As the Web evolves so does the conversation between a website and its visitors. Information is important in the B2B market. Your top sales people have spent long hours in front of clients. They know what prospects are asking and how to answer those questions. The way information is presented on websites is changing. In part due to the increasingly social aspect of client/customer relations created by social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For this reason, listening to the voice of your top sales people can give insight on how to write content for your business website.
Build Rapport
Top sales people learn specific actions and when to apply them. The first step in the sales cycle is to build rapport. Websites that have pop-up ads appear before the visitor has engaged with any content are missing this step. A nice design and easy navigation invite the visitor to explore. Offering something on the Home page helps build rapport.
Keller-Heartt Oil Company recently introduced a new e-commerce site for its customers in the lubricant and absorbent industry. Their market segments are categorized by Automotive, Industrial and Trucking. First though, at the top left corner of the site they offer everyone their “Winter Specials” much like a server in a restaurant does before taking your order.
Make Agreements
Listen to your top sales person get an agreement from a client. There is less persuasion in sales circles now and more reliance on upfront agreements. They define the purpose, agenda and outcome. On a website, agreements can take many forms. Sign up for a free consultation or subscribe to an e-newsletter.
I got this response from Keller-Heartt: “Thanks again! We look forward to providing you with value-packed newsletters, information and special offers just for you!”
Talk With Experience
A top sales person knows the product they are selling. They know how the product is most effectively used, its features and benefits. They tell stories. Online this may include customer testimonials or case studies like the “Real Stories” featured on the Sutton Enterprises Inc. website.
Solve Problems
Top sales people have the knowledge and communications skills to solve problems. If your customers need reliable delivery service, add your assurances to the web content: “We have established an emergency delivery system so if you need it now, you’ll get it now.”
Content marketing strategies can be made more robust when top sales people are involved. They know customer pain points and the mindset that drives the target market. They understand price points and the competition. Your website content can directly address these matters, your capabilities and advantages.
Post Sell
Wanting to keep a customer happy and buying more, your top sales people keep in touch and solicit feedback. Online this may be done through a customer survey, newsletter, forums, e-mail and social media. Or, offer complementary products the next time they visit.
To differentiate your company from the competition, good content writers heed to insights from top sales people and customers. To get the tone of the copy right, it may work to steal the voice of your top sales people to engage website visitors. Do your top sales people contribute to your content marketing strategy?
Think of a well-packed suitcase. The size limits its capability, but not its function. Constraints can be good especially if you need to carry your bag from place to place or when you need your content to travel well in all conditions and across channels. By that I mean gaining attention amidst the flurry of headlines, tweets, posts and images that fly past us each day. We are all confined by time and space. So my thought is to use it wisely. Like the suitcase, you need to pack your content well.
