The sales team brings in new business which all companies need as customers/clients tend to come and go. New business helps stabilize cash flow and replace previous profit. A great sales team will not be able to reach their full potential if they are not given the tools they need to succeed. The sales team is impacted by a variety of departments and outside decisions that are made. Allowing the sales department to have a part in the decision making that directly impacts them can be integral to the success of the team. The following are ways that you can help give your sales team what they need to close as many deals as possible.
Sales Working Closely With Marketing
The sales team is going to have the best idea about what kind of leads are coming in. This can allow them to work closely with the marketing team if the current marketing strategy is bringing in leads that will not buy or those that cannot afford it. This does not mean that sales should run the marketing campaign though as they do not have the expertise in things like SEO as well as other metrics that indicate success for the company as a whole. For example, for an auto body repair shop targeting general phrases like “car leaking oil” could bring site visitors but not traffic that converts as the shop does not deal with mechanical problems.
Client Questionnaire
Client questionnaire are extremely important as they can tell you exactly what the pain points of the client are. These pain points being solved should be the focus of a client call after seeing a descriptive questionnaire is filled out. Salespeople with a targeted approach tend to have less time to make a mistake. Often times people being told about a product they are not interested in will tune out of the rest of the conversation. Bring up something that sparks their interest from the questionnaire and discuss this. Ask the prospect questions as there will simply be some people that want others to listen. Listening as a salesperson is as important as any pitch.
Competitive Prices
The best sales team ever assembled cannot close deals if the pricing of products or services simply are not competitive. For higher prices there has to be an added quality of the product or service. Around the clock support is a quality that many people desire but this cannot be done for things like marketing. IT on the other hand with 24 hour support could be imperative for an ecommerce company. They would be willing to pay more to keep their site up at all times as this directly impacts their sales numbers even if the site went down for an hour per day.
Smooth Sales Process
The sales process needs to continually be improved even when things are going well. Automation of as many tasks as possible like client follow up emails and client reminders can help close deals in a timely manner. Passing off a potential client between multiple people throughout the sales process is not wise. Contact with the salesperson as well as the client manager should be the maximum amount of people (not counting CEO or Founder”). This will help the lead develop a rapport which can lead to the sale being closed due to the relationship that has been formed.
The sales team being given all the opportunities to succeed will be a great investment. Simply asking the team what they need so they can close more deal is a perfect opportunity to allow them to have input on their daily workday. A great sales team can allow a company to flourish for years to come.
