A reliable sales process helps create successful and consistent sales in any business.
What makes a great salesperson? Is it a suave voice? An ability to read people? A deep understanding and passion for a product? All or none of the above? Implementing a reliable sales process helps create successful and consistent sales in any business.
The salespeople are vital to the overall endeavor, of course, but as you move forward and build a salesforce, you will likely see that most successful salespeople use a system that works for them.
So, instead of having salespeople come and go, rather consider creating a successful sales process.
Here are eleven steps you can take to build a successful sales process:
- Decide on your sales funnel.
The first step is to determine how you will get your prospects and understand your team’s step-by-step actions to guide a prospect to an eventual close.
- Determine your CRM.
CRMs are good to manage how one documents prospects, their contact information, where they are in the sales process, questions etc.
- Set up follow-up systems.
Once a prospect comes through, key to success in sales is how do we stay in touch? Do you give them a call, shoot them an email, add them to the newsletter list, follow up after they’ve used a free resource?
- Establish a connection with the prospect.
Part of the follow-up system should include establishing a connection with the prospect. That includes getting in one-on-one time and having real conversations with them.
- Qualify the prospect.
It is vital that you understand if your prospect qualifies for the services or products you provide. Perhaps they can only afford a loss leader but plan to afford your entire package one day. Maybe they need your product or service immediately to take the next step on their journey. Determine how you will find out this information.
- Discover what the prospect needs.
This step is part of the qualifying process, but it is more than “can they afford the product/service?” In this step, you dive deep into the prospect’s needs and if they are something you can provide in your business. If you cannot give them what they need and want – can you provide a quality referral? That may turn them into a referrer themselves.
- Find out if the prospect can or should close right away – or if they will need some time.
During the qualifying process, it’s vital to understand if the prospect can or should close immediately – or if they need more time in the sales funnel. It’s essential to have options for both contingencies, including a system for how you will stay in touch with those who need more time – and connect when they are ready.
- Once the sale is closed, ensure there is a process for passing the client to the correct person in the right department.
Once a sale is closed, there must be a process for passing the client to another person and helping them to build rapport with that person. This is an area where some salespeople drop the ball and end up becoming that client’s go-to resource for everything from customer service complaints to questions about the product or service. Keeping the client happy and in touch with both the salesperson and the new team member can help with future up sales, but the salesperson should not be the only individual at the company who has taken the time to build rapport with the client.