The pressure you feel gearing up for a sales pitch can feel like going into battle. To perform your best, you need to feel confident that you’re walking in with the best weapons on your side. Before you send in your best salespeople, consider whether you’ve armed them with the same old materials or the tools they need for victory.
If you’re looking to increase your sales success rate, a review of your materials may be in order. Effective supporting materials can have a substantial impact on your audience, as a Bentley University study found 80 percent of people will consider giving their business to a brand after reading their interesting and eye-catching brochure. Putting a little extra effort into your sales materials could be just the thing that turns your closing line from “thank you for your time” into “thank you for your business.”
Keep It Simple
As a print shop who has seen our fair share of pamphlets and business cards, we’ll be the first to tell you that your sales materials are important. However, it’s important to remember that you are the one presenting information to your prospects. No matter how thorough your materials are, they can’t (and shouldn’t) do all the work for you. Your flyers, brochures and PowerPoint deck exist mainly to support what you’ve already said.
With that in mind, the content of your materials should be kept as simple as possible. Don’t assume the person reading them will have a thorough understanding of your industry. Your materials should be easy for anyone to understand for maximum impact and understanding. That way, each person who comes into contact with your content can follow what you’re saying and find a message that resonates with them.
Put Yourself in the Customer’s Shoes
Have you ever heard that clients won’t pay attention to your company or your products until you provide them with real value? That notion is truer than ever today, so it’s essential to consider your buyer’s point of view most of all when developing your sales materials. If you’re just getting started, think about the questions you get the most frequently. What are your customers’ main concerns, and what are they most often confused about? Address the most important questions in your sales materials so your potential clients don’t have to go searching for the answers. Then consider what else your company offers to customers that could be of particular interest.
As you develop the content for your materials, be sure to think in terms of results rather than just features. Your client won’t care that your company has a state-of-the-art manufacturing process, but they will care that you can have their purchase delivered within five days. When in doubt, tell a story of a successful customer outcome to put the person reading in their shoes.
Partner with a Designer
As a salesperson, you are great at engaging your audience and listening to their needs. However, it’s not in your job description to be great at graphic design. To pack your sales materials with the biggest punch, consider working with a design partner or marketing agency who can create materials that most effectively present your message. They’re experts at design and will be able to display your most important points in a compelling layout. Plus, they will make sure each item coincides with your brand and is compatible with your other assets. If you don’t have a reliable marketing partner yet, most print shops (including us) have a trusted marketing agency we can recommend that will fit your needs.
Use Quality Print Materials
Part of the appeal of print sales materials is their staying power. When you send a potential client a catalog or leave them a brochure after a meeting, they have a chance to flip through and remember you long after you’ve left. To maximize the physical impact of your materials, print them on thick, long-lasting paper with crisp images and vivid colors. Print pieces with more literal weight can carry a higher metaphorical weight, as well. You might consider making an impact with an eye-catching texture, foil or fold to make your brand stand out in your client’s stack of papers. Adding these “wow” elements doesn’t have to break the bank, either. Click here to explore the different specialty prints we offer.