Perspective

It’s All About Sales Relationships

Inspired Content Marketing Drives Profitable Sales Relationships

Content marketing is focused entirely on developing sales relationships, acquiring new customers, and retaining existing customers. Understanding the hierarchy of your customer sales relationships informs highly effective content strategies for each type of sales relationship that exists for your organization.

Relationship Types Made More Profitable by Effective Content Marketing

1. Contractual/ Customer purchasing through formal agreement. Profitable on Net Present Value f contract, but susceptible to aggressive sales. Nurture the relationship between contract cycles to create barriers to competitive offers.
2. Transactional/ Repeat purchasing of product or service stimulated with promotion or rewards programs but loyalty can be difficult to sustain. Marketers need to drive customers into deeper relationship levels.
3. Functional/ Product or Service perceived as superior through differentiation vs. competitive offers. Commoditization of position occurs as competitors replicate superior functionality. Marketers need to focus on developing a deeper relationship off preference to block competitive offers.
4. Affinity Relationship/ The customer develops preferences to product or service based on your appeal to individual’s unique needs, values, sensibilities, and characteristics. Customers identify with your brand because of its relevant appeal to their unique needs and characteristics.

Whatever the type – or range – of your sales relationship profile, each has its own best practice approach which is critical for maximum return on your investment on content strategy, development and deployment.

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