If you're creating content, it's important that your sales team uses it as a resource. Still, most content never gets used by sales teams. Sirius Decisions, a global research firm, reports that 65 percent of B2B content goes unused.

So, how can leaders get their marketing and sales teams to collaborate on marketing content? Author Garrett Moon says it begins by ensuring that marketing staffers create the kind of content the sales team needs.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we discuss Moon's thoughts on how marketing and sales can work together on content.

Start with your customer's most important questions. Your content should be addressing your customer's most pressing needs. It's often not hard to figure out what these things are, notes Moon. Your sales team will tell you because they hear about them all the time. He recommends bringing your sales and marketing teams together to discuss three things:

  • What top problems can marketing help sales answer for customers?
  • Which misperceptions about your product could content clarify?
  • Has content been created that address these needs already?

Clearly communicate where sales can find which resources. If you already have great content but your sales team isn't using it, it could be because they don't know it exists. Even if they do know that assets are available, they may not know where to find them, says Moon. Set aside some time for marketing to educate sales on what types of content are available and where it can be found.

Make the content easy to personalize. No two customers are the same. So, make it simple for sales to tailor pieces to potential clients. According to Moon, sales reps should be able to edit (when possible):

  • Client logos and brand names
  • Text relating to specific features or use cases
  • Relevant dates and times

Cut sales a break on brand standards. Marketers may object to the previous point because they believe it's important to maintain high brand standards. However, what matters most is making the sale, notes Moon. If breaking brand compliance is necessary to personalize something for a potential lead, give sales the permission to it.

Maintain an open conversation around what's getting used. You invest in content to attract customers and close deals. If your content does not achieve this goal, then it's a waste. Make the most out of your investment in content marketing by setting recurring meetings between sales and marketing teams, recommends Moon. This helps maintain open discussions around which pieces are working. This can also help identify topic gaps, helping your marketing team better understand what they need to create to fill unmet needs.

Your organization's marketing team works hard to create valuable content. Make sure your sales team uses it to their advantage. When you make assets easy to find, organize and customize, you can turn your content investment into a revenue driver.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Garrett Moon is the author of the 10x Marketing Formula and CEO and co-founder of CoSchedule.