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What is a digital sales room?
You may know these as content hubs, deal spaces or digital rooms. But at emlen, we like to call them ‘Collaborative Spaces’ because they do more than just store files—they create an interactive space where buyers and sellers can connect, engage, and move deals forward. You'll also see us talking about 'Destinations' which are curated collections of personalized content made especially for the prospect or customer.
Take a look at an emlen Destination made by one of our customers, Makersite:
Definition of a digital sales room
A digital sales room (DSR) is a secure, online hub where businesses like yours can share personalized content with their buyers, track engagement, and collaborate to close deals faster.
Digital sales rooms offer a secure, centralized platform for B2B buyer-seller collaboration, enabling efficient communication and document sharing throughout various stages of the sales process.
They emphasize the customizable features of digital sales rooms, such as document storage and version tracking, which enhance collaboration and streamline the sales experience.
Now you know what they are, you probably want to know who they're for. Let's talk about that.
Who should use a digital sales room?
It won’t be surprising to you if we say “everyone”. Sales organizations can benefit from using digital sales rooms to enhance their control over the sales process, improve content curation, and gain insights into stakeholder interests.
The reality is, B2B sales cycles drag on and your sellers lose momentum with the buyers. So, which of these scenarios describe you?
B2B companies with long sales cycles
Your salespeople didn’t sign up for marathons, but that’s exactly what happens when the sales cycle drags on. A DSR keeps your buyers on track, guiding them to the finish line without getting sidetracked.
By effectively managing the deal cycle, a DSR ensures that the shared materials remain current and relevant, enhancing engagement and facilitating smoother communication between buyers and sellers. Your goal? Make those decisions faster.
Sales teams looking to boost engagement
It’s hard to keep buyer attention these days.
A digital sales room provides a personalized, engaging space where your sales team can deliver the right content at the right moment—enhancing sales enablement efforts by centralizing information and streamlining the communication process, making buyers feel valued at every stage.
Companies wanting a centralized hub for content
You send emails back and forth and are constantly on the hunt for that attachment from two weeks ago. You might also be using multiple platforms that make both your sellers and buyers feel like they’re going through revolving doors.
The DSR provides a centralized location to store and share all digital content, eliminating the chaos of scattered documents and offering a cohesive platform for sales professionals. It keeps it simple: A no-nonsense space for all content that buyers can easily access.
Teams seeking better insight into buyer behavior
You don’t have to seek out the fortune teller at the fair to know what your buyers are doing. A digital sales room solution that offers robust analytics can tell you in real time which content resonates most with your buyers and provide insights into the interactions of the buying team.
Now you can act and adjust strategically instead of throwing random content at your prospects and buyers.
You know who needs it, but you aren't sure how to choose a top digital sales room software solution? Here are the five features we feel a digital sales room tool should have:
5 Must-have digital sales room features
A digital sales room isn’t and shouldn’t be that “random drawer of stuff” that every home has.
Sales assets are essential components that provide buyers access to critical information and resources, facilitating communication and streamlining the sales process. With the right digital sales room solution, it will be a tool that transforms how you sell, making everything simpler, smarter, and faster.
Here's what you and your sales teams should look for in a great digital sales room solution:
1. Content repository
Imagine never digging through emails for that one attachment again. With a DSR, all your presentations, case studies, and videos are stored in one easily searchable place.
Your sales reps can find the right content in seconds, keeping all sales materials up to date and ensuring that prospects always have access to the latest versions.
How you benefit:
- No more scrambling for the right content
- Your buyers get what they need when they need it
- Smoother conversations and faster decisions
2. Customization and branding
Think of it like inviting your buyer into a space that feels uniquely theirs. With the right digital sales room, you can add your logo, brand colors, and design the space to look and feel like an extension of your own website.
It’s not just about looking good—it’s about making sure your buyer feels at home.
How you benefit:
- Your buyers feel like the space was created just for them
- You build trust and credibility with a consistent, professional experience
- Engaged buyers are more likely to stick around and explore
3. Communication tools
Ever feel like you’re stuck in an endless loop of back-and-forth emails? Digital sales rooms cut through the noise. With built-in chat, commenting, and even video calls, you and your buyer can keep the conversation going in real time, right inside the platform. No more waiting for replies or losing momentum.
How you benefit:
- Keep everyone on the same page with real-time communication
- Get quick answers to keep deals moving
- Avoid the delays and back-and-forth that can stall progress
4. Engagement analytics
Wish you could see exactly what’s going on in your buyer’s head? Well, with engagement analytics, you kind of can.
You’ll know what content they’re looking at, how long they’re spending on each piece, and where they’re most engaged.
How you benefit:
- Know exactly what’s capturing your buyer’s attention
- Time your follow-ups perfectly with the insights you gain
- Stay ahead of the game by delivering the right content at the right time
5. Integrations
A digital sales room should feel like part of your existing sales toolkit, not another thing to manage. That’s why it’s key to have seamless integrations with your CRM, marketing automation, and other tools.
