how to use content to accelerate your sales cycle
TRANSCRIPT
How to Use Content to Drive the Sales Process
Fernando Labastida
Latin IT Marketing & JS Logan
Agenda
• The problem with sales and marketing• Fusing content marketing into the sales
process• 5 ways sales people can use content in
their sales cycle
About me• Provide content marketing services to
technology and other companies• Sales Exec. Almost 20 years• Start-ups, Vignette Corp, Pervasive
Software, Video Equipment• Re-invited myself 3 years ago: from
salesguy to content marketer
The problem with sales
The problem with marketing: It takes too long!
Source: Hubspot
Sales 2.0 vs.Sales 1.0• “Before you cry foul, think about it. You
really want this dream client. You can hope they find you on the Internet, or you can pick up the phone, dial them, ask them to tell you how you can create value for them, and schedule an appointment. That sounds like cold calling, doesn’t it? It is . . . waiting is not, was not, and never will be an effective activity.” (Source: Anthony Lannarino, thesalesblog.com)
Source: Eloqua
Hybrid sales/marketing person
• Use of compelling, relevant content to serve as absentee sales people
• Implemented by sales people• Requires sales 2.0 mind-set• Also requires Sales 1.0 mind-set
5 Ways sales people can use content in their sales process
1. Your buzz piece
2. Soft email
3. Warm cold-calls
4. Innovative content tools
5. Social Media “Search & Sharing”
Create your “buzz piece”• Foundational content• New concept• Resolve an industry problem• Bold Benefit• Non-commercial: advertising that’s too
good to throw away• eBook, White Paper, Web App, Video,
Top 10 List, Case Study
Create your “buzz piece”
Soft Email
• “Who would you recommend?” or “Permission to connect?”
• Never a direct solicitation• Short and sweet• “buzz piece” offer in signature of email• Offer to help• Offer to send valuable content/demo
Warm cold-calls• “Business Call” vs. “Cold Call”• Old friends / colleagues• Follow-up on email• Offer your buzz piece• Call marketing partners:
– Associations– Chambers– Incubators– Accelerators
Social Media “Search & Sharing”
• Google• LinkedIn / LinkedIn Groups• Tweepsearch• Twitter Search• Google Alerts• Jigsaw
Innovative Content Tools
• Tokbox• Kineticast• Zentact
How to contact me
Fernando Labastida
Twitter: @flabastida
Facebook: http://facebook.com/flabastida
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/flabastida
Tel: 512-945-9273
Website: http://latinitmarketing.com
Email: [email protected]