7 Steps For Creating a Sales Process

A sales process is sometimes referred to as a purchasing funnel. These are the steps that a sales team will take to turn a new lead into a paying customer. If you’re a new business or new to the world of sales, you might be wondering why this is important. The short answer is convenience and consistency. 

By having a sales process that works well for one salesperson, you can easily scale that up when you expand your team. You will also know that everyone on your team is working in an identical way. This means that all your customers will get the same high-level experience. Having a good sales process will also make life easier for your team. It will give them an idea of what to say in every eventuality.

Sales processes are also beneficial because they increase conversions and help reps to close deals. 44% of salespeople give up after one rejection. But a good sales process will encourage them to keep going.  They also ensure that all customer interactions are positive ones. But how do you create a sales process? What should be included in it and why? Here’s everything you need to know:

 

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Sales Process

1 – Look at Your Current Process:

Even if you don’t have it written down, it’s likely that you already have a loose sales process in place. This includes things that you say to, or statistics you share with, potential customers. Take the time to sit down and assess what tools you use that are working, and which ones aren’t. Observe your reps as they work. Analyse their sales techniques. And don’t be afraid to make changes. These could either be structural or process changes. It could even be that you need new tools to give your team an advantage. Communication tools, such as those offered by Yo Telecom, could help to make this process easier. Don’t shy away from investing in new technology that could make life easier for your sales team, and ultimately help them to drive conversions.

 

2 – Understand Your Buyers Journey:

Did you know that when they first visit a new website, 96% of shoppers aren’t ready to make a purchase? You need to understand your buyer and their journey. What stage of the sales process are they at, and how can you move them to the next stage? If you know what your target audience is, you can look at your sales process from their perspective. Building strong relationships with potential buyers is an essential part of sales. Understanding your target audience, and relating to them, is a key part of this.

 

3- Understand Which Actions Are Benchmarks:

As your potential customers move through your sales process, it is important that your team understand which actions are benchmarks. That means that as the customers hit certain action points, they are more likely to convert to the next stage of the sales process. The likelihood of a customer hitting each benchmark should be determined by the quality of your product, and sales funnel. Not by the sales rep driving the process.

 

4- Include An Exit Plan:

Sometimes, for whatever reason, prospects just don’t convert. This will be the case no matter how good your team, or how robust your process. For this reason, your sales process should include an exit plan. Don’t waste time on leads that won’t convert. Include an exit plan in your process so your team has an option for when it will be smarter to cut their losses.

 

5 – Measure Your Results:

If you’re going to widely implement your new sales process, then you need to know it’s successful. That means that you should regularly measure the results of the process. You should also refine it regularly, to ensure it works as efficiently as possible. Choose whether to monitor your results weekly or monthly. Look at how many leads you have at the beginning of that period, and how many of those convert by the end. If you notice that conversions are dropping consistently, this is a sign that your sales process needs refinement. Other metrics you might consider measuring include:
– How long do potential customers spend at each step of the sales process
– How many potential customers drop out before conversion
– Any other valuable metrics relevant to your business model

 

6 – Include All Your Stakeholders:

No single person should be responsible for designing your sales process. Include all your stakeholders and let everyone own a piece of the process. Your marketing team, customer service team, and especially your  IT team should be involved. If you’re a small business without a dedicated IT team, Yo Telecom can provide you with small business IT support to enable the effective implementation of your sales process. Using the unique skills of your whole team will give you a process that is as robust and valuable as possible. 

 

7 – Make Adjustments:

Finally, when you’re ready to implement your new process, make adjustments. Watch your sales reps use their new funnel and then tweak any elements that simply aren’t working. Don’t be afraid to make changes straight away. Just because a plan is new, and you’ve invested heavily in it, doesn’t make it the right plan for your business. It is particularly important that you pay attention to how your customers react. If they’re not happy with your new sales process, it could be time to go back to the drawing board.

 

Conclusion

Creating a sales process is essential to business success. It doesn’t matter if your business is new, or if you’ve never implemented one before. The right sales process will funnel potential customers to make a purchase. This, in turn, should increase your conversion rate and boost your business. By having a series of repeatable steps that any member of your sales team can use that suits your customer’s needs, you’ll be amazed at how improved their productivity will be.