When everything works together, your sales process is smoother, and your team has a full view of the buyer’s journey.
How you benefit:
- No need to juggle multiple platforms—everything is connected
- All your data in one place means less hassle and more clarity
- Personalize outreach based on real-time data for a better buyer experience
✅ Don't forget! You also should look for a solution that offers you and your customers security so be sure to check.
So, let's recap. You now know:
- What a digital sales room is
- Who it's for
- Features they should have
But how does that all fit into your buyer's journey?
How digital sales rooms fit into the buyer's journey
Although they’re great tools, they aren’t a magic hat ready to deliver customers at your doorstep. You need to think about the buyer journey your prospects and buyers are on and use a DSR solution to guide them every step of the way.
Digital sales rooms support the buyer journey by providing a curated space for buyers to access information at their own pace, ultimately enhancing the buyer experience.
Here’s how:
Top of the funnel: Attract and educate
At the beginning of their journey, your potential customers are doing their homework. They want insights, not a hard sell. Digital sales rooms shine as hubs for educational content! At this stage, fill your DSR with:
- Blogs
- Whitepapers
- Infographics
These can cover their biggest pain points without overwhelming them.
💡emlen's Pro Tip:
Don’t flood your DSR with content. Instead, carefully curate based on your buyer personas, ensuring each visitor finds exactly what they need without feeling overloaded.
Middle of the funnel: Engage and nurture
Your buyers have the basics and are now weighing their options. Use this chance by standing out with a tailored experience–your digital sales room is now your showcase for:
- Case studies
- Product demos
- Personalized comparisons to answer specific questions
💡emlen's Pro Tip
Real-time engagement data is gold–don't just track, act! Are they spending time on a particular product feature? Consider scheduling a quick call to chat about it or offer a deeper dive.
Data will allow you to adjust your content paths and offer custom follow-ups that give the buyer what they need before they even have to ask.
Bottom of the funnel: Drive decisions
You’ve given your potential customer the information, a deeper look at what your solution offers, and now they’re ready to make their choice. Your job now is to remove any last-minute obstacles to prevent objections at the finish line.
With a digital sales room, you can ensure a smooth sales process by centralizing everything they need–from pricing to contracts–in one place. Don’t make them chase files or play email tag. Be ready to respond to any questions to keep the momentum going.
💡emlen's Pro Tip
Don't wait for your prospects to reach out. Use the chat feature to offer timely support or invite them to a 1:1 when they're actively engaging with key content.
You'll be stepping in at the perfect moment to address questions or concerns so they feel confident to move forward with a decision.
Post-Sale: Retain and upsell
A signature doesn't mean the journey is over. Your digital sales room will help you continue to provide value by:
- Offering product updates
- Sharing exclusive content or offers
- Introducing new features with training
The goal is to keep the conversation going to find opportunities.
💡emlen's Pro Tip:
Now your DSR is a customer success engine. Keep it active to gather feedback, community discussions, or even co-create content with your customers.
This is one of the reasons we call DSRs Collaborative Spaces.
The ongoing collaboration builds loyalty and uncovers organic upsell opportunities when your customers share new needs or challenges.
Enough theory. It's time for you to see all of it for yourself. Now it's time for us to showcase our customers and how
Digital sales rooms in action
You have the basics down, now it's time to take a look at how businesses like yours use a digital sales room solution like emlen.
Paydentity
Paydentity is a leading identity verification platform for financial services and fintech. They specialize in providing secure, real-time identity verification solutions that help companies comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.
See Paydentity's digital sales room in action:
Adacor
Adacor is a cloud service provider that focuses on managed cloud solutions and IT services. They work with enterprises across industries to deliver secure, scalable, and high-performance cloud infrastructures tailored to their unique needs.
Read Adacor's success story with emlen and check out their digital sales room example:
Aucotec AG
Aucotec AG is a software solutions company serving the engineering and industrial sectors. They offer advanced software tools for the design and documentation of complex machinery, plants, and electrical systems, helping streamline engineering processes.
Check out Aucotec AG's success story with emlen and take a look at how they set up their digital sales room:
Over to you: Explore digital sales rooms
You've learned the basics of digital sales rooms, and seen how companies like yours use them to create collaborative spaces for them and their customers. Now, it's time for you to dive deeper to explore what else they have to offer. Here are some suggestions for further reading:
- Not convinced DSRs are right for your business? Learn why every B2B company needs digital sales room software.
- While we'd love for you to choose emlen, here is an overview of the top 16 digital sales room software to choose from in 2024
We know you want a peek behind the curtain so we also have an interactive product tour so you can see exactly what emlen does.
We want you to have the best start possible into the world of digital sales rooms, so if you have any questions just reach out!
