Whatever happened to sales materials? With the advent of websites and landing pages, a lot of businesses have been ignoring sales materials.
I’ll admit, I’m one of them. But then while I was working on developing a new offer for a client, I realized that creating effective sales materials is a critical first step in pulling your sales and marketing process together before you start selling your offer.
It’s more important than ever to take the time to create effective sales materials, not just for your customer, but for your sales team. When invest your energy into creating great sales materials, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to streamline your sales process, sell quicker, and create customer loyalty because there’s no confusion about what your customers purchased.
Let’s dive in!
Short Summary
- Sales materials are essential for businesses to invest in, helping them convey value & build trust.
- Creating effective sales materials requires tailoring approaches to goals, budget & audience.
- Collaboration between Sales and Marketing Teams is key for driving results with sales materials.
Ignoring Sales Materials? Here’s Why They Matter
Sales materials are the backbone of any successful sales process. They help your sales team communicate the value of your product or service to potential clients. Solid sales materials will address customers’ pain points and guide them through the buying process.
A great sales presentation, for example, not only showcases your product, but also sparks an in-depth conversation with your target audience.
Include customer success stories in your sales materials can be a powerful way to build trust with potential clients and showcase the real-life benefits of your product or service.
To win the hearts and minds of prospective customers, invest in tailored sales materials for each funnel stage. Design a compelling package that includes demos, case studies and testimonials. This personalized approach will make your brand identity truly stand out amongst the competition.
But creating great sales materials goes beyond just having the right content.
You also need to pay attention to design, layout, and even printing high quality materials.
To create marketing materials that truly resonate with your audience, you want to focus on the trifecta of smart copy, bright visuals, and professional printing services. This winning combination ensures that your brand promise and marketing message are delivered and leave a lasting impression.
Do all of these things and your audience will be hooked from the moment they lay eyes on your eye-catching materials.
Choosing the Right Sales Materials for Your Business
Selecting the right sales materials for your business depends on your goals, budget, and target audience. While standard sales materials such as sell sheets, proposal and pricing sheets, and FAQs are essential, you can also incorporate other tools like email templates and phone scripts for outreach. Personalization is key, even in low-tech options like handwritten notes on branded postcards to accompany a brochure or catalog.
Be Consistent with Your Sales Message and Your Brand
If you’ve ever worked for a larger organization, you know that it’s very common to have a variety of sales materials available. And, you probably remember seeing sell sheets with different information, different logos, different selling points from one year to the next.
This is what I mean by being consistent.
Do an audit of your sales materials at least every two years and make sure that what you’re communicating to potential customers is consistent with your current sales and marketing message
Your brand needs to be recognizable across all sales materials, which is why having a style guide for your team is so important. By using low-cost, high-quality print services, you can create tailored brochures, catalogs, or product sheets that appeal to different segments of your audience, increasing your chances of making a sale.
Don’t forget about the digital side of your sales process.
With tools like GetAccept, you can access and track a wide range of professional marketing materials such as brochures, product/service data sheets, white papers, eBooks, videos, and third-party industry research.
These materials not only complement your physical sales collateral, but can also help you reach a wider audience through digital marketing channels.
Optimize Your Website as a Sales Tool
Your company website is a crucial sales tool that can influence every step of the buyer journey, from initial interest to post-purchase support.
To create a connection with your target audience, your website’s design and structure should be built on a foundation of matching your brand message and creating an emotional bond.
A clear call to action is key for guiding users through your website and helping them understand what to do next. By providing easy-to-find information about your products or services and addressing common pain points, you can create a website that not only showcases your offerings but also makes it easy for potential customers to reach out and learn more.
Don’t forget to optimize your website for the most profitable items in your product or service lineup. By highlighting these items prominently and providing compelling reasons for customers to choose them, you can increase the likelihood of making a sale.
