A sales process is the practice of undertaking a series of steps and routines designed to sell a product or a service. A strong sales process promotes consistent sales and stable business growth by providing framework and a regime. Ultimately every stage of the cycle counts towards customer satisfaction and successful sales, while mastering the process increases the numbers of returning clients as well as referrals. But what are the core stages of a sales process?
- Prospecting – The identifying and researching into potential leads and prospect clients, during which it is established whether there is a need or demand for your product/service.
- Researching – Once the company/individual is identified as a suitable prospect, further research is then undertaken in order to learn more about them. Researching helps to profile the needs of a possible client as well as helping to provide a tailored service.
- Initial approach – After learning more about them, it is the time to approach the prospect. This can be done in many ways and doesn’t have to feel like a forceful ‘sales pitch’. Sometimes the initial approach is simply a message with a question, a gift/sample or an introduction.
- Presentation and proposal – If contact has been successful, you can then present all the aspects and features of your product. This is a great time to apply things you’ve learned about the client and address features of interest for a more targeted approach.
- Addressing concerns/objections -An often-overlooked step of the sales process is the addressing of your clients’ objections, but it’s important to respect their views and spend time on finding solutions. The objections may be anything from price concerns, time frames or special requirements.
- Closing the sale – Once everything has been discussed and established, it is time to agree upon pricing, normally it is best to do this once the proposal is complete. It may be a standard service price or something more customised but offering different payment options or discounts provides flexibility for the client.
- Following-up – While it may seem like closing a sale would be the last step, a follow up is a crucial part of maintaining a good relationship with your customer. It helps to build trust and provides an opportunity to receive those needed customer reviews and referrals!
If you’d like to find out more about mastering your sales process or require any other business support- get in touch!
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