Sales battlecard can be extremely powerful tools in your sales arsenal, but only if they're done right. 

An internal document, over 71% of businesses state that battle cards have been used to increase their sales win rates. Meaning the chances are your competitors are using them to win over you.

Today, we're exploring precisely what sales battle cards are and how to create compelling and persuasive sales battle cards that will help you close more business. 

You'll learn what goes into a good sales battle card, as well as some tips and tricks for using them effectively. Basically, we're covering everything you need to know when making the most of this. 

So, let's get started!

What is sales battle card, and why do you need them?

Ever been in a B2B sales meeting and wished you had an ace up your sleeve to clinch the deal? 

Talking to prospects and connecting with them in a way that gets results is hard work. There's so much to think about, and the whole process can quickly become messy if you don't have structure and organization. 

This becomes evident when you're trying to address your prospect's pain points, and your approach just isn't landing. 

Enter sales battle cards.

A sales battlecards are essentially a detailed record of the features and advantages of the product or service you're selling – paired with insightful details on what sets your business apart from its competitors. 

After all, statistics show that 84% of businesses have found their industry to be more competitive than ever in recent years. This means you have to up your game when it comes to offering your buyers an experience that stands out from the crowd.

Effective sales battle cards become your go-to for on-the-fly information that keeps your reps informed, on topic, and capable of answering any questions or queries that come their way. 

A sales enablement tool that allows you to give quick, confident responses to your prospects when it matters most.

What makes an effective sales battlecard?

Picture yourself in a B2B sales meeting. 

You're pitching, and everything is going great when suddenly, your prospect throws you a curveball. They're asking for hard facts about your product and how much of a difference it made in the lives of your customer base.

You know this, but the figure is on the tip of your tongue. 

You're hesitating. You're fumbling. 

Damn it, now you're having to give a ballpark figure, and you don't know how far off the mark that is.

The prospects look at each other. You see their confidence wavering. 

Your team looks at you with the same glance. 

That sale may have just slipped through your fingers.

When you consider that 72% of executives admit to working on other projects when in these meetings, this is not a good show. You need to be doing everything you can to keep these executives and decision-makers as engaged as possible.

This does not have to be how your story unfolds.

With a sales battle card, you see the question coming a mile off, and you're prepared. A simple glance down at your desk is all it takes to get accurate figures.

You reel them off with confidence and precision. The prospects nod, impressed. 

You've sealed the deal.

This is how much of a difference an effective sales battlecard can be. 

The features of a card that can generate these kinds of outcomes include;

- A scannable format that can be read in seconds

- Contains most FAQs and answers

- Lists off the common pain points, objections, and actionable steps

- Highlights the unique value proposition of your product or service

- Contains facts, figures, and statistics that enable you to sell effectively

- Everyone having access to the card promotes consistency

On the other side of the coin, a sales battle card shouldn't;

- Be a script you simply read off and recite

- Contain opinion-based data

- Be a set document that never gets updated

- Only be used occasionally.

If this seems like a lot to manage, thankfully, Dealintent digital sales rooms make it easy to keep track of battle cards and ensure that every call is equipped with this essential information. 

How to use Dealintent to use sales battlecards effectively

With Dealintent, creating and using sales battle cards to enhance your pitch has never been easier.

By utilizing our digital sales room technology, you'll have the tools needed to maximize the efficiency of your strategy. Basically, this platform helps you put all your necessary content in one easily accessible place, setting you up to thrive when it comes to doing what you do best: selling.

Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how to go about this properly.

Step #1 - Define your needs & goals

Every sales team, remote sales team, and rep has different needs, and there's no point in trying to create battle cards unless you're clear on what these needs are and what goals you want to achieve. 

So, take time to figure it out.

Some common questions to ask yourself include;

- Are there new salespeople in your team that need education in what you offer?

- Do you have a tough time selling against certain competitors?

- Is your product or service hard to describe?

- Are your prospects and potential clients finding it hard to understand the value you're offering?

- Are you trying to break a new market or niche?

With these answers, you can create goals that give purpose to your battle cards. You’ll have a much clearer idea of what information needs to be included on the cards, and how they’re going to be used to increase sales productivity.

It can also pay to set an actual, tangible goal. 

For example, bringing a specific number of new clients per quarter, losing fewer deals to your competition, or increasing the value of contracts by a certain percentage.

Step #2 - Gather your information

If you're using Dealintent digital sales rooms already, then all the content and information you could want to put on your sales battlecards will already be in one place. 

All you know you need to do is look over the content and pull out the key information to help you achieve the goal you set in a previous step.

Remember, developing sales battle cards is a collective effort, so create documentation and allow people to add what they need. You might want to start simple and then allow people to add relevant information over time as questions and queries arise in pitches.

Battle cards should be flexible, constantly adapting documents that evolve to fit the needs of your sales teams. 

Don't just put one person in charge and hope for the best. 

This is a collaborative tool that benefits all.

Step #3 - Create your messaging

Create your battlecards in a way that works for you and your digital sales team.

It may be a Powerpoint slide with a nice chart, or a simple document with some bullet point text. 

Keep things concise for the best results.

With your document ready, add your information and refine it to be as concise and as scannable as possible.

