Of course, not all sales follow the same procedure. Some of them are done extremely quickly, while others require in-depth analysis by the buyer. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the different structures that the sales process can follow.
If you want to stay up to date with the main stages of the sales process and also discover how to manage these activities well, stay with us and enjoy reading!
What is a sales process?
Unlike those sales that do not involve complexity, that is, that can be closed quickly, without the need for in-depth analysis by the customer, there are others that require the completion of a cycle, which is called the sales process.
This means that there are characteristics and methods that must be considered to complete a sale effectively. Therefore, this entire process requires some effort to guide and guide the client towards the final decision.
Why is it essential that this process is well structured?
A well-structured sales process can guarantee a series of benefits for your company. Check out the main ones:
- reduces operational errors during the sales process;
- reduces waste of resources and especially time;
- the productivity of the sales team;
- considerably improves the quality of services;
- contributes to the training and development of employees;
- helps to replicate knowledge among team members;
- facilitates the definition and control of processes;
- increases the quality and quantity of sales.
What are your main steps?
The sales process is divided into a few simple steps, which can be adopted fully or partially, depending on the business. In general terms, this is:
- define the processes that fit your business’ sales;
- map the activities inherent to each process, considering the interaction between all areas;
- standardize how activities should be carried out;
- raise indicators that help in evaluating the quality of work;
- carry out maintenance and frequent updating of each stage.
These are the steps to define your company’s basic sales processes. In addition to them, there are practices that adapt to almost all types of sales and that you can consider when defining your activities. Check out:
- start prospecting customers from different sources (databases, events, networking, social networks);
- move towards qualifying your potential customer base, segmenting those who offer a real chance of purchasing;
- carry out a presentation focused on the interests of each group of customers, prioritizing the solutions that will offer value to them;
- lead the closing of the sale using some resources, such as mental triggers, sense of urgency and, mainly, consumer needs.
During these stages, it is necessary to use persuasion and negotiation tools. If convenient, make concessions. Otherwise, remember to value a good relationship with the customer, as they can make a purchase at any point in their journey.
How to optimize the company’s sales process?
Check now which aspects deserve your attention during the sales process.
Think about the customer first
The first step to having a truly optimized sales process is to consider the customer as the focal part of sales. This means that you must be prepared to provide fast service and, in addition, a truly satisfactory experience. This is not just about the company’s interests, but also about the customer’s interests.
The sales process is actually a buying process. It needs to be aligned with the customer journey.
Watch your indicators
Adopting indicators is essential to identify whether the strategies you are adopting are being efficient or not. You will only be able to improve each stage of the sales process if you can count on metrics that show where failures are occurring and in which stages there are opportunities for improvement.
Simplify actions
There are countless ways to do the same thing. This means that your company’s processes can always undergo modifications and improvements. Simplification is a perfect example of this. Try to standardize all your processes, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and giving the sales team the opportunity to act in a more autonomous and less complex way, this will certainly affect the team’s efficiency.
Integrate Sales and Marketing Processes
When marketing and sales teams work together, the consumer tends to feel more comfortable when being guided to the moment of purchase. This happens because the company not only considers the point of view of its interests (profitability), it also takes into account the needs and desires of customers.
Show the value of your solution
Give up competing for the best price on the market. Try to create something that is really valuable for your target audience and this will make you sell more and more. Invest in the quality of your products and services. This way, the difference in your solution will certainly not be in the price, but in what it offers to the customer.
Make adaptations
An extremely relevant part of the sales process is the willingness to adapt any procedures that are not aligned with what the company wants to build. The market is constantly evolving, so your company also needs to be willing to change some things if it wants to remain competitive. Therefore, make sure to constantly review the processes, analyzing every detail about them, collecting information from the sales team and changing anything necessary.
Invest in technology
Technology today is a channel with many important resources for the sales process, especially with regard to digital marketing. This way, you can take advantage of these resources to guide your customer in a much smoother way until the moment of purchasing decision. Therefore, don’t forget to consider this alternative as part of your sales strategy.
Create a sensational experience for your customer
Several studies indicate that the products are currently very similar. The biggest differentiating factor is the customer experience with your brand, products and services. Your sales process must be aligned with building a sensational experience.
What are the most common mistakes in the Sales Process?
Although it is very important to follow the previous tips, you also need to be careful not to make some of the most common mistakes in the sales process. Some of them are:
- the sales approach at the wrong time;
- the lack of information for the customer;
- the absence of after-sales;
- the loss of market space to competitors.
By being careful not to make these mistakes and following the previous tips, you will certainly be able to establish a great sales process in your company. There are no secrets. You need to identify what works for your business.
If you want to continue deepening your knowledge of the sales process, the time has come to understand once and for all what CRM is and the advantages it offers!