Craft Compelling Company Brochures
Company brochures play a critical role in helping potential clients make informed decisions about your products or services. To create a compelling brochure, it’s essential to present information in a professional and visually appealing way. Matching your brochure to your company’s overall style and colors ensures a cohesive brand experience.
A well-designed company brochure can make or break a sale, so it’s crucial to get it right. Some tips for designing a great brochure include using engaging visuals to illustrate your product or service, keeping your copy concise and persuasive, and focusing on the benefits rather than just the features.
Remember, your brochure might be the first interaction a potential customer has with your business. By making it visually appealing and informative, you can create a lasting impression that paves the way for a successful sales conversation.
Use Product/Service Data Sheets for Maximum Impact
Product/service data sheets are a valuable sales tool that provides information on the benefits and specifications of your offerings.
Maximize the impact of your sell sheets by showcasing both the practical features and emotional advantages of your product or service.
Product sheet software like Plytix can help you create professional and engaging data sheets that include all the essential information customers need and answer any queries they might have. Plytix is really pricey!
So, if you don’t have that kind of budget, you can try Visme! They have very specific templates for products sheets. All you need to do is pick a template, create your sheets, and upload them to your marketing assets library.
By providing clear, easy-to-understand data sheets, you can help potential customers quickly grasp the value of your product and make an informed decision.
Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words. Including visuals that illustrate the features and benefits of your product or service can help potential customers understand complex information more easily, making your data sheets even more effective.
Leverage Content Marketing: White Papers and eBooks
Content marketing through ebooks and white papers is a powerful way to educate potential customers and build a list of qualified emails. These materials should focus on providing valuable information about the issue your product or service solves, rather than pushing sales. Offering eBook downloads on your website is a great way to create and maintain a quality email list. You can use this for more effective email newsletter campaigns.
Consistency in design and branding is essential for ebooks and white papers as well. By ensuring your content marketing materials look professional and match your company’s overall style, you can create a cohesive brand experience that sticks in people’s minds.
Remember, content marketing isn’t just about selling your product or service. It’s about providing value to your audience and building trust in your brand. By creating informative and engaging ebooks and white papers, you can help potential customers better understand their pain points and how your offerings and other solutions can address them.
Create a Powerful Company Profile
A company profile is like a hand presentation about your business in PDF form, typically used to attract investment or partnerships. A powerful company or business profile that should include your business’s background, summary, purpose, capabilities, and expertise.
To create an impressive company profile, make sure to showcase your company’s success stories, achievements, and unique selling points. This will not only highlight your brand’s own value proposition, but also demonstrate your credibility to potential partners or investors.
Keep in mind that a well-crafted company profile can be a powerful sales tool. By showcasing your company’s capabilities and mission, you can attract potential partners or investors who share your vision and can help drive your business forward.
Streamline Email Communication with Templates
Email templates can help your sales team build long-term connections with buyers by personalizing communication and addressing their pain points. These pre-written emails can be customized for various stages of the buying process, from the first interaction to post-purchase follow-ups.
Using structured email templates can result in a 47% higher click-through rate compared to direct mail and to average B2C businesses. By streamlining your email communication, you save time and ensure consistent messaging across all outgoing emails.
Sound overwhelming? It isn’t. Your CRM has the ability to create a series of email templates for each step of the selling cycle, your CRM can automate the sending of sales materials appropriate for each stage. This not only saves you time, but also ensures that your prospects receive the right information at the right time, increasing the chances of closing the deal.
Remember, personalization is key for successful email communication. Make sure to tailor your email templates to the recipient’s needs and context to create a more personalized experience that resonates with your target audience.
Use Videos as Sales Materials
Videos have become an increasingly popular sales tool thanks to their ability to present complex information in an easy-to-follow format. They can be particularly helpful in launching new products or explaining technical products to potential customers.
Demo recordings are essential for sales, as they give potential customers a clear idea of how a product or service works. Segmenting demo recordings to focus on addressing particular pain points, targeting specific personas, or comparing against certain competitors can make them even more effective.
