Have you heard of the Rule of Seven?
One of the oldest marketing concepts, the Rule of Seven claims that your prospects should hear or see your message a minimum of seven times before they buy your product or service.
But how can you repeat your message so many times, without boring prospects or turning them off to your brand?
Here’s the answer: Use content selling.
In this blog, we’ll explain the role that content selling plays in influencing the buying decision, plus share how to create a content selling strategy that works!
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What is Content Selling?
Content selling is a marketing strategy that includes using content along your buyer’s journey to encourage prospects who have interacted with your brand, in order to close a sale.
For example, let’s say a user has interacted with your brand for the first time by requesting a free demo of your services. This means the user has entered your sales funnel.
Typically, following this first interaction, you will need to contact the user between 7-12 additional times, to get them to convert.
What does this mean for your sales team?
During this lengthy period, your sales team must keep your prospects engaged with your brand so they remember your product or service and eventually choose to convert.
From offering guidance and highlighting the value of your product or service, to presenting similar products or services that the user may be interested in, different content can be used to lead your users on an exciting buyer journey.
Content Selling vs. Content Marketing
Unlike content marketing, which is directed at a broader audience consisting of both your target groups and random website visitors or social media followers, content selling is aimed at specific buyer personas who have already taken an action to enter your sales funnel.
In addition to the scenario discussed above, taking an action may also refer to:
- Joining an email list
- Sending a request for more information
- Subscribing to company news
- Listening to a webinar
Simply put: content marketing targets cold audiences, while content selling targets warm leads.
Pro tip: If you want to explore the topic of content marketing further, check our article about content marketing vs. advertising!
The Importance of Content Selling
Let’s dig into the reasons why content selling is important for your brand.
Content selling:
Reminds Your Users Of Your Products Or Services
Content selling helps you reach your prospects at regular intervals to remind them of your brand. This ensures you stay on their radar in a highly competitive market, filled with alternative offers.
Promotes Your Brand
Content selling helps increase your brand recognition by sending recognizable content characterized by branded design and targeted messaging.
Builds Trust
Content selling helps you build trust by creating content that focuses on the needs of your users and shows care for your target audiences. This also serves to establish an emotional connection between your brand and your prospects.
Helps You Educate Prospects About Your Offering
Content selling helps you build a professional image, by showing prospects you know what questions they might have during various stages of the consideration process.
By sending them content focused on different angles of your product or service, you both present it and educate your target audience on your offerings.
Increases Engagement
Content selling helps you keep your users engaged by interacting with them regularly.
By watching a video or receiving information about other products or services you sell, prospects can maintain interest in your brand and take the next step towards conversion.
Boosts Conversion
Content selling helps you provide your users with additional information on the value of your products or services that may motivate them to convert.
By regularly reminding prospects of your brand, you can motivate prospects to choose your offering.
Upsells Existing Customers
Content selling helps you remind your existing customers of your brand, in order to upsell your products or services.
For example, you might send prospects a discount on an item they have viewed before. Or, you might send an email or ad about accessories or services that would complement their previous purchase.
Content selling creates a professional image, increases engagement, builds trust and boosts conversion
How To Create A Content Selling Strategy & Sell Content
So, how do you create a content selling strategy? We've put together a step-by-step guide:
Step #1: Identify Your Target Audiences
Research your target audiences to create buyer personas - buyer personas are something you create, based on target audience research into demographics, interests, pain points, career level and the types of content they prefer to consume
Step #2: Identify The Number Of Touchpoints Needed To Close A Sale
- Analyze data from previous sales to define the usual number of contacts needed to close a sale
- Determine the frequency of sending out your content, whether emails, newsletters or ads
- Identify the channels that are most effective to contact your users
Step #3: Create Content
Decide on the type of content you will use, from PPC ads or emails to videos, blogs and other forms of content
Follow your brand’s content style guide to ensure consistent voice and tone, grammar and punctuation
Create a content schedule to plan and send your content in logical order. For example, if you have sent an email with common Q&As, you can follow up sending a video with instructions how to use a product or service.
