Techincal content in the sales process
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Transcript of Techincal content in the sales process
10/14/2014
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© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Technical Content in the Sales Process
Jennifer Fell
10/14/2014
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2© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
About the speaker
• Jennifer Fell
– Business strategist with content specialty
• Technical content strategist, information architect,
content experience designer, technical writer, instructional designer, trainer
– VP of Engineering
– p s
IBM, Startups, Consulting
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3© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
https://kauilapele.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/crossing_the_chasm.jpg
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4© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Sometimes we even create a wall
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Brick_wall_close-up_view.jpg
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5© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Formalized in our sales process
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/
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6© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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7© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
But wait…Two things wrong with that view
• “Sales funnel” includes the client journey
after the purchase point
• Technical content is being used before
the purchase point
• Both are opportunities for content creators
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8© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Now: The new “sales” cycle
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://get2growth.com/marketing-hourglass/
Relationship Management
(Client Success)
Propagation
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9© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Content is creating evangelists
• Good technical content moves the client
from purchase to evangelism
– Yes, product quality and relationship
management are also key here
– Good technical content isn’t just reducing
support costs.
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10© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Content is creating evangelists
• The technical content we already create is part
of the new “sales” lifecycle. Its value can be
measured by
– Retention
– Future sales to that client
– Referrals that lead to new clients
– l i f l li nts
• This is the “easy” part. We just need to measure
the impact in a new way.
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11© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Value of retention
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://www.customerforlife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ft-existing-customers-10-16.png
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12© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Back to the top of the funnel
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/
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13© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Technical content is accelerating sales
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://intercom.stc.org/2013/05/telling-the-right-story-proving-the-business-value-of-content/
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14© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
There’s more…
• Buyers of technology spend 21% of the buying cycle talking to sales people and more than 55% using information (Albee, 2011).
• Buyers of technology report that interacting with technical content is the second-most-important pre-sales activity that they do (Hershey).
• Buyers of industrial products report that “the only inf han pricing was
detailed product information and specifications” (ThomasNet).
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15© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s actual content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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16© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Who is using this content?
• Informed, empowered consumer
– Desktop and mobile access to “official” and
community-generated information
– Open culture
• Consumers are more technical
– C l ri s n r st r nt m nus
– Bandwidth and speed for Internet access
– C-level executives are coming from tech too
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17© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Who is using this content?
• Every purchase decision-making team has
someone leading technical evaluation
– CIO, CTO, IT manager
– Solution architect, IT architect
– Security expert
– M st t hni l rs n in ur family
• This person might make the final decision.
She almost always has veto power.
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18© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
What are they using?
• Consideration
– Product overviews
– Technical architecture
– Data and process flows
• Evaluation
– Specifications: Hardware and software requirements,
– Up-and-running: Install, configuration
– Demos, tutorials, samples
– A note about sales demos and POCS
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19© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Impact on content professionals
• Content types
– Existing types used in new ways
– New types that are amalgamations of
marketing and technical
• Delivery
– M bil ! N t j st ns m rs mobile business
• Lifecycle
– Speed of sales
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20© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Concerns
Be Brave
• Providing technical details prior to purchase will only “lose the deal” if you have the wrong product
• Your clients are getting those details anyway
• Ev g y w measures will expose your content’s weaknesses. Yippee..now fix them.
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21© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Why it’s worth it
• Expands our ability to contribute to the
business
Profit = Revenue - Cost
• Leverages existing resources (↑ROI)
– Content that we already have
– we already have
• Provides a seamless client content journey
(delight the client = create evangelists)
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22© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s new content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/016/2/c/rolling_hills_by_nard3456.png
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23© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Call to action
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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24© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Contacting me
• LavaCon 2014
– Wed 3:30: Revenue Content Strategy 101
(with Christopher Ward, WebWorks)
• Year-round
–
– www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfell/