DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

In the competitive world of business and marketing, having the right resources at your fingertips can make all the difference.

One way to stay ahead is by following the ABC principle:

Always Build Collateral

Building collateral means creating a collection of resources that represent your brand’s expertise, credibility, and value.

Strategic collateral, from case studies and white papers to thought leadership content and infographics, serves as a foundation for your marketing and sales efforts. These assets provide essential support for your team, instill confidence in your customers, and set you apart from the competition.

This article delves into the importance of the ABC Principle, how it benefits your business, and the steps to building a robust set of collateral to establish your brand as a leader in the market.

Collateral is essentially the set of resources your brand has at its disposal to communicate its strengths, showcase its successes, and engage with its audience. These resources can include various types of content and tools that cater to different stages of the buyer’s journey. When companies regularly build and update their collateral, they ensure they have a readily available arsenal of tools to support every marketing campaign, sales pitch, or customer support interaction.

Here’s why the ABC Principle is essential for long-term success:

Differentiates Your Brand: Strategic collateral provides proof points that distinguish you from competitors. In crowded markets, where products and services often seem interchangeable, well-crafted collateral can showcase your unique strengths, innovation, and value.

Builds Trust and Authority: High-quality collateral, like case studies and thought leadership pieces, demonstrates that you understand your industry and have a proven track record. This establishes trust with prospects and positions your brand as a reliable source of expertise.

Supports Sales and Marketing: Effective collateral enables your sales and marketing teams to address prospects’ pain points and communicate value more effectively. By having resources that address common objections or demonstrate results, teams can close deals faster and reduce time spent on repetitive explanations.

Engages and Educates Your Audience: Content-rich collateral helps customers and prospects understand your offerings and the benefits you provide. It keeps them engaged, informed, and better equipped to make purchasing decisions.

Building a well-rounded set of collateral means creating resources that serve various functions – from educating customers and guiding purchasing decisions to reinforcing brand credibility.

Here’s a breakdown of the key types of collateral that should be part of your arsenal:

Case Studies: Case studies are one of the most powerful pieces of collateral, especially for industries that rely on trust and credibility. They demonstrate how your product or service has provided real, measurable results for clients. A strong case study outlines the problem a client faced, the solution you provided, and the results achieved. This narrative helps prospects visualize how your offerings can solve similar problems in their own businesses.

How to Use It: Case studies are excellent for use during sales meetings, on your website, and in marketing materials. Tailor them to resonate with specific industries or customer pain points for maximum impact.

Thought Leadership Articles and White Papers: Thought leadership pieces showcase your knowledge, insights, and forward-thinking views on industry trends. White papers, research reports, and thought-provoking articles establish your company as an expert in its field, offering valuable information that educates your audience and encourages trust.

How to Use It: Publish thought leadership content on your website, share it through email newsletters, and promote it on social media. Sales teams can also use these pieces to provide in-depth insights to prospects who are considering your company.

Product Sheets and Brochures: Product sheets, feature guides, and brochures are collateral that explain the benefits, features, and specifications of your products or services. These documents are particularly helpful for potential customers who are weighing their options and need clear, factual information about what you offer.

How to Use It: Distribute product sheets during sales calls, trade shows, and industry events. Digital versions can be included on your website, allowing interested customers to access them anytime.

Customer Testimonials: Testimonials from satisfied customers add a personal touch to your collateral and validate your claims of success. They provide a credible, third-party endorsement that can significantly influence new prospects. Testimonials can take the form of quotes, short stories, or even video snippets.

How to Use It: Incorporate testimonials into your website, case studies, social media, and even email marketing. Place them in high-visibility areas to reinforce your reputation and reliability.

Infographics and Visual Content: Infographics distill complex information into easily digestible, visually engaging formats. They’re perfect for explaining processes, illustrating industry trends, or comparing product features. Visual content like infographics and videos can capture attention quickly, making it ideal for social media and websites.

How to Use It: Share infographics on social media, embed them in blog posts, and use them as part of presentations. They also work well in downloadable reports or newsletters to offer data in a visually appealing way.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): An FAQ section or document addresses common questions and concerns customers have about your products, services, or company. This collateral is an efficient way to reduce barriers to purchase, providing potential buyers with quick and accessible answers.

How to Use It: FAQs can be hosted on your website, included in onboarding materials, and distributed by customer service teams to reduce repetitive inquiries. They can also be used in proposal documents to clarify details upfront.

Educational Guides and How-To Content: Guides, tutorials, and instructional content help customers make the most of your products and services. These resources show that your brand is invested in the customer’s success by offering support even after the sale.

How to Use It: Educational guides are valuable additions to your website and email marketing. They can be used as downloadable resources to attract leads or as post-purchase content to improve customer satisfaction.

To fully leverage the ABC principle, it’s important to take a strategic approach to building and utilizing collateral.

Follow these steps to ensure your resources are not only high quality but also aligned with your brand’s goals:

Identify Your Audience and Objectives: Start by defining the primary audiences for each type of collateral. Are they prospects, new customers, or industry peers? Understanding who the content is for will shape its tone, style, and focus. Set clear objectives for each piece, whether it’s to educate, persuade, or build trust.

Focus on Consistency and Branding: All collateral should consistently reflect your brand’s voice, values, and visual identity. Ensure each piece is professionally designed, follows brand guidelines, and uses consistent messaging that reinforces your brand’s credibility and appeal.

Collaborate Across Teams: Creating effective collateral isn’t the responsibility of marketing alone. Sales, customer service, and product teams bring valuable insights into customer needs and common pain points.

By working together, you can create collateral that’s more relevant and useful.

Regularly Update and Optimize Content: Collateral should be regularly reviewed and updated to stay relevant. Industry trends, new product features, or changes in customer preferences may render old collateral outdated. Additionally, analyze performance metrics to see what content is resonating with your audience and make adjustments as needed.

Distribute Strategically: A key part of the ABC principle is knowing when and where to use collateral for maximum impact. For instance, case studies and testimonials are best used during the consideration phase, while product sheets are helpful during decision-making. Make sure sales and customer service teams have easy access to all collateral and know how to use it effectively.

When companies commit to always building collateral, they create a foundation of resources that strengthens their brand, aids their teams, and attracts loyal customers.

This investment in collateral not only helps in immediate sales cycles but also builds a library of resources that can be reused and adapted over time, reducing workload for teams and reinforcing brand consistency.

By mastering the ABC Principle, companies are better positioned to respond to customer needs, outshine competitors, and build enduring trust with their audiences.

Collateral isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a competitive advantage that pays dividends over time.

When your team is equipped with thoughtful, strategic resources, you’re not only selling products – you’re selling expertise, confidence, and a commitment to customer success.