Sales collateral: 10 effective examples that close deals

Is it easier to sell to a customer who already trusts your business than it is to sell to a new customer? Absolutely.

Because of this, it makes sense that your goal as a seller should always be to cement trust with as many prospects as possible. That way, the sales process becomes a matter of upselling instead of convincing customers to take the first step.

But here’s the question: what can you do to make that happen? The answer isn't lengthy phone calls, countless emails, or even a lot of in-person meetings. While those are essential parts of many sales processes, it's sales collateral that truly makes the difference. 

Here's what you need to know.

<a href="#what-is-collateral" class="anchor-link">What is Sales Collateral?</a>

<a href="#types-of-collateral" class="anchor-link">Types of Sales Collateral</a>

<a href="#blog-posts" class="anchor-link">1. Blog Posts</a>

<a href="#ebooks-guides" class="anchor-link">2. Ebooks and Guides</a>

<a href="#social-media" class="anchor-link">3. Social Media</a>

<a href="#landing-pages" class="anchor-link">4. Landing Pages</a>

<a href="#case-studies" class="anchor-link">5. Case Studies</a>

<a href="#faqs" class="anchor-link">6. FAQs</a>

<a href="#sales-presentations" class="anchor-link">7. Sales Presentations</a>

<a href="#whitepapers" class="anchor-link">8. Whitepapers</a>

<a href="#direct-mail" class="anchor-link">9. Direct Mail</a>

<a href="#customer-surveys" class="anchor-link">10. Customer Surveys and Feedback</a>

<a href="#organize-collateral" class="anchor-link">Organizing Sales Collateral</a>

<a href="#streak" class="anchor-link">Streamlining with Streak</a>

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What is sales collateral?

Sales collateral refers to material that's created and used to move prospects closer to a buying decision. A few examples include product brochures, case studies, presentations, demos, and whitepapers.

However, sales collateral isn’t just for moving prospects through a sales funnel; it’s also for enabling sales teams to be better at their jobs. Sales collateral is typically created by marketing teams in collaboration with sales to ensure it's aligned with the overall go-to-market strategy.

With the right sales enablement collateral, you can sell more efficiently and effectively by:

• Educating prospects about your product or service
• Building credibility and trust with your book of business
• Providing evidence of past success through case studies and testimonials
• Overcoming objections and addressing common concerns
• Saving time and resources by sharing information in a concise, easy-to-digest format
• Differentiating your company from competitors

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What are the types of sales collateral?

Before developing your sales collateral, it's important to understand that different types of sales and marketing materials cater to different stages of the buyer's journey.

Ideally, you should have different sales collateral types for each of the below stages of the sales funnel:

1. Awareness stage: This is the top of the funnel, also known as TOFU, where buyers are just becoming aware of their problems and potential solutions.
2. Consideration stage: In this stage, buyers have clearly defined their problem and are actively researching different solutions to solve it. They are squarely in the middle of the funnel, or MOFU.
3. Decision stage: At this point, buyers have narrowed down their options and are looking for specific details about the products or services they're considering. These people are nearly ready to buy, hanging out at the bottom of the sales funnel, and in need of BOFU content.

The 10 best sales collateral examples for increasing leads and revenue

Now that you know the three sales stages most marketers create content for, here are 10 of the most effective formats of sales collateral that have proven to be successful in attracting leads and boosting sales across the funnel.

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1. Blog posts

Blog posts make great top-of-the-funnel sales assets for prospects in the awareness stage. Whether your team publishes blogs about industry trends, common pain points, best practices for solving problems, or any other relevant topics, blog posts often introduce your brand to potential customers in a way that feels informative and helpful rather than overtly sales-y. They’re also easy to share and promote on social media platforms, further increasing brand awareness.

