Boosting Your Bottom Line & Developing a Standout Sales Process

If you are a sales professional, high chances are you have done all the traditional methods of sales by now - cold calling, cold emails, and direct outreach via email list handed over to you. Reaching out to your potential clients via platforms like LinkedIn is the newest addition to it! Sales professionals are seen as the architects of relationships, responsible for bridging the gap between their offerings and the unique needs of potential clients.

I interacted with Upnit Banga a week back, who has sales experience of 10+ years working in different domains. The conversation was a bit unconventional as it didn't talk about 'What a Sales Person Does' but, 'How a Sales Process Stand-out!'

His idea of a successful sales journey is to reach out to potential clients by understanding the terrain. Sales professionals must take time to conduct thorough market research, identifying target industries, companies, and decision-makers. By doing so, they can develop a laser-focused approach to their outreach, ensuring that their efforts are not wasted on uninterested or incompatible parties.

The major loophole in the process, as of today, is sales professionals using platforms like LinkedIn to reach out to potential clients with a generic outreach message and an immediate pitch about the benefits of their product, without understanding the client's requirements.

The result? It yields zero to limited results! Sales professionals neglect to understand the client's specific needs and whether their product aligns with those needs. This critical step of 'understanding' is frequently overlooked, leading to diminished success in sales.

To fix this 'Critical Step,' 'Research' is the key!

To excel in the highly competitive world of sales, professionals often gravitate toward a fast-paced and results-driven approach. They are, in many ways, akin to hunters, equipped with speed and precision as their tools of the trade. However, this inclination for rapid action can sometimes overshadow a critical aspect of sales—research.

Research is often sidelined in the sales process because it's perceived as time-consuming, and sales professionals are under pressure to meet targets. Nevertheless, just as a hunter needs to understand the lay of the land for a successful hunt, knowledge about the market and the potential clients is pivotal for sales success. That's where Sales professionals can take a page from the playbook of marketing experts. There are several valuable strategies used by marketers that can significantly enhance the success of sales:

• Know Your Audience: This is not merely a marketing mantra; it's a fundamental aspect of sales success. Marketers meticulously study the market, identify companies where their product would be a good fit, examine the use cases where their product can provide a solution, and even delve into the persona of the ideal buyer they are targeting. They use SEO tools to identify keywords and phrases that their target audience is searching for. This creates detailed buyer personas that outline the demographics, preferences, pain points, and online behavior of their ideal customers. They are usually the heroes working behind the scenes and have a good hold on analytical tools and promotional strategies.
• Product Fit: Marketers don't just sell a product; they market a solution to a problem through extensive outreach. Marketers choose content formats that resonate with their audience, whether it's blog posts, videos, infographics, or podcasts. They are well-versed in the art of demonstrating how their product can seamlessly fit into the customer's existing infrastructure to address specific challenges. Salespeople can collaborate with Marketers for content creation- an effective way to align marketing and sales efforts. They can further utilize these resources to share with potential clients and educate them about the product's benefits and how it addresses their needs.
• Carpet Bombing and Sniper Fire: Marketers use a dual approach to target clients. On one hand, they engage in widespread outreach, such as general LinkedIn posts and informational content to create awareness. Simultaneously, they engage in what's known as "sniper fire," which means targeting specific decision-makers within specific companies through personalized, person-based marketing efforts. They design target audience-specific campaigns for social media, and segment Email lists based on various criteria, including demographic information, past interactions, and behavior. Content and subject lines are customized for each segment to increase relevance and engagement. As they engage in widespread outreach and capture leads, a salesperson can implement lead-nurturing strategies. Maintain engagement and gradually move them down the sales funnel.

Marketers leverage various tactics and channels to ensure that their efforts align with the needs, preferences, and behaviors of their target audience, resulting in more effective campaigns and better engagement.

Incorporating these principles from marketing into your sales strategy can help transform your approach from a scattergun tactic to a more focused and effective strategy that prioritizes understanding the customer's unique needs and presenting the product/service as the ideal solution. This shift not only increases the likelihood of making a sale but also enhances the overall client experience, fostering long-term relationships and driving the company toward greater success.

Inspired to align your marketing and sales teams for unparalleled business success? Reach out to Upnit Banga for your sales needs, and let him guide your organization toward a future of seamless collaboration, growth, and achievement