Searching for sales prospects has drastically changed as marketing and technology have evolved. In the past, prospecting for sales was the never-ending game of telephone tag, late meetings and costly schmoozing. But now with our connected world, it is easy and cost-efficient for a SaaS company sales team to search for prospects.
3 Big Mistakes to Avoid with Sales Prospects
When you're selling a high-tech product to clients, there are three 3 big mistakes you want to avoid during the prospecting process.
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Not Determining How Tech-Savvy Your Prospect Is: Too much tech talk could confuse prospects who aren’t super tech-savvy, but over-explaining to someone who does understand could insult them. It is essential to determine their level of expertise very early on. If your prospect doesn’t have a deep understanding of technology, it is best to keep it simple.
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Neglecting the Needs of a Sales Prospect's Budget: Knowing a prospect’s budget is essential, as IT budgets can vary greatly. A study done by Alinean Inc. found small and medium-sized companies spend more on IT than larger companies. Budgets are never an easy topic to discuss, but in order to truly meet the needs of potential clients, transparency is key.
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Not Actually Connecting With Your Sales Prospects: Either you don’t want to put too much into prospects that aren’t a sure thing, or you narrow your focus too much and only end up talking to one prospect at a time. Prospects want a genuine, real connection instead of feeling like they are just another sale.
How to Use Inbound Marketing to Attract Your Prospects
Now that you are familiar with the things not to do, it is time to discuss what to do to attract sales prospects. Using inbound marketing tools to organize and track your prospects will ensure your sales team is educated and consistent. These tools will take your SaaS company to the next level.
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Creating Remarkable Content That Really Draws in a Sales Prospect: Creating great content gives potential customers a reason to continue to seek you out, even if they aren’t all-in yet. A weekly blog, or daily post on social media can go a long way to solidify a connection.
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A CRM That Keeps All Your Valuable Information Secure: Using a CRM system will do away with the 35 sticky notes stuck to your desk. By consolidating valuable customer information, you will be more professional, more connected and you won’t miss another meeting. The bonus is your entire sales team will have access to that information, which will provide seamless transitions from one sales representative to another.
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Creating a Strong Explanation of What Your Buyer Really Needs: Creating a buyer persona provides a clear vision of your target clientele. Brainstorming potential demographics, challenges, and goals is a valuable team exercise. If you truly understand the problems your sales prospects have, those prospects are much more likely to seek you out and appreciate your level of concern.
How To Up Your Sales Game For Your SaaS Company
Inbound marketing will help you to avoid mistakes and will draw sales prospects to you. If you are feeling uneasy about how to incorporate inbound marketing into your company, consider engaging the services of a growth agency to give you a boost.
References:
https://searchcio.techtarget.com/magazineContent/How-Company-Size-Relates-to-IT-Spending
