Content marketing is often invented in the communications department – and forgotten again in sales. Yet it only unfolds its real impact where it brings both together: lasting visibility for the brand and tangible arguments for the sales conversation.
From blog to sales argument
A good specialist article is not just fodder for search engines. It is an argument that is sent in the initial consultation, forwarded before the meeting or serves as evidence afterwards. Those who think about content from the sales side write material that builds trust and makes closing easier.
Three levels of effective content
- Visibility: Content that is found in search and on social networks – with a clear topic structure.
- Trust: Articles that demonstrate expertise, answer questions and dispel objections.
- Sales benefit: Material used in the conversation – as accompanying reading, evidence or proof.
Content marketing pays off when sales and marketing use the same content for the same customers.
Topics with a system, not gut feeling
Effective content follows no editorial calendar but the questions of the target group. The simplest source: the conversations that take place in sales every day anyway. Which questions keep coming up? Which objections are difficult? Those who answer these questions well in writing create content that works twice over – online and in personal selling.
Fewer pieces, more substance
For mid-sized companies, the attempt to constantly produce something new often leads to irrelevance. One well-researched, honestly written article per month is usually worth more than weekly posts without depth. Substance gets found, shared and cited – the arbitrary disappears in the stream.
Content with a long shelf life
Good content ages slowly. It generates enquiries for months, supports the sales force and shapes the image of the brand along the way. A marketing activity thus becomes an asset – yielding returns in the form of enquiries, visibility and trust.