{"id":2693,"date":"2018-02-07T16:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T16:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=2693"},"modified":"2024-01-12T15:45:32","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T15:45:32","slug":"datasheets-marketing-asset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/datasheets-marketing-asset\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Datasheets Work As a Marketing Asset (Even If You\u2019re Not A Tech Company)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in school, right before a big test, you might have seen your classmates glance quickly at a piece of paper in their hands and then shove it into their knapsacks. You might have done the same thing yourself: taking one last important look at the key facts or figures that would help you remember what you needed to know when it came time to answer tough questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might have called these \u201ccrib sheets,\u201d or even \u201ccheat sheets.\u201d In the sales and marketing world, there\u2019s a similar thinking behind datasheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology firms have been using datasheets for a long time, and with good reason. Just like a student taking a test, making a major investment in software or hardware can involve high stakes, and significant consequences for choosing the wrong answer to a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A datasheet sits somewhere in between the more basic kind of content about a product — like a brochure that merely advertises or generates awareness through high-level copy and images — and a dense, technical white paper or comprehensive eBook that guides buyers into making the best use of their product purchase. When they\u2019re done right, datasheets are the best possible summary of what a product can do and provide just enough information to make a final buying decision. If you work in the technology space and datasheets aren\u2019t already part of your arsenal, they should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, the concept of a datasheet can work in other kinds of industries besides technology. Whether you\u2019re selling items for buyers in health care, engineering, financial services or another vertical market, a datasheet can represent a late-stage asset that can be woven into a campaign or strategy where you\u2019re already using Marketing Cloud<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve never read a datasheet or aren\u2019t sure what it would look like, however, this is how to begin the content creation process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining The Essential Elements Of A Datasheet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine you\u2019re the buyer. Scratch that: you\u2019re one of several people on a buying team — and maybe not the final decision-maker. You\u2019ve already learned about a product that could potentially address a business pain point. You might even have met with a salesperson to get more details and pricing. Now it\u2019s time to move the decision through the other stakeholders who need to weigh in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is, not everyone on a buying team is going to have time to do the same level of research. They might not be available to meet as a group, or at least not very often. Also, the length of the purchasing process may be such that details get forgotten, but need to be called up when a more senior-ranking member of the team asks questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A datasheet (or whatever you want to call it) should start with this kind of scenario in mind. If you were composing an email or memo about the purchase decision, what would you need to include?<\/p>\n\n\n\n