Defining a clear and distinct sales process is the first step in creating a cohesive sales team. Because sales people come from different experiential backgrounds and selling styles, implementing and endorsing a specific sales process helps to get everyone on the same page and synced for success. A helpful tool to make this daunting process a lot easier is Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
With the help of a robust CRM tool, companies are able to not only define a clear sales process, but also set specific goals and measure their team’s performance with real numbers. These features not only provide upper management with a 360 degree view of their company, but also provide their sales team with the ability to individually evaluate their daily progress. The goal of this article is to help simplify the task of creating a seamless sales process by outlining how a CRM solution can be used to align your sales process with your sales people.
Combine, Agree and Coordinate
I can’t stress enough how important it is to involve members of the sales team during the research process for a CRM solution. As the individuals using the system daily, sales people can provide feedback on what features the solution should include and furthermore, what benefits they wish to see from using it. This will help to enhance user adoption and therefore the success of the CRM in your organization.
Once the ideal system is selected, the team can collaborate and define a precise sales process that works best for them. They can use the sales force automation features of the CRM to create and customize a distinct sales cycle and associated tasks. For example, a company can create a sales cycle consisting of 5 clear stages and then setup processes in between each stage that must take place prior to advancing further in the cycle. This will help to ensure that even your most different of sales people are following the same agreed-upon process all awhile capturing the necessary information throughout the course of a sale.
Setting and Measuring Realistic Goals
In determining your company’s sales process, you must consider your organization’s end goals and how you’re going to go about achieving them. Whether you want to achieve x amount of dollars in revenue or cut your sales cycle in half, you must identify realistic and timely metrics along the way that your sales team should strive for. You can use the CRM solution to set up these metrics with the help of forecasting features and the creation of real-time reports for measuring your company’s performance and progress.
Additionally, CRM solutions provide customizable dashboards that offer a visual representation of progress, which serves as a great source of motivation and encouragement. Managers no longer need to wait months to determine whether their sales people are performing according to their expectations and sales people can effectively zero in on their areas of weakness in the sales cycle.
When a sales process is laid out clear and simple, sales teams will become more cohesive, productive and successful. In order to create an effective sales process, companies can turn to robust CRM solutions that offer the tools they need to customize a sales cycle, define clear metrics, and measure their team’s performance along the way. If properly implemented, a CRM solution will help align an organization and thus become a sales person’s best tool and a company’s best investment.
