Creating high-impact marketing content that sales teams actively use remains a persistent challenge.
“Marketing teams spend hours crafting thoughtful materials, only to see them sit untouched,” says Grace Bacon, VP of global marketing at Showpad, a leading sales enablement platform. “I know first-hand how frustrating that is, and unfortunately, it’s a problem many marketing teams face.”
As much as two-thirds of marketing content goes unused. The reasons vary: content may be difficult to locate, misaligned with sellers’ needs or lacks the necessary insights to make it genuinely relevant to customers.
“That disconnect doesn’t just waste time; it creates missed opportunities and slows revenue growth,” Bacon adds. “If we want to fix it, we need to rethink how we approach content creation - by uniting the art of marketing with the science of artificial intelligence.”
Throwing darts in the dark
“Marketers often operate without clear insights into what content will resonate,” explains Bacon. “Only a quarter of marketers use data in every strategic decision they make. Without that intelligence, it’s like throwing darts in the dark.”
This lack of data leads to guesswork, which can mean marketing teams investing significant time and effort into collateral that may never reach buyers. “When you don’t know what materials work, it’s impossible to create content with confidence,” says Bacon.
Even when marketing teams produce great content, it doesn’t always make its way to sellers. “Sellers either can’t find the content when they need it, or it doesn’t align with the conversations they’re having with buyers,” Bacon notes.
“When reps resort to creating their own materials, messaging becomes inconsistent, sellers waste valuable time and deals lose momentum,” she adds.
AI’s role in content strategy
AI can empower marketing teams by equipping them with the capabilities needed to produce more impactful content. Companies like Showpad can play an important role here, generating granular insights that can inform the content being created - and the content that sales teams ought to be using when speaking to prospects.
“With Showpad’s AI-powered insights, which track content shares, engagement and revenue influence, marketing teams no longer have to guess,” says Bacon. “Teams can see what drives meaningful conversations and adjust their content strategy - including topics, audience focus and formats - in real time.”
When sales teams have access to more relevant and tailored materials, they can use them with greater confidence - and close more deals. For marketing teams, AI can play a key role in bridging the gap between marketing’s creativity and sales’ execution, transforming content into a powerful revenue driver.
Saving time with smarter workflows
However, AI doesn’t just enhance content creation; it can help streamline workflows, making content easier to create, manage and share too. “One of the biggest challenges marketing teams face is the time spent re-sharing assets or tailoring materials for sellers,” Bacon explains. “Those hours can add up and take marketers away from more value-adding tasks.”
Showpad’s AI-powered content management and search functionality simplifies content sharing and boosts discoverability, ensuring marketing materials are found and used. “Content that’s easy to locate is used three times more often,” Bacon notes. “AI ensures that the effort put into content creation actually pays off.”
Additionally, improved content management can save marketing teams up to 400 hours per year. “That’s time that can be reinvested in strategy and creative work - the initiatives that truly move the needle,” Bacon adds.
Aligning art and science for measurable results
“The art of marketing lies in design and storytelling,” Bacon says. “But the science of AI ensures that message reaches the right customers at the right time.”
With Showpad’s AI-powered analytics and content management capabilities, marketing teams can create materials that sales teams actively use and buyers engage with.
“The future isn’t about producing more content - it’s about creating the right content that sellers can find when they need it,” Bacon concludes. “And when that happens, the wins follow.”
Learn more about how Showpad amplifies marketing creativity to drive real business impact.
Creating high-impact marketing content that sales teams actively use remains a persistent challenge.
“Marketing teams spend hours crafting thoughtful materials, only to see them sit untouched,” says Grace Bacon, VP of global marketing at Showpad, a leading sales enablement platform. “I know first-hand how frustrating that is, and unfortunately, it’s a problem many marketing teams face.”
As much as two-thirds of marketing content goes unused. The reasons vary: content may be difficult to locate, misaligned with sellers’ needs or lacks the necessary insights to make it genuinely relevant to customers.