Step #4: Automate Content
Implement a CRM software solution to automate the process of sending content to prospects
Set intervals to send your content after a user has interacted with your brand for the first time
Track analytics to measure the results of your content selling
Make changes to the frequency of content selling, if needed. For example, you may choose to increase the frequency of sending content to prospects, if you see there is no reaction on their part.
Top 5 Content Marketing Agencies That Can Help You Create Content To Keep Your Prospects Engaged
So, how can you create engaging content and keep in touch with prospects to nurture them into a sale?
A content marketing agency can help! Here are our top five agency picks that can help you create content that influences your prospects' buying decision and turns them into your customers.
Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, Pearl Lemon employs top global talent to deliver outstanding digital marketing services.
Pearl Lemon offers:
- Content marketing
- SEO
- Inbound marketing
- Digital marketing
- eCommerce marketing
Pearl Lemon’s notable clients include OAL Group, Pulse Pixel, Elevano, Inspire Lifestyle and Carved.
Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Visualwebz LLC provides value-added web services across industries, from law offices to elderly care homes.
Visualwebz LLC offers:
- Content marketing
- Market research
- PPC
- SEO
- Digital marketing
Visualwebz LLC has partnered with numerous clients, including TimeXtender, PGTAA, Montessori Kirkland and enePath.
Headquartered in Dnipro, Ukraine, ADINDEX specializes in marketing solutions for B2B and eCommerce businesses.
ADINDEX offers:
- Content marketing
- Email marketing
- Social media marketing
- Integrated marketing
- Inbound marketing
ADINDEX’s clients include Concord Bank, Holz, Aromateque, Meest China and VISSBON.
Headquartered in New York City, Digital Silk creates solutions that drive engagement and brand exposure for top brands in B2B and B2C.
Digital Silk offers:
- Content marketing
- Digital marketing
- Branding
- Social media marketing
- 360° Digital Agency Services
Digital Silk has worked on projects for well-known brands such as IBM, NASA, XEROX, Sony and Microsoft.
Headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, Moloko Creative Agency specializes in effective communication, creating advertising campaigns, videos and animation.
Moloko Creative Agency offers:
- Content marketing
- Branding
- Logo design
- Video production
- Creative design
Moloko Creative Agency has partnered with renowned companies and organizations such as UNICEF, Jameson, Lillet, Cadillac and John Dory.
Content Selling Tips
Now that you have explored the benefits of content selling and how to use it in your marketing strategy, here are some additional tips that can help turn you into a pro:
- Explore and understand how the conversion funnel functions
- Use clear statements highlighting the benefits of your products or services for potential customers
- Avoid sending similar or repeating content to keep your users engaged
- Provide additional information, in case the user is not the decision maker — for example, info on how your product or service can benefit the brand they are representing
- Use emotion-backed call-to-actions (CTAs) such as “Join the fun,” “Indulge in,” “Commit to,” “Customize it your way”
- Use specific naming for buttons, tabs and fields so that your prospect knows what information is behind them
- Follow the latest trends to identify how you can adjust your content as needed to drive results
Wrapping Up On Content Selling
Content selling is a strategy in which you use content to engage with prospects after they have entered the sales funnel by engaging with your brand.
Sending content to prospects at regular intervals offers multiple benefits.
Content selling:
- Promotes your brand
- Builds trust
- Presents you as a professional
- Increases engagement
- Boosts conversion
- Upsells existing customers
To create and use content that encourages conversion during these interactions:
- Identify your target audiences
- Identify the number of interactions needed to close a sale
- Create engaging content
- Automate content
A professional content marketing agency will research your industry, target market and competitive landscape, to ensure you send out content that provides value and encourages your users to convert.
We’ll find qualified content marketing agencies for your project, for free.
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