10/14/2014 1 © 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon Technical Content in the Sales Process Jennifer Fell
Techincal content in the sales process
Jun 19, 2015
Technical content creates a bridge between people and technology. Historically, that bridge has been between users and the technology they rely on to do their jobs. Today, technology is integral to business. Technology has moved from IT back rooms to C-level offices, and the decision-makers are more technology-literate than ever before. Technical content is now a bridge between executives and technical solutions that drive their businesses.
What is your strategy for technical content as part of the sales process?
In this session, Jennifer Fell discusses where technical content fits into the sales process. She looks at how your technical content is being used in the sales process already, and how you can begin to design the technical sales content experience. This session will offer you new ways to think about connecting customers and your business.
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfell
What is your strategy for technical content as part of the sales process?
In this session, Jennifer Fell discusses where technical content fits into the sales process. She looks at how your technical content is being used in the sales process already, and how you can begin to design the technical sales content experience. This session will offer you new ways to think about connecting customers and your business.
www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfell
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Transcript
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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4© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Sometimes we even create a wall
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Brick_wall_close-up_view.jpg
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5© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Formalized in our sales process
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http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/
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6© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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7© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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8© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Now: The new “sales” cycle
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://get2growth.com/marketing-hourglass/
Relationship Management
(Client Success)
Propagation
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9© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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10© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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11© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Value of retention
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://www.customerforlife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ft-existing-customers-10-16.png
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12© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Back to the top of the funnel
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://stevepatrizi.com/2012/10/23/the-new-marketing-sales-funnel/
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13© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Technical content is accelerating sales
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://intercom.stc.org/2013/05/telling-the-right-story-proving-the-business-value-of-content/
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14© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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15© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s actual content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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16© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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17© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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18© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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19© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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20© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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21© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
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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22© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
The client’s new content journey
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/016/2/c/rolling_hills_by_nard3456.png
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23© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell
Call to action
@jenniferfell #LavaCon
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24© 2014 Jennifer A. Fell @jenniferfell #LavaCon
Contacting me
• LavaCon 2014
– Wed 3:30: Revenue Content Strategy 101
(with Christopher Ward, WebWorks)
• Year-round
–
– www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferfell/
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