Content and Sales – Connecting the Dots

I write a lot about the process of content marketing on this blog. But while tips for creating cool posts or getting more Twitter followers are fun, it’s important not to forget that the real goal at the end of the day is to help the company make more money.

And while there’s no denying the value here, the content drum has mostly been beaten by marketers themselves up to this point. That’s starting to change, however, as more and more sales minds begin to open up to what content can really do for them. (For example, HubSpot’s Mark Roberge provided a great breakdown of how content marketing and social media have changed the sales process in a recent video.)

So it was no surprise when sales strategist Colleen Francis of Engage Selling Solutions played the content card during our latest podcast discussion. The conversation was centered on tips for managing a healthy sales pipeline and how prospecting is the key to keeping your sales funnel full. When I asked about some prospecting techniques that a lot of young companies aren’t taking advantage of, Colleen almost immediately pointed to content as a key opportunity for new sales.

“A few years ago, prospecting used to be us, as sellers, picking up the phone, making calls, getting referrals, and being very proactive,” she said. “While we still have to do that, we also have to take the initiative for being attractive to people and causing them to come to us.”

That’s really the essence of inbound marketing right there, but Colleen had a lot more to say about the role content marketing plays in regards to prospecting and lead gen. Here are some more of her thoughts from our conversation:

“Anything you can do prospecting-wise that sets you up as a thought leader or an expert in the community can be very, very powerful. Go into a market and own that market. Whether it’s a geography or a vertical market, is there a way that you can move into that market, join the association, and become part of that market so you can really dominate that niche, and then move on from there? That can be very powerful.

Write articles and white papers — really position yourself as being a thought leader. What can you do to position yourself not as a salesperson or a company with stuff to sell, but as a thought leader? Can you write white papers? Can you do webinars? Can you publish articles? Do you have a blog?

All of that information is so important, because what’s happening right now in terms of lead generation is your buyers are going online, going to their industry associations, talking to other people in the marketplace, and gathering information before they decide whether you’re worthy of their time to speak to. You need to have that information out there showing that you can solve problems that are important to them so they feel attracted to you.”

Notice one word that she repeated over an over again was “thought leader.” As many experienced content marketers will tell you, one of the main goals of any content strategy is to set your team up as experts in your particular market. It’s great to hear from a respected sales mind like Colleen who really gets how valuable that is.

For more from our conversation, check out the full podcast and transcript at OpenView Labs. She talks a little bit more about using case studies, testimonials and referrals (i.e. content) to attract more customers, which was pretty interesting. I also recommend checking out her blog, Sell More & Work Less, and following her on Twitter @CFrancisVoice.

You can find more information on content marketing and editorial practices at the OpenView Labs website. You can also follow Brendan on Twitter @BrenCournoyer and find more from the OpenView team @OpenViewVenture.