7 content pieces that generate sales (with examples)

Sales are crucial. No sales = no business!

That’s a blunt statement, but here’s another one: if you have an outdated approach to sales in your business, you’re going to be left behind.

As consumers can buy almost anything online now, the lines between marketing and sales are getting fuzzier by the day.

But guess what? With killer content to capture your audience and a steady stream of inbound leads, your sales will soar.

In this article, we’ll discuss 7 types of content you can create for your business that will send your sales sky-high.

Benefits of sales-focused content marketing

But first, let’s take a close look at why great content is a game-changer for success.

Content marketing is the star of the digital age. It’s your first ‘hello’ to customers, and it’s the crucial factor that turns a casual website visitor into a loyal fan.

But (and it’s a big but) epic content isn’t about bombarding people with facts. It’s not a me, me, me show. It’s about knowing your audience, answering their questions, and building their trust in your brand.

When done well, content marketing –

• Builds trust and credibility: Trust isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s EVERYTHING! You establish your brand’s authority when you share valuable, well-researched content.
• Increases reach: Great content is infinitely shareable. Your audience and their connections share it, and your brand pops up everywhere. This type of organic expansion is gold in the digital marketing world.
• Enhances customer engagement: Your content is a conversation with your audience. You’re not just grabbing attention; you’re holding it, too.
• Improves SEO: Regularly published, relevant, keyword-rich content boosts your brand’s rankings. Your website will soon become a respected source of information.

Simply put, creating great content will help all areas of your business. Now, let’s get down to the type of content that will deliver sales for you.

1. Case studies that generate sales by showcasing results

Has your product or service helped a customer overcome a challenge? You can tell that success story through a case study. They’re a great way to highlight the practical uses and results of what you offer. These can be in depth blogs, reels, emails etc.

Key components of a case study

• The Challenge: It sets the stage by introducing your customer’s problem or need and establishing how your product or service can help.
• The Solution: It shows how you addressed the challenge, how you helped, your strategies, and, if you had to adapt, how you did it.
• The Outcome: It highlights the results of using your product or service. Use data, statistics, and customer feedback to demonstrate the transformation if you can.
• The Conclusion: It links our customer’s journey and outcomes to your product or service’s broader benefits, reinforcing its value.

How effective are case studies?

Case studies allow your audience to imagine working with you, putting themselves in the shoes of your past customers. That is pure marketing gold.

They use storytelling and proof to create an emotional connection and show real-life scenarios. You’re using real evidence (that you’ve earned) to build trust in how your product or service can change lives.

We had one client sell out her whole high ticket mastermind from one case study and a couple of emails. This works!!

Need some examples? We’ve got you:

• Customer success stories: These showcase real, relatable journeys of customers whose lives have been transformed by your product.
• Video testimonials: You could opt for authentic peeks into customer experiences and (rave) reviews.
• In-depth interviews: Why not take a deep dive into your customer’s journey? Add more interest with extra visuals!

It’s a fact that case studies sell. Don’t be shy – share them regularly! One thing we do is a value driven case study – i.e. here’s our client, this is what their problem was, here’s what we told them to do and the amazing result it got. They learn something, but it also builds our credibility too at the same time.

2. Comparison articles to encourage readers to choose you

These are great chances to address your competition successfully. Suppose you write a savvy, analytical piece where you talk about what makes your offering better than others in the market. It can be informative and persuasive, showing the benefits of your offer but it should also be factually accurate and honest.

You’re not just showing off your strengths; you’re delivering value by delivering a clear comparison to your customers.

Key elements of a comparison article

• Objective analysis: If you present facts and features in a fair and unbiased way, you’ll gain credibility.
• Feature Breakdown: By breaking down each product or service’s features, benefits, and potential drawbacks, you’ll help your readers understand differences and similarities.
• Target Audience Focus: If you tailor your comparison to the needs and interests of your specific audience, your content will be more relevant and engaging.

