Product Information Management (PIM) is often seen as a tool for marketers and e-commerce teams. But in B2B manufacturing, PIM can directly improve how sales teams work—accelerating deal cycles, improving data accuracy, and enabling real-time responses to customer questions.
In this article, Mikko Mantila, CEO of IONA, and Morten Næss, Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Bluestone PIM, break down five real-world ways PIM empowers sales teams to sell smarter and faster.
1. One Source of Truth That Drives B2B Sales
If your sales teams in B2B manufacturing sector are working across regions and pulling data from different tools, you’ve got a problem. Outdated specs, missing details, inconsistent variant info - it all adds up to slower sales and frustrated customers.
With a centralised PIM platform manufacturers can:
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Feed real-time product data into CRMs, sales portals, or custom apps
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Ensure consistency across regions and sales channels
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Reduce the time spent verifying specs or tracking down stock info
The better equipped your salespeople are with real-time product information, the better they sell. It’s that simple.
Case Study: How This Manufacturer Scaled Fast with PIM
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Scaling Wood Products, Smarter
Bergene Holm turned to Bluestone PIM to simplify product data management and boost digital performance. Now, their team works smarter — with automated updates, better collaboration, and centralised sustainability data.
2. Answer Customer Questions on the Spot
Imagine a customer asking about a discontinued product variant or updated model. Without a central source of truth, your sales rep might need to make a few calls—or worse, guess.
With the right setup, salespeople can drill down into product data - versions, configurations, stock status - and give an accurate answer straight away. No need to phone a colleague or dig through spreadsheets.
And tools like Bluestone PIM’s Content Store can bring all of this to the shop floor or showroom, searchable and filterable just like an online store - with spec sheets ready to download.
Instead of emailing someone to check the ERP, imagine answering the customer’s question right there and then.
3. Ditch the PDFs and Shared Drives
If you’re still using PDFs, shared drives, and Excel to manage product info, you're probably already feeling the pain. It works… until it doesn’t.
Switching to a PIM solution provides:
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Structured, unified product data
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Easy versioning and bulk updates
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Role-based access across departments
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Better integration with other business systems
4. Supporting the Sales Process - Not Just the Channels
PIM isn’t only for online product listings. In B2B manufacturing, the real complexity lies in the sales and supplier relationships.
Here’s how companies are adapting:
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Using PIM to manage supplier specs alongside internal SKUs
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Supporting distributor and partner portals with up-to-date product info
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Customising content delivery to fit regional sales needs
The flexibility of a composable PIM system allows your business to shape workflows around how your teams actually work — not just around digital channels.
5. How PIM Integrates with Mobile Tools and CRM for Field Sales
Sales reps in the field need product data too - whether they’re in the showroom, visiting clients, or literally flying out to inspect a ship (yes, that’s a real use case).
With tools like mobile-adapted Content Stores or CRM integrations, product data becomes easy to access wherever you are. No more calling the office or guessing what’s in stock.
And yes, some manufacturers are already doing this — using PIM-backed websites as live product catalogues, even during on-site inspections.
Final Thought: Give Sales the Tools They Need
Sales teams shouldn’t have to piece together product data from PDFs and spreadsheets. With a Product Information Management system, they can respond faster, sell smarter, and focus on what they do best - building relationships and closing deals.
If your sales reps are spending more time searching for product info than selling, you’re not alone — and it doesn’t have to be that way.
Let’s talk about how Bluestone PIM can give your team the tools they need to focus on what they do best. Book a free demo or speak with one of our experts today.