Don’t underestimate the power of videos as sales materials. By creating engaging and informative videos that showcase your products or services, you can capture the attention of potential customers and make a lasting impression that leads to successful sales.
Integrate Post-Sales Materials into the Sales Process
Post-sales materials are essential for helping customers become familiar with the onboarding procedure. They also provide visibility into the process after the sale. These and other materials should provide value to your customers, remind them of the benefits of their purchase, and offer support and resources throughout their journey with your company.
To make post-sales materials more personal, consider customizing them to the individual needs and preferences of each customer. This can help create a stronger connection with your customers and improve their overall experience with your business.
Remember, post-sales materials are an essential part of maintaining long-term relationships with your customers. By providing valuable resources and support, you can ensure customer satisfaction and drive repeat business.
Use Third-Party Industry Research for Credibility
Using third-party industry research in your sales materials can not only impress clients, but also showcase your company’s success and credibility. By mentioning reputable research sources in follow-up emails or phone calls, you can demonstrate your knowledge of the industry and position your company as an authority.
Publicity rights can be included in the Master Service Agreement customers sign when they become your client, allowing you to use company-centric proof points in your own sales presentations and materials. This can help you show off your company’s success and achievements, further impressing potential customers.
Remember, leveraging third-party research can help you stand out in a competitive market and demonstrate your commitment to excellence. By incorporating industry research into your sales materials, you can build trust with potential clients and boost your credibility.
Collaborate Between Sales and Marketing Teams
Collaboration between sales and marketing teams is essential for creating effective sales materials that complement digital marketing efforts. By working together, these teams can ensure that sales materials are consistent with the company’s overall brand and messaging, providing a cohesive experience for potential customers.
Case studies, for sales literature for instance, can be a powerful sales tool that demonstrates the real-world benefits of your product or service. By collaborating with marketing teams, sales can create compelling case studies that not only showcase customer success but also serve as thought leadership content, further establishing your company’s authority in the market.
Remember, a strong partnership between sales and marketing teams can lead to more effective sales materials that resonate with your target audience and drive results. By working together, you can create a powerful sales toolkit that sets your company apart and helps you close more deals.
Summary
Creating effective sales materials is an integral part of any successful sales process. By focusing on the right content, design, and delivery methods, you can craft a powerful arsenal of sales tools that will resonate with your target audience and help you close more deals. Remember, collaboration between sales and marketing teams is crucial to ensure your materials are consistent, engaging, and tailored to your customers’ needs. With the right strategies in place, you can supercharge your sales process and make a lasting impression on potential customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sales materials?
Sales materials are resources used by businesses to promote and market products or services. They are printed materials that help to provide customers with information and create an engaging experience which can lead to conversions.
Good sales materials should be easy to read and understand. To ensure this, it is important to break up the text into paragraphs. This makes it easier for readers.
What are sales support materials?
Sales Support Materials are key resources that provide salespeople with the information they need to effectively market a product or service. These materials can be helpful in gaining new customers and increasing business, enabling salespeople to work more efficiently and generate leads more easily.
By providing salespersons with the right information, they can better understand the product or service they are selling and be more successful in their sales efforts. This can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction, resulting in increased sales and customer satisfaction.
Why are sales materials important?
Sales materials are critical for businesses to present their products and services in an effective manner. They provide an opportunity to make a great first impression and highlight the unique benefits of a product or service to most customers.
Having the right sales materials can help boost conversions and make it easier to close deals.
What are the 3 things for sales?
Success in sales comes down to three key factors – having the right attitude, honing your communication skills, and being persistent.
With those three elements combined, you can be sure to make an impact in the sales world.
What is marketing material?
Marketing materials are essential tools for businesses to reach out to their customers and prospects. They can include a variety of products and services such as flyers, posters, banners, digital content, and even physical items like business cards, brochures, and samples.
