Sales Strategy 101. You've Built Your Brand, Now you Need to Build Your Sales Funnel.

Post CV19, with the economy looking like it is on the ropes, everyone is talking up sales, or the lack thereof. So what can you do to enhance your sales in these times? In this blog we look at the four pillars of a sales strategy to help our readers get in the field and close the deals.

Having looked at the digital marketing function, lets turn our attention to the sales function and make sure we have the right people and processes in place. Sales doesn’t take a singular ‘one size fits all’ approach, sales needs to think 360º to be fully effective. These are the four pillars of a successful sales approach.

Sales Strategy 1.4. The Customer Value Focus Pillar
Consumers can be categorised into three unique silos in terms of what they are seeking. 1) buyers who seek strategic value (buyers who want to know how the product can add to or improve their life), 2) buyers who seek intrinsic value (buyers who want to know how the product can solve their issues or problems) and 3) buyers who are looking for extrinsic value (buyers who want to know what is the product going to cost). Our job is to communicate to our target audience in terms of what our prospects value most.  

Sales Strategy 2.4. The Process & Partnerships Pillar
With our value focus understood, we begin lead generation and building our pipeline. Firstly gaining the attention of leads. Starting with cool leads, we use on line and offline channels to garner attention and build our brand’s credibility through consistent communication, aligned content and social truths (things our segments hold to be self-evident). To build the cold lead pipeline we should seriously consider the use of external teams such as a BPO firm, who can pursue cold leads and leave our highly knowledgeable and skilled team to negotiate and close sales from warm leads.

Sales Strategy 3.4.  The Sales Approach Pillar
Now we have in bound leads, warmed up from our BPO partners, we can use transactional, consultative and partnership sales approaches to convert leads and close deals. Each approach is different and has unique characteristics that make them suitable to different customers and products. Again, sales is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ kind of thing. Luckily we have make a shiny chart (see right) for you to review how to best apply each unique sales approach.

Sales Strategy 4.4.  The People Pillar
So lets recap, we have understood what our prospects want to know about the product we are selling. We have built a sales funnel of interested, warmed up and qualified leads and have considered what sales approach is best suited to our product. Now we need to know who is the best kind of sales person to put into bat for each kind of sales situation. People buy people right? Depending on the product and sales situation, you will need different kinds of people with different kinds of sales skills – they might be a closer, a consultant, a relationship builder or a display seller. Each is different and brings a unique skills set to your sales game. 

Personality

• Closer = Energetic, Manipulative, Needs to achieve Risk taker
• Consultant = Team leader, Professional, Likes challenges, Calculated risks, Highly educated
• Relationship Builder = Likeable & fun, Hard working, Team player, Avoids risk, Likes autonomy
• Display Seller = Happy & outgoing, Service orientated, Not an overachiever, Avoids risks, Pleases customer

Skills

• Closer = Prospecting, Presenting
• Consultant = Problem solving
• Relationship Builder = Developing relationships
• Display Seller = Service driven

Motivation

• Closer = Status, Recognition
• Consultant = Mastery, purpose
• Relationship Builder = Autonomy, sense of belonging
• Display Seller = Recognition

In Summary
When it comes to sales, you need to hire the right people, train in the product and incentivise the hell out of them. Your competent and engaged sales team is key to ensuring your brand’s strategic advantage.