How to Succeed in the Sales Cycle: Strategies and Tactics for Elevating Your Results

“Vision without executing is daydreaming.”

~Bill Gates

Let's shift our focus from your business processes to thinking about how you will attract customers. No matter how top-notch your operations are, they’re irrelevant if you don't have a dependable sales process generating revenue.

When you're making an effort to close your very first deal, don't forget that it will take more than a single cold call. But, as with most things in life, developing a consistent habit breeds success. Salesforce suggests it usually takes six to eight interactions to close a deal, so build this expectation into your own plan of action.

Quick tip: Improve your sales call skills by practising with someone who can give you honest feedback. The more mistakes you make, the more you'll improve at this pivotal stage in your business.

Developing Your Sales Funnel

To generate sales, staffing agencies need a sales funnel that creates job orders - which comes from discussing needs with prospects who are ready to hire. For the best results, look to create two funnels: one for clients actively looking to hire new employees and one for clients who have not advertised their open roles but who you have reason to believe are recruiting.?

It’s Time to Create Your Top 50 Client List

Any sales expert will tell you that knowing your target client is key to a successful strategy. First, you should have a list of companies you would love to work with. Knowing exactly who you want to sell to will make it easier for you to create an avatar of your ideal customer.

I want you to give this step the time and attention it deserves. As discussed previously, it is critical to lay the correct foundations. When you create your client avatar, you also create the foundation from which all your sales and marketing efforts will be built. As a part of this process, refer back to your core values and business plan to ensure you stay on track with the kind of business you want to attract. Some things you may want to consider here include the geography of your clients, their employee headcount, and the salary range of roles you are comfortable being able to deliver on successfully.

Once your criteria have been set, use this client avatar to determine which companies you should prioritise going after.

As you identify your ideal clients, further research is vital to find the decision-makers and influencers. This shouldn't be a one-off task, rather it's an ongoing process. Regardless, allocate time for this now so you can start your sales and marketing campaigns without delay.

How Does Your Business Measure Up Against the Competition?

I’m a firm believer that you should not worry about your competitors. Instead, let them worry about you.

Rather than wasting your time on things you can't control, focus your efforts on what you can do. A good place to start is to study the main competitors in your space. This will give you an idea of their over-arching value proposition (their unique selling points). With this knowledge, you can decide how you will set yourself apart from them.

Market awareness: You're there to help employers and candidates find each other. Do not make the mistake of thinking you need your business on every social media platform from the get-go. While having a presence on multiple platforms is essential, this can become a full-time job if you're not careful. Manage what you can but research staffing-focused marketing firms that can assist with doing this more consistently and on a larger-scale to reach more people in your target market.

If you can't find someone to work with in your area, starting small and having a professional website is just fine.

Coaching tip: If you feel overwhelmed after reading this chapter, that's understandable. Go back to your self-care routine and remember to time-stamp your tasks. What's the next thing on your list?

Take some time to sit down and research five companies. Identify the key decision-makers and influencers at each one. Then, schedule some time in your diary to initiate conversations.

Thank you for reading - and if you haven't done so, join our free Facebook Group and ask for help. You can find us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eliteglobalrecruiters