Revenue growth is an essential element of building a business. Without predictable sales and prospects, it is hard to manage expectations and growth forecasts. More meetings can generate more sales, but to scale up, it is important not to get the sales functions mixed up with all the other functions that need to be done. Specialized sales roles can be the key to keeping things separate but may cost money in the meantime. An in-house sales development team is not always cost-effective for small businesses. To increase sales opportunities, it may be necessary to outsource a few sales functions to get things started.
Sales Development
Sales Development Reps are the people who should be prospecting in the field. Sales managers spend less than half their day selling in a typical office. An ideal sales team should spend more than 60% of their day moving sales to close. A support team can prospect while a team specializing in closing can get the deal sealed. Why outsourcing helps:
- Allows implementation of KPI driven sales specialist who utilizes latest tools and technology
- Managed by experienced sales experts
- Opportunity to scale up without worrying about HR costs of hiring in house
When a small business looks to increase pipeline opportunities, it is important to realize a sales development team can be the key to this success. A sales outsourcing service that specializes in lead generation and sales development can help hit growth numbers by providing sales resources, consulting with the business, and strategizing outbound sales campaigns. All these things are costly in both time and resources. The more a person establishes clear measures of success the better off their business will thrive with the help of outsourced sales support.
Lead Generation
Getting a stable pipeline is contingent on getting great leads up front. Lead generation is about knowing the customer profile inside and out. Two options exist to support achievement of this goal:
- Customized research leads
- Database leads
Sometimes inaccurate data exists in a database that don’t produce the fruit a company needs to be successful. Using poor data can injure a company’s sales reputation when it comes to being profitable and bringing in the proper leads for sales growth. The best path to lead generation is hiring outsourced lead researchers. A specialized support person can perform their function while generating qualified leads that can produce growth for a company. Outsourced specialists can parse out all the bad data, pull everything together, and create the strategy needed to excel.
Outsourcing Builds Flexibility
Changing or outsourcing a sales function can change other sales functions for the better. Account executives are impacted by outsourced sales development because their roles are different. An account executive will focus on what is being said in a meeting while an outsourced sales development rep can focus on securing a meeting and even getting closure. Sales outsourcing can step in at the early stages of the process to help correct things like incorrect expectations, lack of transparency, low results, etc. It may take a few months to get things rolling but it helps to build a budget for outsourcing sales people and noting goals up front. Make sure there is clarity on what reporting and structure looks like to ensure there is maximized profit and benefit from outsourcing versus bringing these roles into the business. Flexibility in any organization is key to creating a pathway to success for small businesses looking to scale up and grow in their chosen sector.
Read more relevant blog post:
How to Know Which Tasks to Outsource for Greater Business Growth