How to create content that fuels your sales funnel (pdf)
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The document outlines strategies for creating content that aligns with different stages of the sales pipeline, emphasizing the importance of understanding target personas and the customer buying journey. It discusses the acquisition infrastructure, various acquisition strategies, and the significance of mapping content to the sales life cycle. Additionally, it highlights key performance indicators and techniques for developing effective content marketing strategies that address buyer motivations and preferences.
How to create content that fuels your sales funnel (pdf)
- 1. How to create content that is aligned with your sales pipeline Philip McGuin – Director of Demand Generation www.stickyeyes.com
- 3. 3 About Todays Presentation • Create the right content • For the right audience • At the right stage in the buying process
- 4. 4 What factors influence your content strategy? • Shaping your acquisition infrastructure. • Understanding the type of sales acquisition objectives. • Defining your target persona group. • Developing content that is relevant to your personas. • Understanding & defining the customer buying journey (CBJ) • Understanding & defining the sales life cycle stage (LCS). • Aligning your content strategy onto these processes • Aligning your content with your acquisition methods.
- 5. 5 Shaping your acquisition infrastructure
- 6. 6 What are the basic component of an acquisition process Structure of the life cycle process: • MQLs • SQLs • Customers Sales process The blend of acquisition type: • Traffic • Leads • Sales Acquisition Goals Acquisition & sales targets: • Leads • Meetings • Sales KPIs & Targets Composition of the buying journey: • Awareness • Consideration • Decision Buying Journey Content topics, tactics, volume, format & types Acquisition Infrastructure
- 7. 7 Defining your KPIs & acquisition objectives 16
- 8. 8 Definition of acquisition? Customer acquisition refers to a range of processes & techniques for gaining new consumers. Acquiring new customers involves informing & persuading consumers to purchase products and/or services at various stages within the buying cycle.
- 9. 9 Up & Cross Sell What are the main type of acquisition strategies? There are 5 basic types of strategies Direct Sales ConversionsTrafficAwareness Acquisition Spectrum Soft Hard
- 10. 10 Top, Bottom and Middle of Funnel Top of Funnel = Awareness Stage Middle of Funnel = Consideration Stage Bottom of Funnel = Decision Making Stage
- 11. 11 Acquisition KPI’s & Targets? Lead C’st % Conversion Process MQL SQL % C’vr Op % C’vr % C’vr % C’vr How many sales do I need? How many leads do I need to generate? Over what time frame? Key Questions What methods I am going to use? How much content do I need? What content will maximise conversion
- 12. 12 Defining your persona groups 16
- 13. 13 Defining your persona groups and their content habits Why is it important?What is a persona?
- 14. 14 How do you build your personas? Type of personas & hierarchy What are your persona groups & how many? Breakdown of specific persona information What is the composition of each persona? Process for building your persona profiles Prioritization of personas What are your most important personas?
- 15. 15 Creating your persona hierarchy & influence pool Persona Influence Pool Decision Makers Directors Heads of Decision Influencers Managers Assistants Persona Hierarchy
- 16. 16 Developing content that is relevant to your persona groups? 16
- 17. 17 Location, Motivation & Participation What motivates purchase? Does your audience need to resolve a problem or need to be educated on a solution? How do purchase? How does you audience engage with brand information and how do they consume content i.e. visual, Demos etc Location Participation Motivation Demographics Where do they purchase? What media do they consume, what do they read, which platforms they use and at what time.
- 18. 18 Using a question matrix to build your content & persona profiles Persona Questions to Ask Job Role / Function • What is your job role & your title? • What is your job function KPIs / measurement criteria? • What is a typical day-to-day role? • What skills are required to fulfil this role? • What knowledge and tools do you use? • Who do you report to? Who reports to you? Company / Sector Information • What industry/industries does your co. work in? • What is your co. size (revenue/employees)? • What product, solutions and or services do you provide Business / Function Objectives & Goals • What are you responsible for? • What does it mean to be successful in your role? • What are your main barriers to success? Challenges / Barriers to Success • What are your biggest business challenges? • What are you departmental and functional challenges? Information Sources / Techniques • How do you learn about new information for your job? • What platforms and devices do you use to find information Personal Background • What is your demographic profile i.e Age, status, family, education etc Engagement Preferences • How do you prefer to interact with vendors? (email, phone, in person) • Do you use the internet to research vendors or products? • How do you search for information?
