Sales Force &

Channel Management

Individual Assignment

Shreyanshi Agarwal
Marketing
PRN: 21020141209
Roll No: 44309
Problem Statement
You have been appointed as a consultant by a German packaging firm to streamline its sales operation in
India. This packaging firm is inbox packaging firm. i.e., they create product which are stuffed or wrapped
around the product before they are kept in the box. The products they have are:

Paper plus which creates paper-based packaging and Foam based packaging unit. This units uses foam to
package the product inside the box. The third was plastic based bubble wrap product which has to be
withdrawn due to plastic ban across India.

The operation is B2B and they are using dealers and direct force to sales in NCR/ West/ South They also
have a key account/ major account sales team.

Deliverables
Analyse and create a suitable sales structure. Also formulate a proper marketing campaign to run this sales
team this financial year. How would you use content as a strategy in B2B Sales? Elaborate your decision
using suitable analysis.

Table of Contents
1. Sales Structure
2. Marketing Campaign
3. B2B Sales Content Marketing Strategy
4. References
 Sales Structure
In order to create a Sales-Structure we have to first identify the Geographical locations i.e., the territories
the company would be catering to. As mentioned for its products Paper Plus and Foam based Packaging
units they will be catering to the NCR, the West and the South Regions of India. As they have clearly
defined products and regions it is suggested that a Hybrid Model which included traits from
Geography/Territory Organizing Structure along with an Account Size Organizing Structure with divisions
for the two products be followed.

Following Roles must be considered while drafting the Sales Structure:

a. Sales Manager
b. Territory Managers
c. Small & Medium Market Sales Manager, Mid-Market Sales Manager and Enterprise Sales Manager
d. Paper Plus Sales Representatives and Foam based Packaging Unit Sales Representatives

Sales Team Structure

It must be observed that a Hybrid Model of Geography, Account Size as well as Product difference has been
considered. This is so to get the pros of the mentioned sales organisation structures.

With the help of the Geography/Territory Organisation Structure, the team develops familiarity with the
specified locations. They are able to build rapport with local businesses and get to know regional competitors
and track target accounts.

By further dividing the said territory departments based on the account size of the buyers develops a certain
skill set. SMBs and Enterprise Accounts have different goals, will ask different questions, and have very
different budgets. By creating separate divisions allows the sales team to familiarise with the buyers’ needs
and in turn perform accordingly.

The basic division of Sales Representatives on the basis of products i.e., Paper Plus and Foam Based
Packaging Units allows the team to become experts on their product, thereby they are better able to
communicate its value and use for individual clients accordingly.
Marketing Campaign

1. Define your audience

The key to any effective B2B marketing plan is to define your target audience properly. Consider ing
the business of packaging and the geographical territories the main audience would be warehouses,
transportation, delivery and logistics services and other businesses involved in courier and delivery.
Once that is done identify the pain points of the same is necessary. What would encourage them to buy
the product? What would be their biggest concern? What is the Call to Action (CTA)? The answers to
these questions should shape the marketing efforts, allowing the company to tailor their marketing
tactics to the Buyer Personas they want to reach. At this stage, they may also want to brainstorm a list
of specific businesses that may be good potential customers, so their sales reps can reach out to them
directly. This can be done by some on-field research in the NCR, South and West regions of the country
to identify such potential buyers and creating a dynamic database for the same.

2. Identify your channels & Allocating Budget

There is a wide array of physical and digital marketing channels available for B2B marketing, including
cold calling, inbound landing pages, email marketing, podcasts, social media platforms, influencer
marketing, trade shows, SEO (search engine optimization) messaging, testimonials, business
conferences, direct mail, webinars, and sponsorships. With the target audience in mind, a decision has
to be made as to what marketing channels will be most visible to key stakeholders in the mentioned
demographic responsible for purchasing decisions. Depending on the field, i.e., packaging material
social media marketing, basic online marketing, in-person or print marketing must be engaged in.

Along with the channels a Budget must be tracked in order to ensure that the Goals devised are SMART
(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound). Channels and modes that would yield
the best result must be focused and no wasteful expenditure should take place.

3. Outline the main selling points

Once you know who your target audience is and how you can best reach them, identify what content
will be the most effective for them to hear. Outline your main selling points—Cost effective packaging
material, environment friendly, abides by the government regulations as Plastic has been banned in
India, bio-degradable, cushioning of the products to ensure safe delivery, mitigation of loss during
transit, buyers ROI and few more. Using numbers, case studies, infographics, and any other statistics
and details to be as specific as possible—businesses want to be certain that the product or service can
increase their operations in the long run, which is the case for the said company.

4. Craft the content

Once the material is ready for value proposition and the benefits of the product, it’s time to craft the
content. Writing copy and design visuals that are eye-catching, professional, and convincing to the
target audience. Considering the chosen channels and crafting accordingly—social media is better for
short-form, visual content, while blog posts can be more text-heavy.

5. Implement your campaign

After the content has been written and designed for the marketing campaign, it’s time to implement
the campaign. Execute the content to the channels—whether that’s beginning of the cold calls or
posting flyers in high-traffic areas. Here, the cold calls, website, social media and the print media will
help the sales representatives to back their pitches.

Since the product is in the B2B Market, the goals and needs of the buyers here are slightly different
than that of the buyers in a B2C Market. They look for value addition, cost minimization and
operational efficiency. They also expect multiple pricing levels based on the account size and thus in
the structure as well the Sales Representatives have been divided to cater to the specific needs of
different businesses based on their account size.

Customers make purchases for long-term solutions, resulting in a longer sales cycle, longer contracts,
and longer relationships with companies. The customer in B2B wants to be educated and they are
driven by logic and financial incentive, thus by maintaining proper customer/account management via
having a strong relationship with the buyers and giving proper information as well as trade discounts,
and credit extension must be communicated by the Sales Representatives.

6. Track the data

As the campaign runs, monitoring the numbers is very essential. Keeping a track of KPIs is important
for further steps of re-marketing and follow-ups to be performed by the Sales Representatives.

It is also essential to monitor the channel efficiency in order to determine further budget allocation.
For instance, what channels result in the most call-backs? What are the key hesitation factors in the
potential B2B buyers? This information will help the company to adjust or redirect their current
campaign metrics and craft even more effective future campaigns. The marketing campaign may not
immediately result in major lead generation or a huge increase in conversion rates. Sometimes, an
initial campaign can simply increase brand awareness and set the stage for future successful campaigns.
B2B Content Marketing Strategy

Source: https://1827marketing.com/smart-thinking/content-marketing-statistics-evidence-and-trends

Content marketing is an umbrella term that includes:

• A social media post talking about the company’s attendance at an industry conference or Trade Fair
• A piece of thought leadership on industry trends
• A recorded webinar with valuable information about economic and environmental benefits of paper-
based packaging and foam-based packaging
• A blog post with the different types and benefits of paper-based packaging
• A white paper on yearly trends
• An email newsletter with tips and reminders

All of these pieces of content are not ads (and good content should not read as an ad); they are valuable in
and of themselves to your prospective or current customers. In short, content marketing is any piece of
content that makes the buyers’ jobs easier.

Following must be included in a B2B Content Strategy –

• Buyer Persona Research

To develop content that is personalised to its readers, one must first understand their audience inside and
out. One of the most common mistakes a firm may make as a B2B marketer? Assuming they know what
their consumers want and what they are looking for on the internet. No matter how well a firm believes it
knows and understands its prospective consumers, it's a good idea to conduct some customer research
before developing a content marketing strategy. Interviewing 5-10 buyers so that the firm can truly
understand their demands. Then, produce material that addresses those precise requirements.

• Extensive Keyword & SEO Research

Finding the proper keywords — and utilising them wisely to optimise the content — can make or break a
content strategy. Ignoring this stage is a significant blunder that can result in a poor ROI for the content
strategy.
 • Content & Site Analysis
Determine the performance of the company's website and other content channels. What keywords are
presently ranking for on the website? What does the company want it to rank for? Do they rank for material
that is relevant to their target audience? In order to create a baseline analysis for future content goals,
asking these questions is important.

• Competitive Analysis
It is very essential to gauge the competition and under the direct business competitors’ ranks and the reason
for the same. Identifying gaps and opportunities that can be filled by the company’s content can help bridge
the same.

• Core Content Topics

It is very essential to be sure of the content tat is being delivered to the targeted parties. Understanding what
the company wants to be known for and the subjects it can considered an expert in. Keyword research as
well as in-depth company’s product research to bring out the value proposition will help attract the right
audience.

• A strategic editorial calendar

Regularly publishing well-researched material is critical to the firm's content-marketing success. An
editorial calendar assists the company in focusing on the issues for which they want to be recognised, as
well as providing a long-term strategic plan to direct their marketing activities.

• Downloadable & Hugh-Value Lead Generation Content

White papers, case studies, product spec sheets, on-demand demos, and other resources are available. Firms
must ensure that each of these content forms provides readers with a clear 'next step' to do — downloadable
material is a fantastic method to create new leads.

• Blog Strategy
The next stage is for the firm to add their material to a user-friendly and optimised blog once they know
exactly what they're posting (and when). Every B2B company should have a well-designed blog in order
to raise awareness among eligible visitors. CTAs, in-line forms, and discreet pop-up forms to download
extra material should all be part of the blog approach.

• Historical content optimization strategy

If the company's website and other social media handles already include a significant amount of dated old
blog content, it may be doing more harm than good. Regular content updates and the incorporation of new
trends can assist the company in remaining competitive and meeting the demands of the audience. In the
long term, using outdated material will result in worse ranks and fewer leads.
 References
• https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/pros-and-cons-sales-organizational-designs-chart
• https://www.semrush.com/blog/b2b-content-marketing/
• https://www.precisionmarketinggroup.com/blog/everything-you-need-for-a-successful-b2b-
marketing-plan
• https://www.masterclass.com/articles/b2b-marketing-guide#what-are-the-differences-between-
b2b-and-b2c-marketing
• https://1827marketing.com/smart-thinking/content-marketing-statistics-evidence-and-trends

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