Let’s look at a couple of great examples:

• Salesforce vs. Hubspot
  HubSpot CRM is constantly compared to Salesforce, so they turned it into a clever marketing play. They posted a bold, honest article on their website, diving right into how they stack up against Salesforce – flaws and all. It’s completely transparent, guiding customers to the best fit, even if it means waving goodbye to some.
• Typeform vs. ScoreApp
  This refreshing comparison between two leading quiz tools successfully nails the features that make each unique. Remember, any review is an honest comparison that adds value to your potential customers and attracts the customers that are right for you while establishing lots of that magic ingredient to any relationship – trust.

3. Interactive quizzes and polls to convert potential leads

Speaking of quiz tools – interactive quizzes are great fun and a dynamic way to engage your potential customers. These quizzes are now often generated using AI and can offer instant insights and clever ways to encourage your audience to buy your product.

Key aspects of interactive quizzes

• Engagement: They’re super engaging and interactive, encourage participation, and hold the user’s attention.
• Personalisation: They offer personalised results or insights that are based on the participant’s responses, making the experience relevant and valuable.
• Lead generation: They gather key information about potential customers, such as their preferences, needs, and contact details.

Different types of quizzes could include:

Readiness quizzes

Readiness Quizzes are a quick check-in with customers. Take a financial health check quiz for accounting services, for example. It could let users spill the beans about their finances and offer insights on whether they could use some pro accounting help.

Preference or style quizzes

Preference quizzes are about getting to know your customer’s tastes. If an interior design company published a home styling quiz, it would be a fun, engaging way for customers to figure out their style preferences before choosing the design service.

Solution-oriented quizzes

These quizzes guide customers towards the perfect solution by identifying a problem or need they may not even be aware of. A good example would be a skincare quiz that assesses skin types and issues and recommends skincare routines or products.

Interactive quizzes and polls are a win-win.

They offer tailored value to customers while giving you a cheeky sneak peek into their psyche. They’re fun, and they’re smart because if your customer buys, it’s not because they feel that they’ve been told what to buy, but because they’ve figured out what they need by themselves!

4. Behind-the-scenes social content to build trust and likeability

Show your audience your everyday life by opening the door into your world. It shows real people, actual work, and the culture that makes your company tick. Bring your brand to life and add a human touch to build connection and trust with your audience.

Key features of behind-the-scenes content

• Authenticity: It’s genuine and moves away from polished marketing messages to show the human side of your business.
• Engagement: It goes down well with audiences and provides a relatable and likeable view of your company.
• Trust building: It shows real people and processes and builds trust and credibility.

Need ideas? Here’s some inspiration:

A day in the life at your company

Showcase the reality of working at your company and highlight your routine, work environment, and culture. You could include Instagram stories or a vlog with employees that show a productive, fun day.

Step-by-step processes of how you work with clients

Demonstrate how you tackle projects and create happy customers. You could feature a time-lapse video or a series of posts detailing different stages of a project.

Meet the team

Personalise your brand by showing the great people who drive it! Try a social media campaign to allow customers to meet your team and learn about their contribution to the company.

Behind-the-scenes content is super powerful in its simplicity and authenticity. You’re creating a more personal connection with your customers, which builds more trust – and more sales!

5. Blog posts answering common customer questions

If your blog posts address all the burning questions your customers are typing into their search bars, your website will soon become the go-to place for the answers and insights they seek.

Key aspects of these blog posts

• Search engine optimisation (SEO): By targeting popular questions, these posts will rank well in search engine results and increase your website’s visibility.
• Expertise and authority: They provide clear, well-explained answers and establish you as an authority in your field.
• Audience engagement: They directly address your audience’s needs, encouraging interaction and engagement.

Don’t know where to start? Take a look at these examples:

How-to guides related to your industry

Give your audience step-by-step instructions or guidance on tasks or challenges. For example, a guide like ‘How to Create a Social Media Marketing Plan’ would provide advice and show a digital marketing firm’s expertise.

