Want to Sell More Products and Services?
Here’s a website from Bolen Partners that really walks the walk when it comes to content marketing.
One of the things I love about the web is discovering great websites that are built by very small companies. I get really excited when they embrace key concepts of content marketing.
Bob Leonard’s BolenComm.com is a perfect example.
In the upper right hand corner of the site he says how his company will help you succeed: “Bolen partners with you to enable your sales force. We help your sales stars shine.”
In this and so many other ways, Bob’s site really makes it easier for visitors and prospects to buy from him. That’s what content marketing is all about.
He makes it clear, without jargon, exactly what he does– and then provides a call to action:
We enable your sales force by giving them the tools they need to close profitable deals. We work with you and your top salespeople to define and deliver the most effective tools possible. We’ll help you sell more while holding down your cost of sales. We start with a phone call to discuss your business needs – no strings attached. Please Contact Us.
The work that Bob does matches up with the principles of the very fine book “Customer Centric Selling”. The basic idea is that the marketing tools that will benefit your sales team must be based on what actually resonates with their clients. When the marketing department operates in a vacuum without reference to what action works in the field, that’s when disaster strikes. And that’s why the vast majority of sales people don’t even bother to use typical marketing materials.
Everything that Bob does is very much sales driven. He can create everything from basic sales brochures to white papers and newsletters. His work is based on his belief, “Content that delivers relevant and valuable information builds trust. And trust sells.”
He elaborates on this idea in his monthly newsletter–aptly named, “The Funnel,” which is fun and informative. The latest issue explains why traditional advertising just isn’t working–and why creating content that is relevant to your targeted buyers is critical:
Start with narrowly defining your target market. Look at your current customers. Who are the most profitable? Who are the most fun to work with? Select a handful of your best clients and deconstruct their demographics. What size companies are they? Where are they located? What industries are they in? Get a clear picture of exactly who they are so you can go out and get a bunch more just like them.
Next, determine your content. That’s right. Content. Not sales messaging. We’re all bombarded with thousands of sales messages every day. We’ve become inured to them. You want to deliver content that will help your prospects make an intelligent decision when they purchase your products and services. You want to develop content that will position you as a trusted advisor.
Bob knows what he’s talking about–and he does an excellent job of walking the content walk on his website and in his newsletter. Even if you don’t need to hire him, check out his website to get some ideas for yours.
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Comments [2]
Newts comments are right on. I look forward to reading the funnel every time it crosses my desk. Bob Leonard knows his stuff!
Newt,
Thanks for this review. You and Joe Pulizzi are the gold standard of content marketers, so your favorable opinion means a lot to me. It’s validation of an effort I’ve been pursuing for over two years.
As you stated, my direction has been driven by salespeople who work for my clients and prospects. I focus exclusively on B2B businesses, and these sales people were the first to sense a sea change in how their clients buy and how they want to be sold to.
Content marketing isn’t just the latest trend. It’s much bigger than that. The causes are many, but the major force is the Net. B2B buyers are sophisticated. They perform extensive research prior to engaging with a salesperson. Salespeople are just as important as they always were, but their time and skills are wasted if they’re used (as often is the case) to beat the bushes and qualify suspects. B2B salespeople should be deployed strategically during the finals stages of the buy cycle.
Qualified prospects self-select if you deliver relevant, useful and entertaining content to them when and where they’re looking for it. Content that informs instead of sells builds trust. It keeps prospects warm and engaged until they’re ready to buy.
Thanks again. I hope to see you at the Custom Publishing Conference in March.
Bob