“Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make”. – William Bernbach
It’s widely understood that a sales force is the most valued component of a business – and one of the most expensive… it is easy to understand why so many organizations who underserve support for their sales force and lack sound strategies find themselves short of their revenue goals year after year. Keeping your sales force properly supported is essential to the building of your brand as it is to the success in driving sales revenue – the question is where do business owners START?
Sales force support is a critical business investment; it is an essential component for sustainability, growth, and identity that help drive outcomes that directly impact the organizations’ bottom line.
It is important to understand the direct outcomes that are created through sales support efforts; they include:
Quality Leads. Strong Branding. Client Revenue. Outperforming Sales People
Sales support starts with a strategic and unified approach between Marketing and Sales. An aligned approach includes the understanding and mapping of the organizations’ sales process. Through this process the identification of the marketing tools required to attract / generate quality leads including a company website, social media presence and sales collateral materials can be established. The organizations’ brand will also be fortified by the strategy that are established in the process foundations. In addition, your sales process will also include the measurement of your lead quality, lead conversion and sales performance using key performance indicators ( KPI’s). These KPI’s will act as the catalyst to facilitate change based on the critical data gathered.
A sound and simple sales process is the keystone in supporting the sales force; a sales force that needs to focus their valuable time on what matters most, being in-front of a qualified prospect and managing your important customer’s needs. It is highly recommended to create a sales process that will ultimately assist your buyers in understanding your organizations’ valued services / product and brand identification. In addition, your sales force performance will also benefit greatly through the elimination or reduction of administrative tasks such as data entry. Find and incorporate mobile technologies and CRM into your sales process, you will not be disappointed, and your sales force will thrive.
An important element of your process is the identification of your target audience. Without knowledge of these profiles, your marketing strategy may not be attracting the right buyers, resulting in a sales team that may be wasting valuable time on the wrong people. When the process has been mapped, the marketing strategies can then be created to support the brand visibility, position and sales efforts. Be sure to take the time to thoroughly understand and agree upon the sales process road map – it’s your business, know it.
Today, there are many tool sets that marketing can utilize in reaching out to the “buyers”. Understanding your buyers and their needs will help you determine the most effective marketing tools to utilize. A well-constructed website incorporating meta-tags, strategic words for SEO, information forms and content downloads are suggested “must haves”. Websites are generally the first point of contact between buyers and the organization. Be sure to have a professional well-mapped and engaging website, allow for buyer information requests and track web activity and where buyers are spending their time on YOUR SITE. Your corporate website is the window to the world, where your brand, your corporate identity and competitive differentiation in service or product will be viewed from the outside – in.
Many businesses today are incorporating videos into their websites or making them available on YouTube and other social media sites. Videos attract and capture the attention of your buyer and can quickly distribute important information supporting the brand to a potential buyer – information that can be supported in greater detail when the “informed buyer” is in front of your sales person. Video costs have come down as more affordable production technologies have emerged, but it is recommended to consult with professional resources when considering the video option. Homemade or low production videos can negatively affect your organizations’ brand and offering and turn away prospective buyers.
Additional support through marketing collateral / brochures presented at a sales visit or sent electronically via email are also recommended. It is important to ensure that your marketing collateral is simple in its message, it’s layout is professional and leads the buyer to requesting further information and contact with a sales person, as identified in your sales process. Your collateral, how professional it looks, its content and message will influence how your brand is identified and whether the buyer is willing to proceed in inquiring further.
Think of your time, energy and financial resources required to support your sales force as an INVESTMENT versus that of a cost. The strategy and alignment of your marketing team and sales force through the creation of your sales processes is your businesses lifeblood – support and enjoy your sales force’s success!
