Startups driving sales can be a tough process as name recognition can go a long way in closing a sale. A startup has to prove its worth and provide results that they can provide a client. Cost per lead is important and closing the highest percentage of leads possible comes down to a variety of factors. Quality leads are important as it will increase the likelihood of sales. Low-quality leads need to be communicated to the advertising/marketing teams. Closing the highest percentage of leads possible will help increase ROI on marketing and advertising. The following are tips to increase the percentage of sales closed in the sales funnel and upping overall sales numbers.
Meet with Former Clients in Person
Meeting with former clients in person to try to strike up a new deal should be done. A former client might have left if a competitor promised superior results but has failed to deliver. Do not reach out to former clients that ended the business relationship on bad terms as it is better to leave them alone. Ask about the pain points that they are facing and where another company has fallen short for them in the past. Making the former client feel valued is important as a startup can offer a much more personal touch than a huge corporation.
Meet Face to Face at Corporate Events/Conferences
Meeting with sales targets at corporate events or conferences for a particular industry is a must. Startups can have limited budgets so attending events with the highest concentration of companies in the industry can help close sales. In a B2B situation, the startup can close deals at the conference itself. For tradeshows, a company being present can help them establish a brand that will further help drive sales.
The importance of setting meetings before the conference cannot be stressed enough. There is a whirlwind of conversations at certain industry events coupled with alcohol consumption. Meet with sales targets at these events over the course of the day and if all goes well, entertain this new client that night. Building rapport is important as introductions made at these types of events can be important for the future success of the startup.
Planning business trips to visit both current clients and prospects can prove fruitful. The last thing that anyone wants on this trip is to show up late to a meeting or miss it totally. Ecorporate travel management can help the trip go smoothly and reduce the stress of booking every detail of a business trip.
Automated Follow-up Emails Work Wonders
Calling someone to follow up too often might seem pushy for a startup or company of any size. The brand should not be centered on push salespeople but rather persistence. Setting up an automated follow-up email to be sent regularly can help close a sale on a lead that has gone cold. A lead might not need a service or product at a specific time but could need it in the future. Stay at the top of their list by staying present in their minds with periodic follow-up emails.
Ecommerce businesses commonly send out coupons for a product if it is left in a person’s cart without the customer completing checkout. These types of promotions work wonders as all customers want to feel like they are getting the best deal possible. Groupon does a great job of this as someone could have forgotten to complete the transaction or had an issue with the price being a little too high.
Research Points of Contact Before Phone Calls/Pitches
Each lead is important to treat as incredibly important as happy clients can refer to a multitude of future business. Doing research on a prospect before a call can allow you to see where they are from, where they went to school, and potential interests. Social media can say quite a bit about people so tailoring a pitch can help increase the likelihood of success when compared to a generic pitch. Taking a look at former positions on LinkedIn can also give a person pitching a great idea of what an individual will value. A person that used to be a data analyst will want to see raw numbers when compared to someone that was in a creative position.
Entertain Clients that have Agreed to Sign/Have Signed a Contract
Entertainment of clients to close deals has been a part of deals in various industries for generations. Taking a client out to a nice dinner can help staff build a rapport. There is a chance a competitor is offering a similar product at around the same price. The potential sale will likely opt for the company with the staff they liked the best.
Sales can be tough for a company of any size so it is imperative to utilize data regularly. This can allow the quality of lead to increase which will then convert into more sales with a proficient sales team.
