The Content Gap Checklist

5000 Yonge St, Ste 1901, Toronto, ON M2N 7E9 | marketingcopilot.com | T 416 218 2009

Synposis:Every entrepreneur and business leader spends many a sleepless night figuring out the fastest route to finding customers and keeping customers (and world domination). But for many, something happened that they weren’t quite prepared for:

Buyer behaviour has changed!

What your customer wants to see, learn and understand before they speak with a sale rep or anyone from your company, has raised the table stakes. We call this THE CONTENT GAP.

The Content Gap:

How ready are you to grow your business?

A new checklist for the savvy entrepreneur.

| 2

Marketing CoPilot Go-to-Market ChecklistThe purpose of this checklist is to a realistic approach to the market place and what content exists in your business to assist in the Buying Process of your customer.

Business Strategy Map

Start your checklist here:© 2013 All rights reserved. Marketing CoPilot Inc.

Here’s the problem: the content and information required to really add more leads to the sales pipeline and support the sales process, rarely exists. The information that should be on the website to help people self-serve is never available. And, the work that needs to happen to really understand how to sell something and who is going to buy, rarely gets done.

How real is The Content Gap in your business?

| 3

Requirements Yes No MC Best Practice

Product/Service Content Readiness1. Features & functions: There is a clearly

defined set of features or services you offer when a customer “buys” something from your company.

☐ ☐We call this the “offer” and it is a specific outline of what a client gets when they write you a cheque for something.

2. Integration to customers’ business: You have a documented explanation of how the product/service integrates into a customer’s business.

☐ ☐Sometimes we call this the “before and after” document. Before our customer did “this”. After we implemented our product or service, the customer now does “this”.

3. Ease of installation: Your installation procedures are clear or you have documents outlining what a customer does “Day One” when working with you.

☐ ☐

People forget that after they sell something, it needs to be delivered. Not being able to paint a clear picture of “what happens next” is often a stumbling block in adoption of a product or service.

4. Value to customer: You have product/service proof points to prove the value you bring to customers.

☐ ☐

Sometimes this comes in the form of a case study, but you have at least one proven installation of your product or service in which a client agrees that there was a quantifiable outcome to implementing something.

5. Ease of support: You have a clear definition of how you will support a customer during the lifecycle of the product/service.

☐ ☐

When people are looking to buy something or hire someone, they want to understand how they will be supported after doing so. This is often a point they want to understand before they call a sales rep.

6. Ease to use: You can articulate how your product/service simplifies the customer’s business.

☐ ☐How someone will use your product/service and the business benefits they derive is more important than what it is.

Next Marketing Content Readiness checklist »


© 2013 All rights reserved. Marketing CoPilot Inc.

| 4

Marketing Content Readiness7. Competitive analysis: You have a list of

competitors or alternatives that people would buy instead of your product or service.

☐ ☐

Don’t forget that along with companies that look like you, there are other ways to solve a business problem. Do you have a deep understanding of the many ways to do something and what you come up against most?

8. Market segmentation: You have a clear definition of who fits best and why, and you know where they are and how to reach them.

☐ ☐

SMB is not a segment nor is one or more industry verticals. A segment is a group of well-defined people that your product or service perfectly fit. If you are a small company (under $5M and 20 employees) it must be very focused or you won’t have resources to properly target. Being everything to everyone will lead you to be nothing to anyone.

9. Proof of value proposition (ROI): You have documented proof points that indicate the value you stated was delivered.

☐ ☐If you state, “we can save you 30% per year in your business because of the efficiency of our product or service,” you need to be able to prove it and have a customer confirm it.

10. Collateral materials: You have organized, branded documents that are used in the sales process clearly defining your product/service.

☐ ☐Many companies start their marketing program by creating product information. What do you have so far and what is outstanding to create?

11. Advertising, shows and PR: You have other outbound marketing tactics you will be using to reach your target segments.

☐ ☐

Many companies start their GTM strategy by hiring a sales rep. This approach is based on one-to-one selling and it still means that person requires tactics to help them with market awareness and documentation to push out into the marketplace.

