Design a Sales Conversation
Sales materials for IBM
“We need a few materials developed for our sales team on different stages of our process. This needs to be clear and engaging.
The challenge is that this product is pretty complex, so we have to make sure our potential clients understand it well.“
IBM
IBM has been around for more than a century. It’s always been a place for invention and innovation that has driven forward the provision of computer solutions for business. We’ve been helping different teams at IBM with Communication design for a while now, making sure that their presentations are high-quality and engaging.
This project was special, as we also helped develop content for sales materials for different stages of communication with clients.
Disclaimer
Data, text and some visuals have been changed for confidentiality purposes.
How do you move a sales conversation forward?
At the beginning of the project, it was clear that several types of materials were needed for different stages of the sales process.
Each type had different goals. We had to start with a simple one-pager, then develop a brochure to provide more details, and a presentation that the sales team could use during their meetings.
Each type of material had a specific purpose, from creating interest or educating to starting a project
Mapping communication flow
First, we wanted to understand the process and the specific goals at every stage of it. Creating a communication flow map enabled us to define the necessary materials and the type of content that should be present there.
Teaser
We started by developing a one-pager that was to be a teaser for the clients.
How does it work?
The next part was creating an infographic that showed how the solution works. Instead of getting technical, we decided to tell the stories of different personas’ experience of using the IBM solution.
In this way, we could tell a simple and engaging story that would resonate with clients. Together with the IBM team, we discussed real-life scenarios. Then we structured them into an infographic that combined messaging chat with a process flowchart.
We combined the steps with playful messages and notes from different personas. This made the infographic much more engaging to follow.
Sales Presentation
The third stage was developing a sales presentation for a live workshop meeting that the sales team could use. We added different options that reflected different types of clients.
Process
- Interviews
- Research
- Communication flow map
- One-pager content and design dev
- Communication flowchart content and design dev
- Sales deck content and design dev
- Sales deck animation
Result
A one-page, a brochure with infographic,
and a sales deck with different options.