When selling specialized products or services that have very long sales cycles, it is common for months or even years to go by between the time a lead is generated and a deal is closed with that lead. From copy machines to safety gear, vehicle fleets to software systems, there are many big-ticket products or services that companies purchase just once every five to 10 years.

For the sales professional, selling such products can be analogous to running a marathon: A great deal of time, effort and energy is expended between the sales cycle’s start and its successful finish. And one must follow a carefully executed strategy to stay the course and not run out of resources before the finish line.

A committed relationship
The key to going the distance in a seemingly endless sales cycle is to establish consistent communication and relationship-building strategies that put you and your company top of mind among prospects. Companies that want a shot at a prospect’s business must demonstrate throughout the entire sales cycle that they are the best choice and must give solid reasons why. But how?

Email newsletters are among the most cost-effective relationship building tools in a B2B marketer’s bag of tricks. eNewsletters not only help companies establish a consistent pattern of communication with prospects and customers, but they also provide a perfect platform for educating prospects about your industry, company and products or services.

As stated by author Karen Gedney in her article Missed B2B Email Opportunities:

“An eNewsletter can keep you in the game throughout a long consideration process … While prospects review your website, they’re likely to opt in for your eNewsletter, allowing you to begin the sales conversation at the height of their research process and throughout an extended buying cycle.”

A versatile tool
The eNewsletter has earned the nickname “the Swiss Army knife of marketing” because of its ability to single-handedly address and solve so many marketing challenges. For the sales professional who battles an extraordinarily long sales cycle, the eNewsletter can be a versatile and valuable tool before and after a sale because it:

• keeps a business and its brand top of mind among prospects.
• shows prospects that the sending company understands the industry and is keenly aware of current industry issues and trends.
• helps a company demonstrate thought leadership and build credibility among prospects by consistently demonstrating a proactive approach to educating its clients and prospects.
• allows a business to take a “show versus tell” approach when communicating the company’s value through case studies, testimonials and other informative articles.

The above objectives are best achieved when the eNewsletter is a vehicle for thoughtful, engaging and valuable content — not a barrage of sales pitches or act-now gimmicks.

Rebekah E. Donaldson, president of Business Communications Group, LLC, believes eNewsletters should offer something original and genuinely valuable such as “in-depth original content capturing your expert perspective, or a compilation of hard-to-find industry statistics, or a copy of a report that has sold out … Depending on the stage of the relationship, you might offer to consult with the client/prospect free of charge regarding a custom solution.”

These types of offerings add to the value of your eNewsletter and let your readers know you are accessible and available, no matter where they are in the sales process.