As a salesperson, you can name ten questions that prospects ask every single time.
And you probably have those answers memorized.
Prospects want to learn in their decision-making process. The more a salesperson can educate and answer questions, the more likely prospects will choose to purchase.
Imagine if all the common questions were answered through in-depth, long-form articles.
Prospects can dig deep into the rabbit hole and learn– all leading them to the sale.
The consideration stage is not linear, often messy, and we lose customers when we try to control it. But if we equip them with content that aids in their self-journey, we optimize the sales process.
Benefits of Using Blog Posts in the Sales Process
Quality blog articles lay the foundation for a successful sales process.
They establish expertise and win credibility long before they first speak to someone. It serves as a powerful first impression.
Instead of prospects learning about their needs elsewhere, they learn from you, and you win their trust as their guide through the buyer’s journey.
Not only do blog posts prepare warm prospects for a sale, but they also attract new, cold leads.
Articles become discoverable through search engines, and social sharing and offer dozens of repurposing opportunities for more reach.
Your sales team can also use blog articles as a live resource. When someone emails you, you can answer the question and then send a link for them to dig deeper.
Types of Blog Posts to Help Sales Teams
Blog articles should focus on education and gaining trust. They nurture the prospect into a customer. We can use several formats to produce valuable blog content.
1. Product and service information
Product-led content is one of the most effective ways to invest in your blog. This content focuses on something educational and practical but highly relevant to the product you sell.
For example, if you sell the best smart refrigerators on the market, you might publish an article about the best apps that work with smart refrigerators. You can easily tie it into the product you sell.
You can provide practical value and position your product as the obvious choice. Product-led sales articles help sell your product before a salesperson even talks to their prospect.
2. Case studies
Well-written case studies earn credibility and show immediate return on investment for customers. But not all case studies are equal. They should include facts and statistics but also connect with the reader.
A relevant case study tells a story. It’s interesting, and there is a clear challenge for the customer that they need to overcome. It’s detailed enough that the reader feels they learned something and could apply some things on their own. This wins trust and moves them closer to a sale.
Case studies, published as blog articles, are a great way to support sales teams by having them easily accessible on a prospect’s own and as a resource for sales teams to share.
3. Industry news and trends
While news may have a short lifespan, the occasional strategic pieces can help increase authority and excitement about something new.
It also attracts buyers to choose you and take advantage of the trend.
4. Answer real questions
The most valuable content is the most relevant. Every common or vital question a customer asks should be answered in an article. If they have a question, other people will have it too.
Unlike SEO research and other methods to gather data, this is a direct, first-hand approach that puts you ahead of the competition and differentiates you as the most connected brand for your audience.
Best Practices for Creating Blog Posts for Sales
Companies should integrate their sales team with their marketing and content writing professionals. Whether in-house or outsourced, they should have a strong line of communication.
Sales professionals know their customers best. They understand hesitations to buy and what customers love most about the product.
When sales teams share this information with marketing, they not only help the brand grow but also make their sales process more efficient with top-relevant content to aid the future buyer.
You can start today by creating the following strategy:
Share the frustrations and wins
When a customer emails the sales team about something that went wrong or right, send it to your writers. These are important topics they can write about and reach prospects.
Develop a purposeful strategy
Know exactly who you want to write for and which stage in the journey your articles are addressing.
Create digital assets
If you publish shallow content, it will expire quickly, and no one will want to share it because it sounds like the rest of Google. It should be highly valuable, specific, and the best online.
Optimize your content
Your article should be SEO optimized to help answer questions for those intending to learn about your market, product, and problem.
Distribute and repurpose the content
It doesn’t stop when you publish. Share the article with your email list and on social media. Then, repurpose the content for every platform, like image slides for Instagram and LinkedIn, and break up important points and publish them as individual points.
Blog articles create a more informed prospect, gain trust and authority, increase reach, and ultimately position your team for the sale.
Start today by choosing your most common question and answering it thoroughly as a blog post.
