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What exactly is Inside Sales?
At its most basic level, Inside Sales is a form of Sales that utilizes technology in order to build a basis of clientele and create sales. However, times are changing and Inside Sales is no longer just a phone book and a landline. Inside Sales has adapted to incorporate social media, engaging videos, online demos, creative emails and more in order to generate high value transactions for the business.
Inside Sales is not only engaging and challenging, it brings to the table a new way to build relationships.
Interested?
Here are 5 things you need to be successful Inside Sales:
1. A Competitive Spirit
In order to be successful in Inside Sales you have to be competitive.
Sales is a competitive sport. Martin Moran of InsideSales.com explains, “Like sport, sales is so competitive that professionals are constantly trying to push themselves to excel. In the case of sales, it’s to reach new customers and perform at peak levels.
Successful Inside Sales Representatives utilize their ability to build rapport to create relationships and strategically drive sales in order to close the deal.
2. Ingenuity
Successful Inside Sales Representatives are geniuses. They not only have the drive and competitiveness to make them constantly strive for more, they are always coming up with new ways to generate better results. Tried them via phone a few times? Send strategic emails that can catch the attention of the client. Not working for you? What about asking for a warm referral from someone on LinkedIn? Maybe send a quick tweet their way. There is a balance between knowing when to keep trying and knowing when to try something new altogether.
Top Reps will always be looking to further develop their craft.
Keep listening. Keep reflecting. Keep reading. The most successful Inside Salespeople experiment with new tools and are constantly evolving their pitches.
3. A Data-backed Approach
A strong Inside Sales Rep is always looking to improve their key metrics.
Whether they are rewarded based on calls booked, demos booked, qualified leads or closed deals, they know their numbers and work hard to maintain them.
A successful Inside Sales Representative documents their every move and learns from their experience. They may note how many calls and conversations they have, how many emails are opened, how long it takes to make an appointment, what time calls are best received … the list goes on.
Keep trying new things and set up the appropriate measures to be able to make data-backed decisions. A/B test anything you can and create your own best practices. Find out what works and then put it to use!
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4. Attention To Detail
There are a lot of ways a sale can go wrong throughout the buyer’s journey.
A Top Rep sets themselves up for success through meticulous planning.
When they talk to a prospect they keep notes up-to-date and detailed. When appointments are made, they make sure to verify all contact information, follow up with confirmation of time and date, and be sure to properly inform the potential client what the appointment is for. They know the success metrics behind their product or service and can answer any question the buyer may have. They are well-versed and understand what they are selling inside and out. More importantly, they can tell you the differences between them and their competitors.
A little bit of preparation goes a long way.
5. Negotiation Skills
Sales is all about negotiation. Even a casual call is still a form of negotiation. Deals are won and lost based on the Rep’s ability to control and move along a conversation.
Allowing the potential client to feel like they are in control, but with the careful guidance of the Sales Rep, is what closes deals.
These skills are best developed through experience. Understanding the pain points of your project and really listening to their needs will give you leverage. There are a number of great online courses to help you brush up on your negotiation skills. You can also request the help of a mentor, someone in your organization that really knows the ropes. A mentor can help you with a specific prospect and share their negotiation tactics.
Bottom Line
When it comes to Inside Sales, there is a method to the madness. While many factors are out of our hands, we can succeed by optimizing what we can control: our Inside Sales processes.