Some top tips to remember;

- Keep it short, sweet, and under a page

- Use bullet points to convey lots of data fast

- Use conversational, informal language

- Always include evidence, statistics, and backup claims

Step #4 - Make it scalable

Rarely will you just use one battle card, so when you find a successful formula that works for your team, turn it into a template so it can be easily replicated moving forward? 

Therefore, no matter who's on your team, what products or services you're offering, or what markets you're tapping into, your sales battle cards will be ready to help you win.

Measuring the Impact

How to Track and Measure the Effectiveness of Your Sales Battle Card:

• Implementation Analysis: Discuss how to observe and analyze the changes in sales performance after implementing the battle card. This could involve comparing sales metrics before and after its introduction.
• Feedback Collection: Emphasize the importance of gathering feedback from the sales team on the battle card's usability and effectiveness. This can involve surveys, interviews, or informal feedback sessions.

Metrics to Consider:

• Win Rates: Examine how the win rate (the percentage of deals won vs. total deals) changes after using the battle card. A significant increase in win rates can be a strong indicator of the battle card's effectiveness.
• Average Deal Size: Assess whether there's an increase in the average size of deals closed. This can indicate that the sales team is better equipped to upsell or close larger deals with the help of the battle card.
• Sales Cycle Length: Evaluate the impact on the length of the sales cycle. A reduction in the sales cycle length could suggest that the battle card helps the team move prospects through the sales funnel more efficiently.

Utilizing the Battle Card

Training Your Team:

• Role-Playing Exercises: Discuss the use of role-playing scenarios where sales reps can practice using the battle card in simulated sales conversations. This hands-on approach can help them internalize the information and apply it more effectively in real situations.
• Regular Workshops and Sessions: Suggest organizing periodic training workshops or sessions to familiarize the team with the battle card's content. This could include walkthroughs of each section, highlighting key points and strategies.
• Integration into Sales Meetings: Recommend incorporating the battle card into regular sales meetings. Use these opportunities to discuss updates, share successful usage stories, and reinforce its importance in the sales process.
• Feedback Loop: Encourage creating a feedback loop where sales reps can suggest improvements or updates to the battle card based on their experiences. This not only keeps the content relevant but also ensures buy-in from the sales team.

Regular Updates:

• Market and Competitor Changes: Emphasize the need to update the battle card regularly to reflect changes in the market and competitor strategies. Staying current is crucial for maintaining an edge in sales conversations.
• Product Updates and Innovations: Highlight the importance of updating the battle card with any new product features, benefits, or use cases. As your product evolves, so should the information on your battle card.
• Customer Feedback and Insights: Discuss the value of incorporating customer feedback and insights into the battle card. Sales reps can gather valuable information from their interactions with customers, which can be used to refine and improve the battle card.
• Scheduled Review Process: Recommend establishing a scheduled review process for the battle card. Decide on a regular interval (e.g., quarterly, bi-annually) to reassess and update the content. Assign team members or a committee responsible for ensuring the battle card remains up-to-date.

Advanced Tips

Incorporating Digital Tools or Software for Dynamic and Interactive Battle Cards:

• Digital Integration: Discuss the benefits of integrating the battle card with CRM systems and other sales enablement tools. This can make the battle card more dynamic and provide real-time updates and insights.
• Interactivity: Suggest ways to make the battle card interactive, such as incorporating clickable elements that lead to additional resources or data visualizations. This can make the battle card more engaging and useful.

Customizing Battle Cards for Different Segments or Types of Prospects:

• Segmentation Strategies: Explain how to tailor battle cards for different customer segments. This could involve modifying the USPs, objection handling strategies, or success stories based on the specific needs and characteristics of each segment.
• Prospect Types Customization: Offer advice on customizing battle cards for different types of prospects (e.g., decision-makers vs. influencers). This might include altering the language, tone, or level of technical detail to better resonate with each type of prospect.

Using Dealintent to Optimize your Battle Cards

While a battle card could be as simple as a Word document with some bullet points, you can maximize your success rates using a platform like Dealintent.

Dealintent is an AI-driven sales platform that helps you get the content you need when you need it most. With the ability to integrate into all your existing CRM networks, Dealintent is a tool that helps you deal with hyper-personalized content in seconds.

Let's say you're dealing with a prospect, and they're asking why they should choose you over another competitor. 

Within your Dealintent digital salesroom, the AI systems will recognize your buyer's concerns and present you with a battle card with information about why your product wins over your competition.

Say there's a pain point with the pricing of your product. Dealintent identifies the concern and presents you, the sales rep, with a battle card explaining why your product or service is excellent value for money.

Since everything is handled online within digital sales rooms, there's no need for messy emails or loose messaging threads. 

Just log your sales reps and buyers into the salesroom and having everything you need at your fingertips, ready for you to close the deal.

Here are some other top benefits Dealintent provides;

- Create hyper-personalized branded content for buyers in minutes using templates

- See who's engaging with what content to identify the best sales opportunities

- Monitor all buyer activity with advanced metrics

- Allow buyers to input their needs so you can identify potential goals and actions

- Get all your sales team on the same page and working together as a unit

‍

And finally, when you consider that over 86% of CEOs report that AI technology is considered mainstream in their offices, you can be sure your competitors are using sales enablement tools like this. 

Don’t risk getting left behind.

Sales battle cards are powerful tools that help sales teams close more deals by getting everyone on the same page. 

Now's the time to take these sales tactics to the next level with Dealintent.

Check us out today and discover how much of a difference we can make.

‍