A high-quality sales process improves both efficiency and the ability to reach your target market, but not just any process will do the trick for B2B sales; ideally, every step will be thought out in advance and executed according to plan. Key components include content marketing, social media marketing, and telemarketing. Remove just one of these from the equation and your B2B efforts will crumble.
The Right Time, Place, and Information
Quality information is an imperative aspect of content marketing; influential decision makers won’t trust your company unless your content is accurate and authoritative. Timing is essential; information shared via content marketing should be relevant to the buyer’s current position in the sales funnel. Different types of copy prove effective at different stages. Your best bet is to curate a variety of content using a broad range of media (such as blog posts, videos, and e-books) and tie it to different phases in the sales process.
The Importance of Social Selling
Social media is valuable for more than marketing; it’s an integral component of the sales funnel. Regular updates attract interest from new prospects, while also increasing trust among long-term consumers. As with blogs and other traditional content, social media updates should feature calls to action to spur interested parties through the sales cycle.
Telesales and the Human Touch
Content marketing and social media are both effective, but ultimately, buyers desire a personal connection that cannot sufficiently be delivered through virtual means alone. Telemarketing offers a more intimate experience; more than a mere cold call, it is the expected next step in an in-depth process that begins with online content. Focus on two-way conversations, in which a real relationship is established. Buyers desire not only special offers, but also to have their concerns acknowledged head-on. Follow up on the goodwill you’ve established throughout the entire process, and you’ll come away with loyal e-commerce customers.
At Wind River Marketing we’re happy to assist you through all stages of the sale funnel. Get in touch today to learn more.