The document discusses how businesses can use content to establish sales credibility and connect with buyers. It outlines that content marketing budgets have increased significantly in recent years. The document then discusses how content can help salespeople at each stage of the buyer's decision process by providing information to pique curiosity, initiate change, and help with option selection. It emphasizes using simple and aligned content that addresses buyer issues and priorities.
5. • Content That Connects Buyers & Sellers • Converts Leads To Opportunities • Leads To Closed Business Get your Free Content Audit! www.demandcreationspecialists.com
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10. Using Content to Establish Sales Credibility Jill Konrath Author, Sales Strategist, Speaker
Our featured presenter today is Jill Konrath, a leading-edge sales strategist and business advisor, is a popular speaker at annual sales meetings and association events. She helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, speed up their sales cycle and win big contracts. She's the author of the instant sales classic, Selling to Big Companies , an Amazon Top 25 sales book for 4 years running. In 2008, Fortune selected it as one of eight "must read" sales books, along with classics such as How to Win Friends & Influence People, The New Strategic Selling and Getting to Yes. Her 2nd book, Get Back to Work Faster , came out in November, 2009 . This book shows job seekers how to leverage Selling to Big Companies strategies to find a new position. Jill is currently at work on her 3rd book on selling to crazy busy decision makers which will be published by Portfolio, Spring 2010. Satisfied clients include IBM, GE, Microsoft, 3M, Hilton, AAA, CoxTarget Media, General Mills, Medtronic, UnitedHealthcare, Bombardier, Business Journals, RSM McGladrey, Imation, eFunds, Acresso, UniFirst, OpenPeak and many more. Read more: http://sellingtobigcompanies.com/content_display.jsp?top=8505&mid=8576#ixzz0wPHp47dn
To set the stage for Jill’s presentation I want to talk about a few converging trends we are seeing specific to content marketing. Increased spending on content marketing—represents about 1/3 of total budget--not just among big companies.
First we are seeing increased interest and investment in sales enablement tools and processes as deal flow is starting to slow—more focus on nurturing and acceleration—for which content marketing is also a key component.
IDC estimates that at least 30% of companies' marketing investment, program, and people spend is dedicated to creating content and marketing assets. With total global marketing spend in the technology sector estimated at approximately $41 billion, this translates into over $12 billion spent to create these assets.
IDC research shows that up to 80% of the content Marketing generates is not used by Sales, even though much of it is specifically created for them. IDC research shows that up to 80% of the content Marketing generates is not used by Sales, even though much of it is specifically created for them. Additionally, customers say that Sales reps are insufficiently prepared for their initial meeting 50% of the time.