Pros

• Easy to create
• Easy to consume
• Can be SEO-optimized to increase your website’s visibility
• Can establish your company as a thought leader in the industry

Cons

• May not always result in direct sales

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2. Ebooks and guides

Ebooks and guides work well in both the awareness and consideration stages, but they’re probably better used in the awareness stage. Because they provide in-depth information about specific topics, marketing teams use them to engage with potential customers and introduce them to your brand by showing deep industry expertise.

Another advantage of this type of collateral: you can gate ebooks and guides, meaning that to access the content, you can require people to provide their contact information. This makes ebooks and guides effective lead magnets.

Pros

• Provides valuable information to prospects
• Can establish your company as an expert in the industry
• Can be easily shared and promoted
• Can work as a lead magnet to capture contact information

Cons

• Requires time and resources to create
• Can be less engaging to prospects if they’re not interactive

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3. Social media

Who doesn't use social media these days? There’s no one most effective platform; the most active people on LinkedIn are different than the most active people on TikTok, but in both places, there are people, and people buy things. Social media collateral, be it company posts or user-generated content (UGC), can support all stages of a buyer's journey. By sharing resources, posting updates, and engaging with your audience, you can increase brand visibility and connect with potential customers 1:1. This two-way communication is rare, but valuable in sales collateral. Use social wisely!

Pros

• Widely used by people of all ages
• Can target specific demographics through paid advertising
• Allows for direct communication and engagement with prospects
• Provides a platform to showcase expertise and thought leadership

Cons

• Requires consistent effort to maintain a strong presence
• Can be time-consuming to manage multiple social media platforms

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4. Landing pages

Landing pages are standalone web pages designed with a specific purpose, such as promoting a product or service. They usually have a form for visitors to fill out to access the offer mentioned on the page. When used well, landing pages are a perfect destination for prospects during the progression of their buying journey to capture what they’re interested in and drive conversions. However, they're most effective in the consideration stage.

Pros

• Highly targeted and focused on a specific offer
• Can be optimized for conversion with clear call-to-action buttons
• Allows for tracking and measuring of visitor behavior

Cons

• Requires time and resources to create and optimize for SEO
• Can be expensive if paid advertising is used to drive traffic

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5. Case studies

Case studies are one of the best forms of sales collateral for the decision stage of the buyer's journey. They provide a detailed look at how your product or service has helped other customers. In short, customer testimonials serve as amazing social proof for potential buyers. Case studies aren’t just for bottom-of-the-funnel buyers; they’re great during the consideration stage, too, as they showcase the benefits and results of your offer compared to competitors. The more specific and relatable the case study is to your target audience, the more effective it will be.

Pros

• Allows for storytelling and showcasing real results
• Builds trust and credibility with potential customers
• Can be repurposed in various formats, such as blog posts

Cons

• Requires permission and cooperation from clients to create
• Can be time-consuming to produce high-quality case studies

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6. FAQs

FAQs are living documents that address common questions and objections potential customers have had in the past about your product or service. A list of questions and answers can be helpful to people no matter their stage in the buying journey, as long as the questions are relevant to their actual stage. Great FAQ documents provide valuable information and remove doubts potential customers have. They're mostly used in the consideration and decision stages to address specific concerns and provide more details on your offer.

Pros

• Provides valuable information to potential customers
• Can help overcome objections and close sales
• Easy to update and can be repurposed for various forms of content
• Eliminates the need for repetitive communication with potential customers

Cons

• Requires regular maintenance to ensure accuracy
• Requires thorough and accurate information to be effective

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7. Sales presentations

From sales pitch decks and proposal presentations to webinars and product demos, presentations are a versatile type of collateral that sellers use all the time. They educate potential customers about your offer and its benefits, as well as showcase your expertise and professionalism. Depending on the format, presentations can also include interactive elements that engage potential customers and make your pitch even more memorable.

