How to Create a Sales Content System to Generate Leads and Convert Them into Clients Across Channels

The business world has changed tremendously over the past few years, and with it, consumer behavior. Buyers have become a lot more sophisticated, and if businesses want to grow their market shares, they will need a sales content system that generates leads and converts them into clients across different marketing channels. Content marketing is said to convert 62% more than advertising, and with such stats, it makes sense that businesses are now increasingly investing in it.

However, by creating an effective, efficient, and scalable content marketing system, businesses should ensure that they can handle the increased workload without sacrificing quality or results. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to create a sales content system, one of the 5 essential systems that help create scale and leverage that we believe all businesses should incorporate into their operations, and that works for businesses in this changed market environment.

1. Understanding The Target Audience

Before marketing teams can create any sales content, there is an acute need to understand the target audience deeply, and thoroughly. This includes their pain points, goals, challenges, behavior, and buying habits, but also anticipate their needs as that is a driving force behind why they make these decisions. For example, an entrepreneur that wants to hire an agency to create content for them because they are not making enough money and desperately want to increase revenue will decide on a completely different frame of mind than an entrepreneur hiring the same agency because they are incredibly busy, haven’t been spending time with their loved ones, and want to have a clearer calendar. Both will want the service, but the messaging that will move them will be different from one another. To create sales content that will create results,  market research isn’t optional, but completely necessary. Conducting analyses of the competition, Interviewing existing and prospective clients are imperative to marketing that stands out, and this includes content. This information will help the marketing team create sales content that resonates with the target audience and drives them to take action.

2. Creating a Sales Content Strategy

Once an understanding of the target audience has been acquired, there exists a  further need to create a sales content strategy that aligns with the business goals. This strategy should include the types of content that will be created, the channels that will be leveraged, and the metrics that will be tracked to measure the success of the campaigns. Another important aspect is also that the brand voice and tone should be defined clearly to ensure that the sales content is consistent across all channels.

3. Creating Sales Content for Different Channels

Once the basics previously identified have been laid as the foundation. The marketing team may proceed to create content. There has to be an understanding that the sales content systems should include different types of content for different channels. For example, the team can create blog posts, social media updates, email newsletters, videos, webinars, and white papers to engage with the target audience. Do keep in mind that content should also be optimized for search engines as this type of content brings a higher ROI because of its longer shelf life, but do not forget to leverage social media platforms to increase its reach and visibility.

3.1. Blog Posts

Blog posts are a great way to create valuable content that engages with the identified target audience, especially when it is targeted at their intent.

Intent targeting is simply anticipating the desire behind the effected search. What are they trying to achieve? 

Do they just want to learn about a subject out of curiosity, are they looking for information to implement on their own, or are they looking for information to make a buying decision? As you create your sales content system, such as the content marketing ecosystem playbook, it's important that you continuously keep this in mind 

 Blog posts that target intent often have a great ROI as they can directly contribute to revenue, especially when the goal is to capture the commercial intent of the reader. They can be implemented as a mean to convert prospects that are already in the market, but that is in the research phase for making their final decisions. They can help establish a brand as a thought leader in its industry and provide solutions to the audience's pain points. When creating blog posts, the marketing should focus on creating a capturing headline, walking the readers through the questions on their mind, and not forgetting to optimize the content for search engines.

3.2. Social Media Updates

Social media remains a powerful tool for creating demand for goods and services when properly leveraged, but also to promote produced sales content, as well as engage with the target audience. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram can be used to share blog posts, infographics, and other content types to drive traffic to long-form content that is SEO & commercially optimized. It is important to often make use of hashtags, tag relevant users, and post at optimal times to increase engagement.

3.3.Email Newsletters

Email newsletters are a great way to nurture leads and keep them engaged with your brand. Often known to be the best at developing intimacy and affinity with brands, they are also said to be the best at driving conversions. For every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses have an ROI of $40. Businesses can use newsletters to share their latest blog posts, promote their products or services, and offer exclusive deals to their subscribers. When creating newsletters, you should focus on creating an email opening subject line, using a personalized greeting, and providing valuable content that builds affinity, but also contribute to revenue. Always segment your email list to ensure that the content is relevant to the subscribers' interests.

3.4.Videos

Videos are highly engaging content types that can help brands connect with their audience on a deeper level. The different ways brands can use videos are to provide product demos, customer testimonials or thought leadership content. When creating videos, a business should focus on creating a clear message, using high-quality visuals and audio, and optimizing the content for search engines.