- 19. 19 Individual persona deck Name Job Title - Where he / she works - Details of his / her job role Demographics - Age - Gender - Salary - Location - Education - Family Watering holes Business Challenges Values Fears Marketing Message Shopping preferences Elevator pitch Decision Maker C-Level / Directors Heads of Managers Executives - Content Preferences - Topics & Interest Areas - Engagement Preference - Sources of Information
- 20. 20 Individual Persona Content Profile Content Format Infographic / Video Press Release / Slideshow Articles / White Paper Event / Webinar Content Type Review / How to Guide Update / News Trends / Checklists Thought Leadership Content Mediums Website / Blogs White Papers Sales Collateral Email Campaign Content Triggers / CTAs Downloads subscription Meetings / Webinars Request Demo Persona Content Profile
- 21. 21 Mapping your content onto the customer buying journey & life cycle stages 16
- 22. 22 Defining the buyers journey & Sales Life Cycle What is the customers buying journey? What is the sales life cycle?
- 23. 23 Why mapping is important? • An understanding of how your customers actually buy. • An understanding of the type of research needs at the various buying stages. • An understanding of the type of content consumed. • Provides a structured process of mapping this on to your sales cycle. • Provides insight into what content can be used at specific stages within the pipeline.
- 24. 24 Key stages of your customer buyer journey Awareness Stage Consideration Stage Decision Stage Post Purchase Stage Customer Buying Journey
- 25. 25 Key Sales Life Cycle Stage Visitors Stage Leads Stage Marketing Qualified Leads Stage Sales Qualified Stage Opportunities Customer Ad Time Visitors Lead Marketing Qualified Leads Sales Qualified Leads Opportunities Customer Retention
- 26. 26 Putting it all together Funnel Stage Top Funnel Middle Funnel Bottom Funnel Life Cycle Stage Visit Lead MQL SQL Op’r C’st Retention Buying Journey Awareness Consideration Decision Post Purchase User Behaviour Experiencing symptoms of problem Clearly defined name to their problem Decided on their solution strategy or approach Evaluating the adequacy of original need Content Type Articles Blogs Newsletters Videos / Audio Editorial Content Analysts Reports Research Report White Papers Tool Kits Demos Trials Webinars Bespoke Analysis Product Literature Case Studies Product Comparison Feature Checklist Strategic Reviews Bespoken enhancements Buyer Motivations Identify unknown Troubleshoot problems Resolve specific issues Preventive measure Improve current solution Drive efficiency Understand solution or service Identify application / software or tool Understand suppler capability Checklist pros / cons Compare vs competition Benchmarking Build trust and credibility Future proofing Return on Investment Benchmarking Feature refinement
- 27. 27 Aligning your content and acquisition methods. 16
- 28. 28 Developing your Acquisition strategy Acquisition Objectives KPIs & Targets Target Persona Customer Buying Journey Sales Life Cycle Stage KEY STRATEGIC ELEMENTS Content Marketing Strategy PaidAcquisition EarnedAcquisition OwnedAcquisition ACQUISITION METHODS Key Strategic considerations
- 29. 29 Paid Solus Email Multi Vendor Emails 3rd Party List Development Content Syndication Call Content Syndication Search Marketing Programmatic Biddable Media Types of Acquisition Methods Acquisition Methods Earned PR / Comms Bloggers / Vloggers Editorial Content Media Relations Journalist Influencer / Outreach Owned Database Cleaning Database Enhancement Newsletters Email Webinars / Events Blog / Website Organic Social Communities
- 30. 30 Acquisition Techniques & Key Content Considerations Key Consideration Top of Funnel Leads MQLs Methods / Techniques • Email Marketing • Call Generation • Content Syndication • List Development Content that balances the following: • Segmentation / Relevancy • Content breadth & depth • Lead Volume vs Quality Middle of Funnel SQL Op’r 1. Appointment Booking 2. Sector Specific Campaigns 3. Comparison Campaigns 4. Proof of Concept (Demos) Content that address the following: • Specific sector / company relevant solution • Specificity / Tailored Meeting Material • Builds trust and credibility – i.e. case studies Bottom of Funnel Customer Retention 1. Tailored Lead Nurturing 2. 1-2-1 Insights Campaigns 3. ROI Campaigns Content that address the following: • Demonstrates ROI • Provides for future proofing • Maintains best-class-status