B2B retailers know that producing product literature could be a number of work. Examples embrace specification sheets and security knowledge sheets. Each take time to create and preserve present. They will add to a service provider’s already busy workload.

The info for the literature comes from totally different locations. A few of it comes from advertising and marketing personnel, some from product administration, and a few from accounting and stock programs.

Regardless, retailers want a system to make sure the newest sheets are on their web sites and in any other case obtainable for gross sales personnel — presumably in a number of languages. The sheets help patrons and tackle always-changing laws and necessities from, say, the U.S. Division of Transportation and the U.S. Occupational Security and Well being Administration, amongst different companies.

Furthermore, exterior events, corresponding to distributors and print publications, rely upon the information, as do third-party companies that retailer the sheets and supply 24/7 entry to fulfill regulatory necessities.

It’s a lot to maintain observe of.

On this submit, I’ll tackle the right way to streamline the method.

Streamlining Information Sheets

Begin by reflecting in your present processes. How do you produce knowledge sheets and who’s concerned? The method may very well be handbook. Maybe your advertising and marketing crew develops the product literature and places it on a shared drive for your complete firm to entry. From there the literature is uploaded to your web site.

Some corporations have developed a proprietary database for his or her product literature, which they combine with their web site to streamline.

Others use a product info administration software program — corresponding to inRiver (my firm sells), Riversand, Informatica — which is a central repository of product knowledge that feeds to numerous distribution channels and areas. It may make the method of sustaining literature rather more environment friendly. PIM software program may cut back the time required to record new merchandise in your web site.

In the event you decide not to make use of PIM software program, nevertheless, think about these three ideas to enhance effectivity.

  • Streamline the upkeep course of. Can one file apply to a number of product pages? If that’s the case, you possibly can add, say, a spec sheet as soon as after which examine a field for all of the merchandise it applies to. There is only one place to replace the file, as a substitute of getting to go to every product web page.
  • Think about a separate database. In the event you don’t have a proprietary database of your product literature, it could be worthwhile to create one. This might allow you to create a central supply of data to combine with a number of web sites or exterior companies.
  • Eradicate handbook redundancies. In the event you persist with a handbook course of, there are methods to make that extra environment friendly. Write down all the steps in your course of and search for alternatives to remove redundancies. Assessment the method with the personnel and brainstorm on the right way to make it extra environment friendly.

Additionally, take into consideration the right way to present the very best expertise in your patrons. Product literature will construct belief and assist convert patrons into long-term prospects. The data solutions patrons’ questions, which inspires them to order from you. And so they want the information to fulfill their required regulatory security requirements.

Examples

Listed below are some examples of how corporations present product knowledge sheets on their web sites.

Staples.com hyperlinks to its security knowledge sheets on the backside of product descriptions, corresponding to Loctite Tremendous Glue Gel Management, under.

Notice the blue “Security Information Sheet” hyperlink on the backside of this product description.

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Staples.com additionally gives a web page to seek for an merchandise and the outcomes embrace a hyperlink to a cloth security knowledge sheet for merchandise that match the search time period. This may be useful if the customer is in search of a number of knowledge sheets.

Staples gives a web page the place you possibly can seek for the merchandise and it gives “Materials Security Information Sheet” lists for merchandise that match the search time period.

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Flinn Scientific is a supplier of science supplies for educators. The corporate’s web site features a button on the product pages to view the protection knowledge sheet — SDS.

Flinn Scientific has a purple button on the decrease proper on every product web page — “View SDS” — to view its security knowledge sheet.

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Then, when customers click on on that button, they land on a web page to obtain the PDF or to put it aside to their library.

Customers at Flinn Scientific’s web site can obtain the protection knowledge sheet PDF or put it aside to their library, as proven on the decrease proper.

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Carolina Organic Provide Firm, one other supplier of science supplies for educators, gives a cloth security knowledge sheet — MSDS — on a “Sources” tab on the highest of every product info web page.

Carolina Organic Provide Firm gives a cloth security knowledge sheet — MSDS — on a “Sources” tab on the highest of every product web page.

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Additionally, in its fundamental “Sources” part, accessible from the house web page, Carolina Organic Provide contains all of its security knowledge sheets.

In its fundamental “Sources” part, Carolina Organic Provide features a web page of all of its security knowledge sheets.

Effectivity and Service

Enterprise house owners try to enhance operational effectivity and supply higher service to their prospects. Utilizing expertise to take care of product literature and make it extra accessible to patrons can accomplish each wants.