3.5.Webinars

Webinars are a powerful tool for generating leads and establishing the brand as an authority in its industry. Webinars can be argued to be one of the most high-impact online marketing tools as they allow you to reach out to prospects, educate them, and sell your services. They can be used to achieve all three stages of a brand's marketing objectives: Brand awareness, Brand consideration, & Conversions. You can use webinars to provide in-depth training on your products or services, host Q&A sessions, or conduct interviews with industry experts. When creating webinars, you should focus on creating an attention-grabbing title, using interactive elements like polls and quizzes, and promoting the event through different channels. You also should be cognitive of your intention. Is it a brand-building webinar, sales webinar, or PR event? This will set the overall strategy 

3.6. White Papers

White papers are an excellent content type for providing in-depth research and analysis on a specific topic. Nicknamed  “the king of content” because of their ability to actively engage B2B prospects through a very complex sales cycle, They can help establish a business as a thought leader in its industry and generate high-quality leads. White papers are persuasive and somewhat formal like essays type of copy as it leverages facts and logic to make their points across and to promote some product, service, or solution. One should distinctively note that a white paper isn’t a sales pitch. Neither is it an advertisement, brochure, case study, direct mail piece, or flyer. It shouldn't contain a direct call to action urging the reader to make a purchase. It doesn’t directly discuss how good you’ll feel purchasing the whitepaper producer products. Instead of a sales pitch, an effective white paper provides useful, practical, and educational content. Companies should use white papers to generate leads, nurture prospects, and build mindshare  When creating white papers, businesses should focus on providing valuable insights, using data and statistics to support their arguments, and using a professional design.

4. Distributing Sales Content

Once sales content has been created, effectively distributing it to reach the desired target audience is imperative. This will involve using different channels to promote the content, such as social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and content syndication.

4.1.Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can help you reach a wider audience and generate leads quickly. You can use platforms like Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads to promote your sales content to a targeted audience. You should also optimize your ads for maximum click-through rates and conversions.

4.2.Content Syndication

Content syndication involves republishing your sales content on other websites and platforms to reach a wider audience. You can use platforms like Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, and Quora to syndicate your blog posts and articles. You should also ensure that you provide a link back to your website to generate traffic and leads.

4.3. Owned Platforms

This involves distributing your sales content across your owned platforms such as social media platforms and other digital assets such as websites, podcasts, or YouTube. By distributing your sales content through your owned platforms you can increase your brand's visibility, attract more prospects, and ultimately convert them into paying customers.

5. Measuring the Results of Your Sales Content System

To ensure that your sales content system is working effectively, you need to measure its results. This involves tracking different metrics such as website traffic, lead generation, engagement rates, and conversions. You can use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Salesforce to track these metrics and analyze your sales content system's performance.

6. Conclusion

Creating a sales content system is an essential part of growing a business and generating leads. By understanding the target audience, creating a sales content strategy, creating content for different channels, distributing the content effectively, and measuring the results, one can create a system that works for the business. Remember to focus on creating valuable content that engages with the target audience and drives them to take action.

7.FAQs

What is a sales content system?

1. A sales content system is a system that generates leads and converts them into clients across different channels. It involves creating valuable content for different platforms and distributing it effectively to reach your target audience.

Why is a sales content system important?

2. A sales content system is important because it helps you generate leads, establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, and grow your business. It ensures that your sales content is consistent, effective, and scalable.

How do I create a sales content strategy?

3. To create a sales content strategy, you need to understand your target audience, define your brand voice and tone, and create a plan for the types of content you will create and the channels you will use.

How do I measure the results of my sales content system?

4. You can measure the results of your sales content system by tracking metrics such as website traffic, lead generation, engagement rates, and conversions using tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Salesforce.

How often should I create new sales content?

5. You should create new sales content regularly to keep your target audience engaged and generate new leads. The frequency of your content creation depends on your resources, goals, and target audience's needs.

About The Contributor

Tanya Kabuya is the founder of Wizz Digital, a South Africa & Nigeria-based marketing strategy consultancy that assists Tech Startups & consulting businesses to grow their audiences, attract clients, and cultivate brand recognition through social media by deploying the Content Marketing Ecosystem Playbook, our proprietary Framework. Find out more

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