If your team’s product collateral is a mess—scattered slide decks, outdated PDFs, and folders that make no sense—you’re not alone. Sales and marketing folks waste way too much time hunting for the “right” version of a case study or one-pager. If you're using Buyerdeck, you’ve got a shot at fixing this. But Buyerdeck won’t magically organize your stuff for you. This guide is for anyone who’s tired of the chaos and wants a concrete, no-nonsense way to get their collateral in order for easy access.
1. Get Real About What You’ve Got
Before you touch Buyerdeck, take a hard look at your existing collateral. Most teams have a lot more junk than they realize.
- Do a quick audit. List out what you have—presentations, data sheets, pricing guides, videos, you name it.
- Be ruthless. If it’s outdated or nobody uses it, archive or delete it. Old collateral clutters up search and confuses everyone.
- Prioritize. What do reps and buyers actually use? Focus on high-value, frequently used assets.
Pro tip: Ask sales reps which docs they actually send to buyers. Ignore the rest for now.
2. Pick a Structure and Stick to It
Buyerdeck is flexible, but that’s a double-edged sword. If everyone organizes things their own way, you end up with a digital junk drawer.
- Go broad, not deep. Don’t bury files in endless subfolders. Two or three levels max: e.g., “Product Line” > “Persona” > “Asset Type.”
- Standardize naming. Use simple, consistent names: “2024_Product_Overview.pdf” beats “FinalFinalProductDeckv3.pptx” every time.
- Avoid fancy categories. Don’t overthink it. Stick to basics like Product, Use Case, Persona, Stage, or Region.
What doesn’t work? Custom categories that only make sense to one person. If you have to explain your folder structure, it’s too complicated.
3. Set Up Buyerdeck for Fast Access
Now you’re ready to load your assets into Buyerdeck. Here’s how to make the most of its features:
a. Use Collections (But Don’t Go Overboard)
Collections are your main organizing tool in Buyerdeck. Treat them like playlists for collateral.
- Create collections for real needs. Examples: “Enterprise Demos,” “Healthcare Case Studies,” “Q2 Product Launch.”
- Limit the number. If you need a spreadsheet to remember your collections, you have too many.
- Update regularly. If a collection’s stale, kill it. No sacred cows.
b. Tag Smartly
Tags help users filter and search. But tags can quickly spiral out of control.
- Choose a small, shared list of tags. Don’t let everyone invent their own.
- Tag by buyer needs, not internal jargon. Good: “Security,” “Implementation,” “ROI.” Bad: “Tiger Team,” “Sprint Docs.”
- No tag soup. Three to five tags per asset is plenty.
c. Make the Most of Search
Buyerdeck’s search is only as good as your naming and tagging.
- Front-load key info. Put the most important words at the start of file names and descriptions.
- Write short, clear descriptions. One line is enough: “Customer story: Retail SaaS, 150% ROI in 6 months.”
Pro tip: Test search like a salesperson would. If you can’t find something in three tries, you need to tweak your names or tags.
4. Control Who Can Edit (and Who Can’t)
Nothing trashes a clean library faster than “helpful” edits from too many hands.
- Limit editing rights. Only a few trusted folks should add, edit, or delete collateral.
- Everyone else gets view/download rights. This keeps rogue uploads and accidental deletions in check.
- Set a review schedule. Once a quarter, check for outdated assets and duplicates.
What to ignore: Don’t stress about perfect permissions from day one. Start simple, tighten up as you go.
5. Make It Dead Simple for Others to Find What They Need
It’s not just about you—your whole team (and maybe your buyers) need to find things fast.
- Pin or highlight “must-have” assets. Think: pricing sheets, the latest overview deck, or a killer case study.
- Share clear links to collections. Don’t send people on a scavenger hunt. Direct links save time.
- Create a quick “How to Use” guide. A one-pager with screenshots beats a 40-minute training video.
Pro tip: Ask a new hire to find a few key assets. If they get stuck, your setup isn’t as easy as you think.
6. Keep it Tidy: Maintenance Without the Hassle
Even the best system decays if ignored. Luckily, you don’t need a full-time librarian.
- Quarterly cleanup. Block an hour every few months to review what’s old or unused.
- Delete or archive with zero guilt. If nobody’s touched it in a year, it’s probably safe to go.
- Watch for duplicates. They sneak in—merge them or pick the best version.
- Ask for feedback. A quick survey can surface broken links or missing docs.
What doesn’t work: “We’ll fix it later.” That’s how you end up back at square one.
7. Don’t Overcomplicate—But Don’t Set and Forget
Buyerdeck is a tool, not a magic bullet. The best systems are simple enough that people actually use them, but flexible enough to grow as your needs change.
- Iterate. If your first setup is too clunky, change it. Nobody gets it perfect the first time.
- Document changes. A simple changelog can help avoid confusion: “Moved X to Y; deleted Z.”
- Stay skeptical of “best practices.” If something doesn’t work for your team, skip it.
Wrapping Up
Organizing product collateral isn’t glamorous, but it pays off every time a deal moves faster because someone found the right doc without a headache. Start with what you have. Keep your structure simple. Clean up often, but don’t obsess. And remember: it’s better to be clear and boring than clever and confusing. When in doubt, ask yourself—could a stranger find this in under a minute? If not, tweak until they can. That’s really all there is to it.