If your sales team can’t find the content they need fast, they won’t use it—plain and simple. Maybe you’re switching tools, or maybe your current sales content setup is a mess of outdated PDFs and mystery folders. Either way, if you want your reps to actually use your collateral, you need a digital library that’s organized, uncluttered, and easy to maintain. That’s what this guide is about: setting up and running a sales content library in Showell that actually works for real people—no buzzwords, no fluff.
This is for admins, marketers, and sales ops who want less chaos and more actual selling.
Step 1: Audit What You’ve Got (and Ruthlessly Cut the Rest)
Before you even touch Showell, take a hard look at your current content. This is the part everyone wants to skip, but skipping it just moves the mess to a new place.
- Make a spreadsheet. List every piece of content you have—brochures, case studies, pitch decks, pricing sheets, all of it.
- Ask: “Do we actually use this?” If you can’t remember the last time a rep sent it, toss it in the “archive” pile. You can always come back.
- Ditch duplicates and old versions. If you’ve got “Final_v3” and “Final_v4,” pick one. The newer, the better.
- Be honest. If something is only there “just in case,” you’ll regret uploading it later.
Pro tip: Don’t get sentimental about content. If it’s not useful, it’s just noise.
Step 2: Sketch Out Your Library Structure
Showell is flexible, but that can be a double-edged sword. If you don’t define a folder structure, you’ll end up with a digital junk drawer.
- Think like a sales rep. What do they look for—by product, by industry, by sales stage?
- Keep it shallow. Two or three folder levels, max. No one wants to click through five layers to find a case study.
- Examples:
- Product Line > Region
- Industry > Persona
- Sales Stage (Intro, Demo, Proposal)
- Make a map. Sketch it out on paper or a whiteboard. If you can’t explain the structure in one sentence, it’s too complex.
What works: Fewer folders, clear names, and putting your “must-have” content at the top.
What doesn’t: Nested folders for every possible scenario. That just buries your best content.
Step 3: Set Up Folders and Permissions in Showell
Now it’s time to bring your plan into Showell. This part’s pretty straightforward, but a little planning goes a long way.
- Create your top-level folders first. Stick to your map.
- Set up subfolders only if you really need them. Don’t get folder-happy.
- Configure access. Showell lets you control who sees what. Give everyone access to core material, but restrict sensitive stuff (like pricing or internal playbooks) to the right groups.
- Use Groups for roles or regions. Don’t assign permissions by individual user unless you like headaches.
Pro tip: Review permissions quarterly. People change roles, and nothing’s more awkward than a new hire seeing the wrong pricing deck.
Step 4: Upload and Tag Your Content—But Don’t Overdo It
Uploading is easy. The hard part is making content findable later. Showell lets you tag files with keywords, but more isn’t always better.
- Drag and drop your cleaned-up content. Stick to your folder plan.
- Tag files with 2-4 obvious keywords. Product name, industry, use case. That’s it.
- Skip “creative” tags. If you’re the only one who’d search for it, don’t use it.
- Fill out descriptions—briefly. One or two lines help reps know what’s inside.
What works: Tags that match the words salespeople actually use.
What doesn’t: Tagging every file with 10+ keywords. It clutters search results and slows people down.
Step 5: Make It Easy to Find and Use Content
A library is only as good as its search and navigation. Showell’s search is decent, but it’s not magic.
- Double-check folder and file names. Use plain language (“Demo Deck Q2 2024” beats “Deck_v2_final”).
- Pin or highlight “must-have” content. Put top assets on the library front page or in a “Start Here” folder.
- Test search yourself. Can you find your top 10 pieces in under 30 seconds? If not, something’s off.
- Ask a couple of reps to try. If they get lost, fix it early.
Reality check: No system is 100% intuitive for everyone. But if most reps can’t find what they need, the structure needs work—not “more training.”
Step 6: Set Up Version Control (So Old Decks Don’t Haunt You)
Outdated content is the quickest way to kill trust with sales. Showell makes it easy to update files, but you’ve got to stay on top of it.
- Replace files, don’t just add new ones. Upload the new version over the old to avoid confusion.
- Use version notes. Add a quick line about what changed—“Updated pricing, June 2024.”
- Archive old content. Move out-of-date files to an archive folder with restricted access. Don’t delete unless you’re sure no one needs them.
Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder to review key assets quarterly. If it’s out of date, update or archive it.
Step 7: Train (Briefly) and Get Feedback
Don’t do a two-hour webinar. Most people don’t need it. A quick walk-through video or a 10-minute team call usually does the trick.
- Show the basics: Where to find stuff, how to search, and how to use the mobile app.
- Share a “cheat sheet.” One page with folder structure and top tips.
- Ask for feedback. Where do people get stuck? Anything missing?
- Tweak as needed. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s making things just a bit better each month.
What works: Short, focused training and a place for reps to ask questions.
What doesn’t: Assuming everyone will “figure it out” on their own.
Step 8: Maintain It—Without Making It a Full-Time Job
Content libraries either get better or they get messier—never stays the same. The trick is to set up habits that don’t take over your life.
- Quarterly cleanup. Delete or archive unused files, review permissions, and update must-have assets.
- Spot-check search. Make sure the top 10 searches lead to the right files.
- Ask the sales team what’s missing or outdated. They’ll tell you—if you ask.
Ignore: Fancy dashboards and endless analytics unless you actually use them. Focus on what makes the library more useful, not just what looks good in a report.
Keep It Simple—And Don’t Be Afraid to Change
The best sales content libraries are simple, easy to use, and regularly pruned. Don’t stress about getting it perfect up front. Start with the basics, see what works, and don’t be afraid to tweak things as you go. If your team can find what they need—fast—you’re already ahead of most.
Remember: Less clutter, more selling. That’s the whole point.