Pros

• Allows for visual storytelling and engagement
• Can be tailored to specific audiences and stages of the buyer's journey
• Showcases expertise and professionalism
• Can be repurposed in various ways, such as blog posts or videos

Cons

• Requires time and effort to create
• Can be expensive, especially for high-quality designs and animations
• Can be difficult to track and measure effectiveness compared to other types of sales content

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8. Whitepapers

Similar to ebooks, whitepapers are in-depth pieces of content that provide valuable information and insights on a specific topic or issue. They're usually longer and more research-based than other types of sales collateral, making them suitable for the consideration phase of the buying journey. Whitepapers often include data, charts, and statistics to make bold claims and position your company as a thought leader and expert.

Pros

• Establishes credibility and expertise
• Provides valuable information for potential customers
• Can be repurposed as blog posts or webinars

Cons

• Requires extensive research and resources to create
• Can be lengthy and technical, potentially turning away potential customers
• May require a gate or registration form to access, limiting their reach

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9. Direct mail

From catalogs and company brochures to postcards and letters, direct mail is a tangible piece of sales collateral that can be sent directly to a prospect’s home or office. With the rise of digital marketing, direct mail isn’t used as often, but it still has one huge advantage; it stands out in a saturated digital landscape. Direct mail is effective in the awareness stage of the buyer's journey to generate leads and even in the consideration and decision phases if you’re sending a handwritten note or a thoughtful, personalized gift. 

Pros

• Can be personalized for a more targeted approach
• Tangible and stands out in a digital world
• Can include discounts or promotions to encourage action

Cons

• Expensive to produce and distribute
• Difficult to measure effectiveness
• Can be seen as intrusive or spammy if not done correctly

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10. Customer surveys and feedback

Finally, customer surveys and feedback are a type of sales collateral. They help sellers gather valuable insights directly from the people who already use their products or services, and relay that information to potential new buyers. By understanding the pain points, preferences, and opinions of current customers, you can tailor your sales approach and message accordingly as you attempt to connect with new ones. Customer surveys and feedback can be used at any stage of the buyer's journey to gather information and improve customer satisfaction.

Pros

• Gathers direct feedback from potential customers
• Tailors sales approach and messaging based on insights
• Improves customer satisfaction and retention

Cons

• Can be time-consuming to create and analyze
• Requires active participation from the target audience
• May not always yield accurate or representative data due to bias or low response rates

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How to organize and create sales collateral

Since you'll likely be creating or sending various types of sales collateral, it's essential to have a system in place to organize everything effectively. Here are some ways you can do that:

• Audit and clean sales collateral content: Regularly review your sales collateral materials and remove any outdated or irrelevant information. You only want to show accurate and up-to-date content to potential customers.
• Build a content approval workflow: Establish a process for creating, reviewing, and approving sales collateral to maintain consistency and quality.
• Optimize your folder structure: Organize your sales collateral materials into folders based on the type or stage of the buyer's journey to make it easier to find and use them.
• Establish access and version controls: Determine who has access to which sales collateral materials and make sure that everyone is using the latest version.
• Implement metadata and tagging: Use keywords and tags to categorize your sales collateral, making it easier for your team to search for specific content.
• Organize collaboration between sales representatives: Encourage cross-team collaboration between marketing and sales enablement, as well as among sales reps by regularly sharing sales collateral updates and discussing best practices.

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Streamline your sales and marketing with Streak

Communication will always be a major factor in the effectiveness of your sales and marketing collateral. If the sales materials are unheard of and aren't being used, what's the point? That's where Streak comes in.

With Streak, you can streamline communication between different teams and departments (such as sales and marketing) by keeping all of your sales collateral and communications in one place. This not only makes it easier for sellers to access and use the latest collateral, but it also facilitates collaboration and consistency across departments.

Not to mention, because it's a tool that integrates directly with Gmail, it allows you to track emails, deals, tasks, contacts, and more right from your inbox. This makes it easier for teams to stay on top of communication and tasks related to sales collateral.

And don't worry about having to learn a new platform – Streak is user-friendly; if you know how to use Gmail, you can use Streak.

Plus, it only takes 30 seconds to get started. Try it for free today.