Have you every heard that old saying, that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results? Well, take it from us, there are so many sales pipelines out there that need some serious shock treatment. Most people find that certain parts of their pipeline work well, but they just can’t bring together the whole package. One of the best ways to increase leads, attract better leads, and close more deals is with sales and service software.
“But we can’t afford expensive software,” we hear you say. The problem is, without improving your sales pipeline, you may not even be able to afford coffee in the break room. Here’s some useful tips for creating a higher performing sales pipeline, and some don’t even need software.
Start the conversationUnderstand your target market
Firstly, it’s incredible how many businesses skip over this step and go straight into selling. It’s a bit like trying to fly a plane without understanding how the controls work. And we hope none of you would try that! Understanding your target audience is crucial to building an effective sales pipeline for a number of reasons.
We all know that marketing isn’t cheap, however high-quality, targeted marketing is well worth the spend. Marketing without a strategy though, well, you may as well throw money out your window. Knowing who you’re selling to lets you tailor your messages and products for maximum impact. It also helps you understand where and how to most effectively spend money chasing leads.
Use sales and service software
It’s no secret that as your business grows, so does your need to get your sales team organised. Using a CRM helps you categorise leads, makes client follow-up easier, and gives all of your sales team the ability to close deals. Whether you choose a product off the shelf, or even seek out custom CRM development, you really can’t go wrong. It’s a bit like giving your sales team steroids, but don’t actually do that, or they won’t fit through your doors.
CRMs give you an edge over your competition at every step of your sales pipeline, from attracting leads to closing deals and even post-sale support. When used effectively, a CRM may just be the most valuable sales tool you ever invest in.
Personalise the customer experience
Customers want to connect with businesses. If your sales pipeline involves sending spam emails or generic messages, you need to go back to square one. Sales and service software also helps here, because you can identify what works best for different types of people at every step of their customer journey.
For example, if I’ve bought a pair of men’s shoes from an online retailer, there’s probably a certain type of product I want marketed to me in future. Thanks for the email, but I’ll pass on the latest women’s activewear collection for now.
If a customer visits a website three times and leaves an abandoned shopping cart each time, what’s their main issue? It could be payment options, or maybe delivery charges. Try to pinpoint these issues and reach out to customers with a solution.
Use sales and service software to monitor results
When you’ve got your sales and service software set up and everything’s going well, you need to monitor results. Find out where your digital marketing is falling down, and where it’s excelling. Where are customers dropping out of your sales pipeline? All of this data is readily available in a CRM, so you can constantly evolve your processes.
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