Most buyers these days have the attention span of a goldfish—and who can blame them? Everybody’s inbox is full, and the last thing anyone wants is another generic sales pitch. If you’re in B2B sales or enablement and you need to make sure your teams stand out, you’ve probably heard about Showpad. But, let’s be real: just dumping a bunch of “content” in front of buyers isn’t going to cut it.
This guide is for anyone who wants to use Showpad Experiences to actually create personalized buyer journeys—not just check a box for “personalization.” We’ll walk through real steps to tailor content, avoid the common traps, and (maybe most importantly) not waste your own time.
Step 1: Start With a Real Buyer—Not an Ideal Persona
Before you even log into Showpad, get clear about who you’re personalizing for. Not just “IT decision makers”—think “Jane from Acme Corp, who hates vendor jargon and cares about integrations.” If you don’t know specifics, ask your reps or, better yet, talk to a customer.
What works: - Having a shortlist of buyer types, each with a couple of actual names attached. - Knowing what they care about (and what makes them delete emails).
What doesn’t: - Making a “personalized” experience for an imaginary buyer. You’ll just end up with content nobody cares about.
Pro tip: If you have a few big deals in play, focus on them first. Don’t try to boil the ocean.
Step 2: Map Out the Content That Matters
Showpad is stuffed with ways to organize content—folders, tags, Experiences, Collections. None of that matters if you’re just uploading a PDF graveyard. The point is to serve up what buyers actually want to see.
How to do this: - Audit what you already have. Ruthlessly cut anything out-of-date or irrelevant. - For each buyer type or deal, jot down the three things they always ask for. - Build a rough outline—think, “Welcome,” “How we solve X,” “Pricing,” “Proof,” etc.
What works: - Less is more. If it takes more than 5 minutes for a buyer to find what they need, you’ve lost them. - Short videos, case studies, and clear one-pagers.
What to ignore: - Loading up every piece of collateral “just in case.” It’s lazy and it backfires.
Step 3: Build Your Showpad Experience (the Right Way)
Now, let’s get into Showpad itself. Experiences in Showpad are customizable microsites or portals you can build for each buyer—or at least each scenario.
Key choices: - Experience Type: “Advanced Experiences” (like the Page Builder) give you more flexibility. “Classic Experiences” are simpler, but more limited. Unless your org has strict branding rules, try Advanced. - Navigation: Keep it dead simple. No dropdown mazes or 12-section menus.
Steps: 1. Create a new Experience. Give it a name that makes sense to you and your team. 2. Pick a template if you’re new—Showpad has a few decent ones. Don’t get stuck customizing fonts for hours. 3. Drag in only the essentials from your earlier outline. 4. Add buyer-specific touches: A welcome message (“Hi Jane, here’s what we talked about”), the company logo, or a custom intro video. 5. Test it as if you’re the buyer. If you get lost or bored, so will they.
What works: - Using the “Collections” feature to group content for each deal. - Embedding short, personal videos. Loom or Vidyard work fine—don’t overthink production value.
What doesn’t: - Over-designing. Fancy doesn’t mean effective. - Relying on default Showpad navigation—customize the flow if you want buyers to actually see key content.
Step 4: Personalize Without Going Overboard
You want buyers to feel like this was built for them—but you’re not writing them a love letter.
Good personalization: - A short intro addressing their company or challenge. - Swapping out case studies or references to match their industry. - Sharing only the pricing/options relevant to them.
Bad personalization: - Overusing their name (“Hi Bob! Bob, here’s why Bob should care…”). - Including obvious placeholders or forgetting to update template text.
Pro tip: Save yourself time by making reusable base Experiences for common scenarios (e.g., “Enterprise IT,” “Midmarket SaaS”) and then tweaking for each buyer.
Step 5: Share and Track (But Don’t Spam)
Showpad lets you send Experiences in a couple of ways—usually a secure link via email. You can also invite buyers to collaborate or comment, but don’t expect them to suddenly start using your portal like social media. Most won’t.
How to share: - Send a short, human note—not just “Here’s your portal.” - Highlight why it’s worth their time: “I pulled together the ROI case studies we discussed.”
Tracking: - Showpad gives you basic analytics—opens, clicks, time spent. Use this to follow up intelligently (“Saw you checked out the X solution—any questions?”). - Don’t obsess over every click. Some buyers just forward stuff around.
What works: - Following up based on actual engagement, not just on your sales cadence. - Updating the Experience if new questions come up—then letting them know.
What to ignore: - Forcing buyers to log in or create an account unless your content is truly sensitive. Friction kills deals.
Step 6: Iterate, Don’t Automate Everything
Tempting as it is, resist the urge to automate personalization. Templates are fine; “AI-powered” content swaps usually aren’t as smart as they sound.
How to keep improving: - After a deal (win or lose), ask the rep what worked, what got ignored, and what would’ve helped. - Regularly prune your Experiences and content. Outdated info is worse than no info. - Keep a feedback loop with your sales team—are buyers actually using these Experiences, or are they still just asking for attachments?
What works: - Treating Experiences as living documents. - Making small tweaks after real feedback.
What doesn’t: - Setting and forgetting. Sales cycles change, and so do buyer priorities.
Rapid-Fire FAQs
Q: Do buyers actually use these portals?
A: Some do, especially if you keep it simple and relevant. If not, ask them why—not everyone wants another login.
Q: Is it worth making a separate Experience for every deal?
A: Only for big, high-touch deals. For the rest, use templates and tailor lightly.
Q: Will this replace my sales emails or calls?
A: No. It’s a supplement, not a magic bullet. Personal conversations still matter.
Keep It Simple—And Keep Learning
Personalization isn’t about cramming in every buzzword or feature. It’s about making your buyer’s life easier, showing you listened, and giving them what they need—nothing more, nothing less. Start small, keep it relevant, and don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “done.” Iterate as you learn what works for your buyers. That’s how you’ll stand out—without wasting anyone’s time (including your own).