Content Libraries
Buyer-facing sales materials
Plan buyer-facing sales materials around purchase questions, support important claims and make each item's limits clear.
Buyer-facing sales materials help someone assess an offer. A useful set explains its scope, shows relevant differences between options, outlines the work needed to put it in place and provides evidence from a customer example where one is available. Each item should answer a purchase question without turning an assumption into a promise.
Plan the set around decisions
List the questions buyers need to resolve before choosing formats. “Understand the product” is too broad. “Can our team support the proposed implementation?” points to responsibilities, dependencies and matters still to be assessed.
Different readers may need different answers. A person assessing daily use may want a workflow explanation; a sponsor may need scope and open decisions; an implementation lead may need prerequisites. Give each item a clear purpose rather than putting every detail into one document.
| Buyer question | Possible material | Boundary to show |
|---|---|---|
| What is included? | Offer overview | Relevant exclusions and conditions. |
| How do the options differ? | Product comparison | Equivalent criteria and the evidence available for each option. |
| What happens after agreement? | Implementation overview | Standard steps versus work that needs buyer-specific assessment. |
| Has this worked elsewhere? | Customer story | What happened in that case and why its context matters. |
This is a menu of materials, not a required buying sequence. An implementation question may arise early, while a basic scope question may remain open near approval.
What the agreement may cover
Clear buyer-facing materials should explain the proposed scope and point out what remains to be agreed in the procurement contract.
Establish what each item can claim
For each important statement, identify the supporting record, the offer and circumstances it covers, and the person who can verify it. Product capability, delivery steps and commercial terms may need different reviewers. Where an answer depends on the buyer’s environment or has not been settled, state the required check.
The ACCC can require businesses to back up claims they make about their products or services. If a business misleads, the ACCC can investigate and may take compliance or enforcement action. The ACCC does not resolve individual disputes about misleading claims or provide legal advice.
A customer story shows what happened in one setting; it does not establish that another buyer will get the same result. An indicative delivery path should likewise remain distinct from an assessed and approved commitment.
All businesses are legally responsible for the content of promotional material they publish or otherwise make public. That material may include website content, brochures, print or electronic media advertising, client presentations, call centre scripting, direct mail and social media. The same considerations apply to regulated disclosure documents such as a financial services or credit guide and a product disclosure statement.
Only a court can determine the fine or penalty to be imposed in any court case. The ACCC can also issue an infringement notice for certain breaches, including false or misleading representations.
If an item refers to refunds, returns or guarantees, explain that Australian Consumer Law consumer guarantees apply to buyers who qualify as consumers under the ACL.
Whether a buyer qualifies as a consumer depends on the ACL criteria; do not assume every business purchase is covered.
Financial services claims
For financial products and services, Section 1041H of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and Section 12DA of the ASIC Act 2001 (Cth) prohibit misleading or deceptive conduct. The advertisement's total message, including headlines, images and fine print, must give an accurate overall impression to an ordinary, reasonable viewer.
Risks, fees and limitations must be presented with equal prominence to benefits. Words such as 'independent', 'impartial' or 'unbiased' may only be used if the licence holder satisfies Section 923A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
In the first half of 2019, approximately 23% of ASIC's enforcement outcomes in the financial sector related to dishonest conduct and misleading statements. ASIC compiles market intelligence from complaints, breach reports and other ASIC filings.
Make the set usable
Put each item’s answer near the start. Use the buyer’s terms for the task, define necessary product terms and identify what could change the answer. When material is shared, explain which question it addresses and what remains open. That helps a buyer route it to the right colleague without mistaking it for a complete technical or contractual assessment.
Review an item by asking someone unfamiliar with the draft to identify its main claim, its limitation and the decision it supports. If the wording suggests a broader promise than the evidence supports, revise it. Before sharing, confirm that the version and approval cover this offer and use. Revisit an item when the offer changes, supporting evidence changes or permission to use a customer example is withdrawn.
Standard wording and disclaimers
Pre-approved standard wording, layouts and a suite of disclaimers can reduce drafting effort and keep promotional material consistent. Record when each disclaimer is required and place it close to the claim or condition it qualifies, using clear wording for the intended reader.
In this guide
- Writing a useful product comparison without misleading claimsChoose buyer-relevant criteria, compare defined offers fairly and keep unknowns and qualifications visible.
- Creating an implementation overview for a buyerExplain implementation work, responsibilities, dependencies and acceptance without overstating an indicative plan.
- Building a customer story with verifiable evidenceBuild a customer story from approved facts, checked results and permission to share, while keeping context and limits visible.
- Matching a sales asset to the buyer's decision stageChoose an approved sales asset by the buyer's current decision, reader and evidence need, then check its timing and detail.
