The Unsettling Reasons Why Your Sales Pipeline is Struggling
It’s easy to assume your sales team will produce results if given enough resources. But you know that’s not the case if your sales pipeline is sluggish. What’s surprising is the cause may be your marketing/sales system and poor productivity of your sales team. In a survey run by CSO Insights, it was found most sales reps spend 37 percent of their time on actual sales activities.
What Is Causing These Problems?
While organizations have access to more advanced marketing technology than ever before, they’re simply not utilizing them in an efficient manner. There’s a lack of communication between the marketing and sales department. As a result, there isn’t an effective way to assess the quality of leads or figure out when leads are ready for sales presentations.
Due to the lack of focus, communication, and proper data, sales professionals are spending their time on activities that do not generate revenue. They’re finding themselves creating presentations or taking care of administrative tasks instead of selling. Even if they’re trying to make most of their leads, their time is being wasted on unqualified prospects.
The Solution Lies in a Focused Strategy
The solution to a sales pipeline is a marketing and sales strategy overhaul. It starts with connecting your marketing and sales team so they’re on the same page. The marketing team needs to be targeting the right lead sources and audiences. They must have a system for nurturing and scoring leads. This process ensures the sales team being handed qualified leads.
The next step is to create a process refocusing your sales team on the right activities. Time-consuming tasks need to be handled by other members of your team so the sales team can focus on what they do best. A sales framework must be devised and followed. This will drive consistency and enable accountability.
Leadership
Another important part of the equation is leadership. Marketing or sales managers may not have a strong understanding of how a sales pipeline should work. Giving team leaders the proper education results in successful campaigns and revenue growth for your company. Knowledgeable managers drive campaigns using the right strategy and approach.
Technology
Finally, there’s the technology. The marketing and sales process must be streamlined in a marketing platform for efficiency and effectiveness. Lead nurturing campaigns automate most touch points for sales. Proper data and communication enable sales reps to personalize their sales tactics for higher close rates. Recording each lead’s progress enables the marketing team to extend outreach attempts, re-engage prospects or redesign the campaign.
This complete overhaul will transform your sales pipeline and generate stronger sales numbers. However, restructuring the whole system is challenging for many companies, especially for organizations with a small team. Working with a marketing agency is highly recommended. It divests B2B/B2C organizations to focus on what they do best while the experts set the foundations for a successful marketing and sales system. This simple solution assures companies save time and money.
