Do you want to get more value from the content you’ve published so far?
Want to discover how your blog posts, eBooks and any other content types could get you more sales?
You already know what an incredible opportunity publishing relevant content creates for your MSP. You know that with a solid content strategy, you could pull customers to your website, and engage them with your brand.
But did you know that you could use all those assets win new business as well?
In fact, your existing content could help you convert new inquiries into customers better than other strategies. Not to mention that it could also improve the sales process. And even, connect you with ideal accounts, companies with whom you’d absolutely love to work but have no idea how to connect to.
In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to do it all. You’ll learn three incredibly powerful but simple ways to use existing content to drive more sales.
Ready?
Strategy #1. Provide More Engaging and Authoritative Replies to Sales Inquiries
So many sales inquiries focus on the price, right? And more often than not, the only way you could respond is by sending your price list.
But sometimes, leads also ask questions about a specific IT problem they have. Or need guidance to understand why a particular issue occurs in their company. And want to know how your service could help them overcome it.
And that’s exactly when content helps you stand out from other responses they’ve received.
Here’s how.
First, let’s see how you could respond to such an inquiry.
You could either write the explanation in an email, hinting at the issue and a potential solution.
Or, you could send a much shorter message. One that suggests your content pieces that would help educate a lead on the challenge they face.
And let me be clear on something; both approaches would work.
However, only one of them will present you as the authority on the topic.
Can you guess which one?
Yup, you guessed it. It’s the shorter message containing links to the content.
You see, sharing existing content does more than just reducing the time you need to compose a response. In fact, it does two other things:
- It confirms that you’re a topic matter expert. You’ve been writing about this particular issue, after all.
- It also sends a signal to leads that you’re willing to share your expertise and insights, educate leads on their challenges, and accompany them as you work towards resolving it.
And do you want to know the best part? Achieving the above requires nothing else but including links to your existing content in an email.
Great, right?
Here’s an example of an email we received when inquiring about a particular service. Notice how the company have used their content to explain their decisions and processes.
Strategy #2. Create the Option to Self-Serve on the Site
Note: This strategy works best at convincing first-time visitors to inquire with your MSP.
Most people visiting a vendor’s site for the first time feel lost. Utterly lost, in fact.
For one, most likely, they have never heard about the company before. And so, they cannot tell how reputable or knowledgeable the people behind it are.
Blog and content offer a way to reassure visitors about it. But that works only if they find your content first…
In other words, when you publish the content in one place only, you rely on a visitor to find it.
But is there another option? Yes. As a matter of fact, there are two.
One. Create a dedicated page to introduce your company and also, references your most popular content.
This marketing agency has created a “Start Here” page which they use to convince first-time visitors to engage with them. Look:
By making it the first item in the navigation, it ensures that visitors will notice it right away.
And they include links to some of their content on the page as a way to get to know them and their services better.
Another way to do it. Include relevant content on service pages.
Apart from only listing the benefits of a service, feature relevant articles you wrote on the topic to help a client educate themselves about it on your service pages.
This way, you’ll help visitors understand what you do better. Educate them about the problem the service helps to overcome. And in doing so, prepare them for inquiring about it with you.
Strategy #3. Use Long-Form Content in Outreach
I’m sure you have a list of dream accounts, companies you’d love to work with. Even if you haven’t actually written them down, you know who these companies are. I’m certain you even know whom in those companies you should approach to initiate the sales process.
But I bet you have no idea how to start the conversation with them, right?
You can’t just send them a cold email, after all. These people get far too many such messages already.
You can’t just send them your brochure either. Most likely they’d bin it right away.
But at the same time, you already have an incredible resource that could connect you with those buyers already. What is it? Your long-form content.
Let me explain…
By its nature, long-form content – long blog posts, ultimate guides, eBooks – contains an in-depth information on a problem.
True, it might not provide an actual solution. And that’s fine. But due to its size alone, it would feature a breadth of details to intrigue your target audience.
Which also means that sending it to them could offer an opportunity to kick-start a conversation. And do it without any sales context, at least initially.
Here’s how to do it:
First, convert your long-form content into a PDF eBook. For one, a nicely designed document will make a far better first impression than a link to a site.
For example, this company converted their long-form blog post into a PDF. Look:
The post:
And the landing page for the PDF:
Next, write a short email to your target accounts, and ask if they’d be interested in receiving the content.
As a rule, don’t send the document right away. A person hasn’t requested it, and will, most likely, consider your email as spam.
Ask them whether they would be interested in reading it first.
And send it to them only if they agreed.
But at that stage, you have already started building a relationship with them. And your content will only help communicate your authority and expertise. Not to mention, place your company on their radar.
And you know it…
The three strategies that will help you use the existing content to make sales, convince people to hire your MSP, and even, land you the best clients.
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