchase.
But it’s more than just the type of content that matters. Sales reps must think about the needs of prospects based on their industry, job role, pain points and the stage in the sales cycle. By taking these into consideration, sales reps are able to have a personalized conversation with each prospective customer. This enhances the customer experience, addresses their questions and problems, and speeds up the sales cycle. It’s time to reframe sales conversations by putting the customer first, and content second. For more insights on how to connect sales content to the customer experience, view the infographic below.
