All business success, for any company, from a local repair shop to a multi-national, is based on sales. No matter how great your product is and how many millions you spent on development or marketing, your primary goal must be to increase your revenue.
In general, sales process relies upon the set of steps and actions that sales team performs to close more deals. Each business has its own unique way to offer and sell its products. This should be based on the customer needs, the market, and most importantly, on the business objectives.
Your sales process doesn’t need to be complicated, and I’m going to review with you the 7 reasons why you need a sales process. By the end of this post, you will be able to review your own process, or even create on that works for your business.
7 reasons you need a sales process
1. Get rid of waste.
As you move through the sales cycle with your prospect, identify any triggers that cause them to move from one stage to the next. This makes it easy for you to define the right actions that work for you. Your job is to be the guide during the buying cycle with your prospect. Create qualification stages that identify if the prospect is a fit, and if your business can solve for the customer.
2. Stay focused.
Developing the understanding of the roadmap in the sales cycle ensures you don’t drop the ball, or miss a step. Moving the prospect through the cycle in the prescribed steps helps keep you on track, knowing when to move forward, or correct your action. Think of each stage as an opportunity to learn more about your prospects pains or challenges, and build that relationship.
3. Step into your customer’s shoes.
Learn to read your client, and their needs. Your objective to obtain a sale (our need) is not always what the client is looking for (their need). It is important that we meet their needs and expectations. After all, they are the buyer, always start by solving for the customer first and making the sale after. If you’ve provided value through the journey, the sale will come naturally.
4. Find the cause of stalled sales.
Often as sales people, we have no idea why the sale stalled, or ended. By working through the process in the right order with a prescribed timeline, it identifies what actions work and don’t work. As you perform the process over again, it becomes clear how, and what actions is the right combination.
5. Get more qualified leads.
By working a defined process, it helps to identify the more qualified client and filter out the non-contenders. This will shorten your sales cycle, and more targeted enabling you to maximum your efforts with more qualified leads. Spending the time to qualify your leads, will greatly increase the life-time value of your prospect. You can spend less time, while earning more, with a qualified lead.
6. Never miss a follow-up.
Follow up and follow through, is key to keeping the desire to buy alive. The fastest way to lose a sale is to forget to do what you have promised to do. Don’t return the email, return the call, follow up with the answer to the question, book the next appointment, etc. will result in send the client into the arms of the next sales person.
7. Offer the best customer experience.
Ensure that the prospect is the number one focus of the sale. This is about their needs, and if you keep your focus there, it will be easier to demonstrate value and build trust. Staying focused on the client experience within the sales cycle will help the client make the decision at the right time.
Tailor your sales process to reflect how your prospects move through the buying process
By tailoring your sales process you are making sure each step is designed to generate trust and offer value. Sales teams can lay the foundation for a positive customer experience before the deal is even closed.
If you’re team can use a better or more defined sales process, book a no obligation assessment with of our experienced sales coaches.
What does your sales process look like? Sound off in the comments below, and let us know!
