5 Proven Best Practices for Sales Asset Management

A solid Sales Asset Management system is more than just an advantage for B2B sales teams – it’s essential for any enterprise business who wants to stay competitive. Of course, just checking off the SAM box won’t guarantee success. Implementing and managing the Sales Asset Management platform requires strategy and careful planning. SiriusDecisions has compiled a core strategy report on how to successfully implement an SAM system that is proven to increase sales rep productivity.

The report explores:

• The common challenges faced by organizations when managing their sales assets
• The essential elements your SAM should have
• How to conduct a sales asset audit and tag each asset effectively
• Best practices for ensuring long-term success when deploying an SAM

We encourage you to read the full report, accessible here, but if you want the highlights on what SiriusDecisions found to be the most effective steps to SAM success, here they are!

1.    Do a content audit FIRST

An SAM bloated with unused, unnecessary content is a hindrance, not an asset. Before you begin shifting any of your content into the SAM, do an audit.

SiriusDecisions recommends auditing based on four criteria: quality, relevance, value, and influence. Any piece of content that is low-quality, irrelevant, of low value to buyers, or isn’t likely to influence buyers to take a desired action, then it’s time to throw it out or make it better.

SEE ALSO: 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Content in Sales

2.    Make sure your content aligns with the buyer’s journey

At every step of your buyer’s journey, your sales reps should be able to provide helpful content to guide them to the next phase. Which begs the question: does your business have a full range of content for each stage?

As part of your audit, think critically about how each asset fits into the overall needs of your buyers.

3.    Treat the search feature as a last resort

One of the key advantages of a SAM is how it streamlines access to different pieces of content. The idea is to make the right content surface itself for your sales reps – not make them have to dig and search any time they need a specific presentation.

Choose a SAM that offers multiple avenues to finding content – wizards, content recommendations, etc.

4.    Identify (and leverage) your winning assets

If you have a piece of killer content – a presentation that is proven to be effective during the sales process – it’s foolish not to leverage it whenever possible. Of course, you have to know how effective each asset is before you can work it into the sales process.

Choose an SAM with built-in tracking and analytics. It will measure the effectiveness of each piece of content and then recommend it in the context of the sales situation.

5.    View your SAM as an investment in your reps

If you and your team treat the SAM as a costly burden, then you’re not going to be fully committed to achieving its potential. Instead, SiriusDecisions recommends treating it as an investment in your reps and something that will help you measure the value of your sales assets.

If you’re getting ready to upgrade to a Sales Asset Management platform, it’s best to go into the process with a clear plan. If you want more guidance from one of our sales enablement experts, all you have to do is reach out!