How can you ensure the first sales call a prospect has with your company is a good experience?

We know that many companies assign first touch cold calls to entry-level inside sales reps in order to save follow-up on qualified leads for their experienced sales reps.

At first glance, it might seem like a good approach: let the junior-level salespeople work their way through a call list in order to hand off a smaller, curated group of leads to those with more experience.

But did you know this model could cost you qualified leads?

Successful B2B lead generation for the complex sale requires effective conversations with key decision makers at the highest levels. How are those decision makers going to experience a call from a sales rep with little skill and depth of knowledge?  

For complex B2B sales, a productive first sales call needs to establish trust, create a meaningful interaction, and include enough of a real conversation so that business pains can be uncovered, solutions can be discussed, and a memorable event takes place so that the follow-up call is teed up to be successful.

The interaction with your company has to be good from the very start or the relationship will have no chance of growing and lasting through the often long cycle of a complex sale.

Why Experience Matters

No one likes to be on the receiving end of a bad sales call, no matter what the product or solution, but for complex sales, a lack of business savvy will end the conversation before it even gets started.

So, what part does experience play in a “good” sales call?

• Experienced business development callers know how to create a sense that a knowledgeable peer is reaching out with valuable insights so that the prospect is willing to stay on the phone and engage in a conversation about business pains and solutions.

• Experienced callers have the ability to read between the lines, understand the nuances of a conversation, and pick up on the information that is revealed by what is said and NOT said.

• Experienced salespeople know what to do when met with resistance, and how to steer a conversation back on track when it has drifted.  

• Experienced callers can properly qualify an opportunity to determine when a follow-up call, appointment or demo is appropriate and not a waste of time for both parties.

If we know a first impression is vital to success, then why are inexperienced, junior inside sales reps so often assigned to be the first point of contact?  

Staffing, Budgets, and Availability

Having an entire team of experienced callers can be costly and unsustainable. The overhead of an experienced staff may not make sense, especially when the need for scaling staff can fluctuate.

Outsourcing to the right firm is a solid option when you want to bring in callers with a high level of business and sales experience and phone savvy.

An outsourced team will have the skills to be able to start calling efforts with a short ramp-up time. You can determine the exact size of the team required and generally scale up or down depending on needs.

They will also not be bogged down by internal project demands and will be able to devote 100% of their time making outbound calls and qualifying valuable opportunities.

Hiring a quality outsourced lead generation firm will not only ensure your company is being represented by professionals, but you are likely to save time and money in the process.

Are You Saving Money Right Now – Or Wasting It?

Not sure if your sales team is being utilized effectively? Wondering if hiring an outsourced inside sales or business development team could actually improve your sales pipeline and ultimately your bottom line?

We’d love to discuss your specific complex sales situation and help you determine how our proven program can dramatically build your sales pipeline, drive revenue, and bring velocity to your business growth.

Jim