5 Tips to Get More Leads in 2021 by Improving Your Sales Process
Guest Author
By Matt Buchanan, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Service Direct.
A refined sales process is essential to the growth and sustainability of a business. If you had been coasting on a sales process that was working just fine – but hadn’t been optimized – the events of 2020 were likely a shocking wake-up call. Suddenly, there was no margin for error, and maximizing every lead’s value became extremely important.
As we move into 2021, there has never been a better time to improve sales efficiency and the details of your sales process. By taking the time to dive deep into even the smallest of details, you can create an optimized system that will help your business thrive moving forward. Whether in good times or bad, getting the most out of your sales system is always an advantage.
Related Content: How to Improve Sales Efficiency
Tip #1 – Make Your CRM Your Source Of Truth
Take Good Notes
Using a CRM in your organization is a huge step in the right direction, but it’s only valuable when used correctly. Make it a priority across your sales department to take detailed notes on each lead interaction.
Track All Leads & Interactions
Each new lead should be documented in the CRM, and there should be notes tracking all interactions. This kind of detailed record-keeping will help you avoid embarrassing mistakes like contacting the same lead multiple times in a day or failing to follow up with at all.
Know Where Your Leads Are Coming From
One other way your CRM can provide value to the organization is by tracking your lead sources. This is extremely valuable information as you can double up on your efforts for successful lead generation methods while dropping other methods that are not producing results.
Tip #2 – Don’t Waste Time On Bad Leads By Automating Your Lead Qualification
Identify Your Qualification Criteria
What kinds of leads are most likely to turn into customers for your business? If you can’t answer this question, it will be challenging to optimize your sales process. Spend some time identifying your ideal customer and determine how you can sort out the quality leads from those that will be a waste of time.
Filter Out Leads That Don’t Meet The Criteria
Bad leads can be a major drain on the sales process. You only have so many sales resources available, so don’t point those resources toward leads that aren’t going anywhere. Once you have established detailed lead qualification criteria, automate the process, so only worthwhile leads make it in front of your sales team.
Related Content: The Purpose of the SLA and Getting Started
Make Leads That Do Meet The Criteria Your Highest Priority
Leads that make it through your qualification process should be treated with the utmost care. These leads are one of the most valuable things your company possesses, so work these leads thoroughly and make sure not a single one slips through the cracks.
Tip #3 – Make Sure Every Good Opportunity Is Worked
Answer The Phone!
One of the fastest ways to waste a good lead is to fail to answer the phone when that lead calls for information or to place an order. With the mobile technology we have available today, there is no excuse for missing a call from a qualified lead. Set up your systems to make sure someone is available for these calls at all times.
Assign Every New Lead To A Sales Representative
This is a basic step that will get the sales process off to a good start. As soon as a new qualified lead arrives, assign that lead to a specific individual to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.
Tip #4 – Optimize Your Sales Pitch
Build Trust
When dealing with a new lead, your sales team’s first goal is not to close the deal but rather to build trust. This trust can be built on a personal level by developing a relationship. It can also be done on a business level by highlighting the experience, knowledge, and value that your organization brings to the table.
Emphasize Value
Speaking of value, this is always an important point to highlight when working a lead. What value does your company offer, and how does that value stand out among the competition? Remember, value doesn’t mean the lowest price – it simply means delivering more for the money than any other business.
Ask For Their Business
Countless leads are wasted each year by businesses who never bother asking for a sale. If you never ask a lead if they want to make a purchase, you are sure to miss out on some opportunities to close a deal. Make this a required part of the sales process, and be sure that each ask is documented in the CRM.
Tip #5 – Find New Leads From Your Old Leads
Revisit Past Qualified Leads
A lead that doesn’t convert the first time around doesn’t have to be lost forever. You invested resources in developing that lead, so you should give it another try after a period of time to see if the outcome may differ. Go back through the CRM to review the sales approach from the last time around and make changes to your tactics for this try.
Revisit Past Customers
In addition to leads that never converted, you can use your list of past customers to drum up new opportunities. Automate a system of checking in with customers after a set period of time since their last purchase. This is another easy way to create some fresh leads – and hopefully sales – without having to start from scratch.
Conclusion
A healthy business will have a steady stream of leads flowing into the sales funnel throughout the year. That stream of potential new business is always important, but it’s even more valuable when times are tough, and your business needs to squeeze out every potential sale to make ends meet.
As you review your approach to sales and how you nurture your leads, I hope the five categories of tips above are helpful. Refining your sales process can be tedious and time-consuming, but it’s hard to imagine a more impactful way to spend your efforts. The work you do today on this vital part of your business could continue to pay off for many years to come. Good luck!
About the Author
Matt Buchanan is the Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at Service Direct, a technology company that offers local lead generation solutions for service businesses. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He has 15+ years of expertise in local lead generation, sales, search engine marketing, and building and executing growth strategies.
