Sellers 111% More Likely to Use Content Recommended by a High-Performing Peer, New Research Finds
Research by Allego and Emblaze found that sales reps are 111% more likely to use new product-focused content when it is presented by a high-performing peer using a demonstration, with additional increases seen when reps create a usage plan, highlighting the effectiveness of peer-led, interactive sales enablement strategies over traditional marketing-led content delivery.
Sales enablement platform provider Allego, in partnership with Emblaze, released new research on sales content engagement. The report, Getting Sellers Engaged, presents findings from a two-part behavioral study examining the most effective ways to encourage sellers to use product-focused content.
Key findings include:
- According to Forrester, up to 70% of sales content provided by marketing is never used, leading to wasted resources and inconsistent messaging.
- Sales reps who use content in their sales process outperform those who do not by over 50%, according to LinkedIn.
The study, led by Dr. Leff Bonney of Emblaze, observed over 300 novice and experienced sellers at two enterprise sales organizations. Sellers were divided into nine groups, each viewing a recorded video of either a sales manager, product marketer, or high-performing seller introducing new marketing collateral. Each presenter used the same script and content but employed one of three story methods.
Key data points from the research:
- Having a high-performing seller present new collateral increased the likelihood of use by 61% compared to a product specialist.
- Presenting new content with a case study or demonstration increased likelihood of use by about 30% over basic information alone.
- When a high-performing seller presented new collateral with a demonstration, likelihood of use increased by 111% over the least effective combination (product specialist with basic information).
- Asking reps to create a plan for using new collateral in their sales motions drove a 98% increase in likelihood of use over the control group (no learning activity).
Mark Magnacca, president and co-founder of Allego, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive sales content management platform that supports peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and field-generated content. Tim Riesterer, Chief Visionary at Emblaze, noted that the data provides a clear, evidence-based approach to increasing content usage among sellers.
For more information or to view the complete research report, visit Allego.com.
About Emblaze
Emblaze is an advisory firm and membership community focused on improving seller and buyer interactions for better commercial outcomes. They provide science-backed insights, expert guidance, and field-ready tools through research in behavioral studies, neuroscience, field trials, and machine learning & sales analytics. Learn more at https://b2bdecisionlabs.com/.
About Allego
Allego offers a sales enablement platform with patented technology to help sellers win buyers. Their products include sales enablement, learning, content management, and conversation intelligence, serving nearly 1 million users across major global enterprises. Learn more at Allego.com.