You’ve got some incredibly smart people working for you. But you may be missing an opportunity to use their knowledge to drive more sales. The vast majority (87%) of B2B buyers say online content impacts their vendor selection.* To gain more influence over these buying decisions, you’ve got to find a way to draw out the expertise locked inside the minds of your subject matter experts (SMEs) and convert it into compelling content. But how?
Most of your subject matter experts aren’t content creators.
SMEs usually don’t have time to sit down and write blog posts themselves (let alone an entire ebook). They’ve already got too much on their plate, so writing becomes a chore that rarely gets done. If they do somehow find the time to write, the result can end up being too technical or too dry to really engage a reader. But what they know will help you sell, if it’s packaged right.
So what do you do?
Let your SMEs stay focused on what they’re best at – knowing stuff. To get better content faster, pair a great writer with an SME. SMEs love to talk about their passion and ideas. All you have to do is find a writer who can draw out the story during an interview. Whether you use an internal or external resource, make sure this writer has the creativity and writing chops to turn your SME’s insights into a thought-provoking, compelling read.
Apply your experts’ knowledge to customer pain points.
Ask SMEs which issues are top of mind for customers. Ask your salespeople, too. Talk with customers about their frustrations. Which problems do they keep running into? What keeps them up at night? Plan content topics around these issues. Then, capture SME insights that will help your prospects and customers see how to overcome their challenges. Convert this knowledge into something engaging and shareable. It could be an infographic, blog post, ebook, SlideShare, or all of the above. (Important sidenote: Don’t skimp on the design of your content, or you’ll quickly lose credibility in the B2B world.)
Now, connect your SME-insight-driven content with buyers.
Your prospects are always online, making buying decisions and trying to solve their problems. Publish your content everywhere. Use it in sales interactions. Frequently sharing your company’s knowledge (for free) is absolutely one of the best ways to help a prospect move along the buyer’s journey. Companies that do this well are winning new customers all the time. Join them.
*According to CMO Council
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