12. Customer testimonials: You have references to use in the marketing and sales process that will vouch for your value and can be used in written material.

☐ ☐ If you are a new entrant in the marketplace, credibility matters.

13. Pricing model: You have a clear pricing structure, or ranges that indicate what you get paid and can publically state this pricing model.

☐ ☐

Once a prospect is engaged and thinks you can help them solve their problem, the next question they ask is, “how much?” When you provide the answer in writing, it can be a powerful tool to help you qualify people quickly either in or out of the sales process.

Next Sales Content Readiness checklist »



| 5

Sales Content Readiness14. Channel or partner strategies: You have

identified people who can help you sell by referring you or reselling your product or solution.

☐ ☐

Many people forget that a website is also for all of the people that exist outside your company that could assist in the lead generation process. How good are your materials or website in helping third parties with this process?

15. Support to your distribution channels: You have a defined process and documentation for people selling on your behalf.

☐ ☐If someone wanted to pass you a lead, what would the process be and do you have documentation that helps someone else sell on your behalf.

16. Clear sales process: You have documented the steps in the sales process with a confirmed lead definition and qualification process.

☐ ☐

Most companies rely on their network to generate interest and have not clearly defined how they sell or who they sell to. This makes it very hard for someone else to sell on your behalf, including new sales reps to your company.

17. Sales pitch: You have a documented sales pitch that has been tested with prospects and proven to close deals.

☐ ☐Many people start their pitch with “what they do” making it really hard to get traction. You have to start with the problem you solve that is compelling enough for someone to stop and listen.

18. Sales engineering: You have people involved in the technical details of selling your product or service.

☐ ☐Explaining how a product or service fits into someone’s business is paramount to helping someone envision why they want your product or service.

19. Lead generation: You have a clear delineation between mild interest and a confirmed, sales-ready lead with metrics and tracking that can be shared between sales and marketing.

☐ ☐

Many companies do not delineate between where marketing and sales. There is often confusion about who is responsible for what and the honest definition of a sales-ready lead and how many are required to hit the revenue forecast.

20. Product or services training: You have training that you offer to new customers to ensure adoption of your product or service.

☐ ☐Training material is hard to create but powerful once developed. It confirms the level of sophistication in a company.

21. Sales training: You have documented (and offer to new reps) training with respect to who to look for in the marketplace and what to say when you find them.

☐ ☐If you can’t teach new people how to sell your product or services, you likely don’t know who you are selling to or why.

22. Sales expansion: You have a vision and strategy for where your next target market will evolve once you get traction in the market you are now serving.

☐ ☐Understanding where the next group of prospects may come from is important to understanding if your value proposition is resonating with the market.

Add your results »

Next your final score »


| 6

How did you score on your Go-To-Market Checklist?

Your final score is »Your final score will identify your

current business' Go-to-Market strategy stage.

Stage 1 »Brochure Mode

If your total scored is 14 or less of Yes’s on this checklist, you are in what we call, “brochure-mode” or Stage One. You have your solution ready to go but you are lacking some important information about your buyer and what they will need to see to start their buyer journey. Your “self-serve” information is likely nothing more than a product brochure and won’t really guide prospects to the next step in the buying process or to measurable conversion points where you can determine what they need and why they need it.

Stage 2 »Buyer Conversation-ready

If your total score is more than 15 Yes’s, you are well on your way and could be using your content to start the buyer conversation online. If you have not thought about value to customers and how this content could be used in email campaigns or blog content, then you have a great opportunity available to help you turn your website into your best sales tool.

Stage 3 »Poised for Growth

If you scored a perfect set of 22 Yes’s on this entire checklist, then you are likely generating lots of leads on your website today and keeping customers engaged through value-added content. Well done! You’re poised for growth.


If you want to learn about how you could close The Content Gap in your business, go to www.marketingcopilot.com and learn more about how to turn your web presence into your best sales tool.

Good luck with your World Domination!Marie Wiese

President & Founder Marketing [email protected]

416-218-2009

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.marketingcopilot.com/