Blogging is not just a marketing activity. When done correctly, it's the backbone of both the sales and marketing functions. Companies that understand and embrace this strategy use blog articles on the marketing side to increase awareness and get people to the website. Then, they use those same articles on the sales side to guide their active prospects through the sales process.
Here are 4 examples of how blogging can help you sell:
Disclosure: This only works if you have a strong content strategy. Create articles that your prospects will find informative and valuable to their decision making.
1. Nurturing
By regularly publishing blog articles and sharing them via social media and email marketing, you're consistently getting your name in front of your contacts and target audience. You stay top of mind so that when a need arises, you're the first person they think of.
Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads. (source)
2. Building Trust and Credibility
Having a variety of blogs that support the sales process and clear and concise website copy gives prospects a sense that you have the knowledge and expertise required to help them. Blogging gives you the opportunity to become a trusted thought leader and differentiate from the competition.
Blogs have been rated as the 5th most trusted source for accurate online information. (source)
3. Guiding the Sales Process
A sellers job is to educate. A library of blog articles gives them the tools they need to address the questions, concerns, and objections prospects have as they progress through the buyer's journey.
96% of B2B buyers want content with more input from industry thought leaders. (source)
4. Maintaining the Relationship
Blogging can help you continue to educate and inform your customers about industry trends and how to get more value from your solution. It keeps them engaged with your company during the duration of your relationship.
On average, B2B marketers allocate 28% of their total marketing budget to content marketing. (source)
Conclusion
Having a solid online presence will deepen your relationship with your network and increase your close ratio. If you set it up right, you'll need fewer leads to sell more.
Jill Konrath talks about that in If You Think Sales is a Numbers Game - You're Wrong. She specifically states that top sellers are pursuing fewer prospects and spending more time thinking critically about what they can do to guide them through the sales cycle. I couldn't agree more. Ask yourself: how can you use articles to help you more quickly engage your current prospects and close the opportunities you already have?
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