‘What is…’ or ‘How does…’ articles

These are great for clarifying complex subjects for your audience and delivering value. For example, an IT services company could publish an article titled ‘What is Cloud Computing and How Does it Benefit Your Business?’.

Problem-solving articles

These solve specific challenges that are commonly faced in your industry. For example, a health and wellness blog could feature a post like ‘How to Overcome Common Barriers to Healthy Eating’ and directly address a common issue for its audience.

6. Showcase your expertise through webinars and online workshops

On a webinar, you can share your smarts and insights in real time. It’s an interactive group talk from the comfort of your office chair! You can present, demonstrate and even have live Q&A sessions.

The best part? They’re a great way to show off your expertise and build your reputation.

Key features of webinars

• Expertise sharing: They provide a platform to demonstrate your knowledge and insights.
• Audience engagement: They allow real-time interaction with your audience, giving you an engaging way to connect with potential customers.
• Content value: They offer valuable and relevant content that helps build trust and rapport.

Need examples? Here are two:

1. Webinar on creating a 3-month business plan for new entrepreneurs
   This could guide new entrepreneurs through creating a structured business plan. It might include step-by-step planning, tips for market analysis, financial planning, and goal setting.
2. Online workshops on effective social media strategies for small businesses
   These could educate small business owners through developing successful social media marketing strategies. You could cover topics like choosing the right social media platforms, content planning, engagement tactics, and measuring success.

Webinars give you direct access to your potential customers. This helps to build strong relationships and establish yourself as someone who’s in their corner and is truly invested in their success. If you can demonstrate your value, you’ll soon convert them into paying customers.

7. Email marketing campaigns to sell to your existing audience

You can sell to your audience using a strategically written series of emails, with each one designed to engage and guide your audience towards that ‘buy now’ button. They should showcase your latest and greatest offers and be packed with exclusives.

Key elements of email marketing campaigns

• Targeted content: They tailor content to your email subscribers’ interests and needs and ensure it’s relevant and engaging.
• Call-to-action: They have a clear and compelling call-to-action and guide subscribers towards what to do next.
• Consistency and timing: Regularly scheduled and well-timed emails will keep your audience engaged and maximise open rates and conversions.

Here are some great examples:

Launching a New Service or Product

Launching a new service or product through an email campaign is about creating buzz among your subscribers. Your goal is to stir up excitement and a sense of exclusivity.

A series of sales emails would build hype, starting with a teaser, and then be followed by details that pique interest, ending in a big reveal and availability.

(Psst – we previously shared a handy proven 5-day email sales sequence here for you!)

Running Limited-Time Offers

These email campaigns have one goal – to get your subscribers to act fast.

Your strategy? Create irresistible deals like exclusive discounts, limited-edition products, or once-in-a-blue-moon bonuses. You can drive sales more quickly by making your audience feel they should grab deals before they’re gone.

Providing Exclusive Content

Enrich your subscribers’ knowledge of you as a brand by sharing educational materials, insider tips, or first dibs on new content. Think about sending unique guides, eBooks, or invites to special webinars.

Do you need more nifty tips and strategies to sell to your email list? Check out our Email Launch Sequence and Evergreen Sales Email Sequence – they’re both packed with hands-on advice that gets results.

Profile-raising methods to increase your inbound marketing success

So, we’ve looked at 7 key content types – and each is a potential powerhouse to captivate your audience. But why stop there? You can take your inbound marketing even further with profile-raising moves like podcasting, public speaking, and guest blogging. All of these content marketing strategies will boost your sales and grow your business!

This blend of killer content and raising your profile is precisely what we teach in our Become ATOMIC programme. It’s a full-circle strategy that draws in your audience and nudges them towards buying from you. Are you ready to elevate your business by becoming a content superstar? Join us to make some real noise in your industry!