Download pdf - 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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Sometimes we even create a wall


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Brick_wall_close-up_view.jpg

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Formalized in our sales process


http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/

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The client’s content journey


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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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Now: The new “sales” cycle


http://get2growth.com/marketing-hourglass/

Relationship Management

(Client Success)

Propagation

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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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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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Value of retention


http://www.customerforlife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ft-existing-customers-10-16.png

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Back to the top of the funnel


http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/

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Technical content is accelerating sales


http://intercom.stc.org/2013/05/telling-the-right-story-proving-the-business-value-of-content/

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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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The client’s actual content journey


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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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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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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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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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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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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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The client’s new content journey


http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/016/2/c/rolling_hills_by_nard3456.png

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Call to action


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Contacting me

• LavaCon 2014

– Wed 3:30: Revenue Content Strategy 101

(with Christopher Ward, WebWorks)

• Year-round

–

– www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfell/