ABC: Action Based Collateral

Put this test to all your collateral: web pages, data sheets, demos, sales aids. What action do you want the prospect to take when she is finished with the collateral? Here are some possible answers:

• Phone
• Place an order
• Go to a web site
• Click on a link
• Read the next page
• Subscribe to your newsletter
• Give you a name and address

Each page in a web site has a specific purpose; maybe it's only to get the user to read the next page. Ditto for white papers and data sheets. What good is a data sheet if they only read the first paragraph? So the goal of the first paragraph has to be to create enough interest to get your prospect to read the second paragraph. And the goal of the first sentence is to get them to read the second sentence…

You get the idea.

Check your collateral, check your campaigns. Are they moving your prospects forward to the next step?