They both go in the trash. Even the best sales support materials in the world end up in the famous round file that goes to the dump. Ok, recycling center for you eco-nuts. Despite this fact, every company pumps relatively good money into the creation, print (ugh) and execution of these materials. Why?
You’re on the phone with a prospect and they have agreed to hear more, but before a meeting they ask you to do what? Send them some information. As you leave a meeting where things are starting to move along, you do what? Leave information on next steps. As you leave a meeting where they are interested but not quite buying yet, you do what? Leave behind information that supports your sales conversation. And after you do this, what happens? Prospect reviews the info and eventually throws it away. Why do we all do this again?
Because you need to. “Wait, didn’t you just say they just get thrown away anyway?” Yes. We didn’t say they couldn’t be effective before they hit the trash though. You see, that’s the ballgame. Creating sales materials that actually:
- Reinforce that you are super credible
- Stimulate ideas and thought
- Help advance your sales efforts
- Make you look like a billion bucks
The problem is not that sales materials get thrown away, it’s that the stuff in your sales materials isn’t “the right stuff”. We work in a very solutions oriented business and there may be times for a listing of the old features/advantages/benefits…but to fill the page with bullets on all materials is folly.
Most people fail in the creation of sales materials throughout the commercial finance business because they try to answer all questions. Stop it. That’s what sales PEOPLE do, not what sales MATERIALS do.
Great sales materials should inform…sure. They should reinforce credibility…yep. But most of all they should make the prospect want to ask a question. And preferably many of them. Who fills in the gaps? Your salespeople, selling…having sales conversations. If Marketing materials generate questions, you’ll be fascinated at how that simple approach changes the old pipeline. If you ever wanna chat about better sales support material…give us a holler.