B2B buyers are hungry for information. They see insights and data as powerful ways to drive more value for their companies – and their own careers. But generic information that’s not relevant to a buyer’s industry or problems is not going to help. It’ll only confuse.
Yet that’s what too many sales people do. They simply share whatever information they have at their fingertips without thought about what it gives to a prospect. No wonder buyers think that 80% of sellers add no value.
That challenge is actually a major opportunity for sellers to differentiate themselves from their competition. But what kinds of insights should sales reps provide? Many people immediately gravitate to solely file-based content. And yes, that kind of material is vital. But what other sales enablement resources can help a seller to add value?
Let’s take a look:
1. Subject matter experts
Your salespeople can’t be experts in every aspect of your product. But within your team, you likely have product managers, technical resources and other individuals who are. They may know your market and customers better than anyone else. Or success stories.
In any case, these people can likely provide a wealth of value to your prospects. By surfacing to a seller the internal experts who can be brought to bear on an account, they can quickly engage a prospect and have a compelling conversation that advances a prospect toward close. An effective seller resource centre provides an easy way to navigate and find these internal people resources.
2. Sales training and guidance
Sales as a profession is a skill that must be constantly nurtured. When your sellers are able to deploy a solid sales methodology and process they not only can accelerate deals but also can understand how to better challenge and engage their buyers.
Similarly, great salespeople know how to adjust on the fly based on changes in the sales journey. Sellers who are equipped with just-in-time guidance can better communicate value to buyers based on their exact needs at a given moment. A seller resource centre provides a one-stop-shop for sellers to find this kind of training and coaching to step up their game and add more value.
Similar to training and guidance, a seller resource centre can be a focal point of information about processes both pre- and post-sale. So, a customer can rest assured of best practices to get a solution implemented and successful going forward.
3. Product training
It’s critical that salespeople communicate the right message about their products. But as new offers and products are rolled out, it’s often difficult for reps to keep up. The result is that a seller may not be able to message correctly or guide a prospect to the best-matched solution.
A seller resource centre equips reps with the most current, approved information about products. In particular, it can provide a go-to location to get information about new product releases. The result: sellers can provide buyers with significantly more specific information about products than what can be gleaned from a website.
4. Customer examples
One of the most compelling types of resources for a buyer is customer success stories. They prove not only that there’s value in purchasing a certain solution, but also that its implementation or use is achievable. But customer examples are more than just PDFs of case studies. They could be videos, quotes, ROI data and more. A great seller resource centre is the hub for this kind of customer information, making it a snap for a seller to find a compelling case that moves a prospect forward confidently.
5. Preparatory materials
Sellers spend a significant amount of time preparing to engage a prospect. That might be researching the best pitch or understanding how they can solve a particular pain. This preparation is vital to the success of a sales call.
A seller resource centre can provide a context-aware environment in which a rep can uncover the materials they need to have a winning sales call. No digging through old files. Instead, a seller can use information about the buyer’s needs, current stage, etc. to find the resources she needs to have a great sales call.
6. Marketing content
Lastly, we must mention traditional sales and marketing content. That includes datasheets, eBooks, product spec sheets and more. The seller resource centre is the single source of truth for these types of collateral too. Marketing teams see 75% of their content go unused. But an effective seller resource centre can turn that around.
When you have a great seller resource centre in place, you’re able to better equip sellers (and buyers!) with the information they need, from collateral to training and beyond. A winning seller resource centre isn’t locked on some drive somewhere. Instead, it’s accessible to sellers where they work – in the CRM, browser, mobile and more. The result is sellers are equipped with the right sales enablement resources wherever they work.