A. Lee Judge

Make Content Sales-Ready with the QUICK READY Check

Your business content has to make cents. That’s not a typo. Content can’t just be good to the Marketing team. It has be good to and for Sales. Marketing teams often review content like: “Is it good?” “Does it sound on-brand?” “Do we like the writing?” Sales adoption is a different test. A piece is either READY to support deals, or it is not. Here’s a simple way to check it before you publish or hand it to Sales. The READY Check (fast score, 0 to 8, plus a bonus) Score each item 0, 1, or 2. R: Relevant Tied to real buyer questions, objections, and decision points. • 0: Generic, could apply to anyone • 1: Some buyer alignment, still broad • 2: Mirrors a real question or objection you hear in deals Quick test: Can you finish this sentence? “This is for buyers who are asking, ‘_____’” ⸻ E: Easy to share Accessible and clear, Sales can use it without extra explanation. • 0: Multiple steps to access, too long, or too abstract • 1: Mostly clear, still needs a setup, or brought to Sales’ attention • 2: Sales is aware, knows where it is, and can drop it into an email or send it after a call with a few clicks Quick test: Could a rep send it with: “This content supports my last call,” and be done? ⸻ A: Answers buying-stage concerns Speaks to evaluation and decision-making, not surface-level awareness. • 0: Awareness content only • 1: Some evaluation support, not complete • 2: Built for evaluation, comparison, selection, or internal buy-in Quick test: Does it help a buyer choose, justify, or align stakeholders? ⸻ D: De-risks decisions Reduces uncertainty by clarifying tradeoffs, expectations, and outcomes. • 0: Makes claims, avoids specifics • 1: Some clarity, still leaves “what happens next” fuzzy • 2: Names tradeoffs and sets expectations (process, timing, roles, results) Quick test: After reading, does a buyer feel more certain about what will happen if they say yes? ⸻ Y (bonus): Yields momentum Moves the deal forward through a clearer next step or stronger confidence. • 0: Interesting, but stalls • 1: Suggests a next step, not tight • 2: Creates a natural move forward (decision, meeting, internal alignment, stakeholder share) Quick test: Does it lead to a next action that fits the stage of the deal? ⸻ How to use the score • 7–8 (plus bonus): hand it to Sales today • 5–6: revise, one pass • 0–4: keep it in Marketing, it is not deal support yet The key shift Stop asking, “Is this content good?” Ask, “Can Sales use this to reduce uncertainty and move the deal forward?”