Let’s face it, B2B sales is undergoing a sea change. Thanks to the digital revolution, intensified by the global pandemic, every part of the sales process has evolved. And the biggest driver of change is the need to keep up with buyer behaviours and preferences.
As more and more of the sales process moves online, sales departments are under pressure to adapt their processes, technology and equip their team with new skills. And the sheer scope of this challenge means that for many businesses, outsourcing some or all of the sales function makes a lot of sense.
But what is outsourced sales? How can outsourcing your sales processes drive your results and help you achieve your business goals? We’ve outlined all you need to know throughout the rest of this expert guide. Let’s get started.
Outsourced sales is simply the act of partnering with a trusted third party to deliver some or all of your sales activities. It can work for companies of every size, but the main driver for almost every company is the need to close more deals and fast track revenue growth.
There are many specific triggers for making the decision to find an outsourced sales partner, from entering a new geographic region or filling gaps in internal resources, to reducing the overheads involved in setting up and running a sales operation.
It is important to choose an outsourced sales partner that is a good fit for your business; the right business development agency should be able to quickly demonstrate their ability to add value to your sales operation.
Remember, you are looking for a trusted business partner, who is willing to demonstrate their commitment to your success.
It is possible to outsource your entire sales function, and a significant minority of companies will take this approach. It can be a great way of staying focused on a company’s core competencies and keeping overheads low.
A good outsourcing partner will help you develop your business strategy and provide the skills you need to deliver on your revenue targets.
The vast majority of companies, however, will prefer to outsource specific areas of the sales process, to complement the skills and boost the success of their in-house team. Some of the most common B2B sales activities that are outsourced include:
Read More: The Difference Between Inbound and Outbound Telesales
Right, now that we’ve explained what Outsourced Sales is, we’ve put together ten reasons why we think it could make sense for your business. Some you may already be aware of, but others may surprise you.
A good outsourced sales company will boost growth and profitability. We would go so far as to say that saving money is one of the key drivers for outsourcing B2B sales.
The cost of recruiting, training and supporting a good sales person is high; and even the best recruiters will acknowledge that not every sales hire works out, causing many HR issues along the way.
A sales outsourcing partner means you can tap into a fully-fledged sales force instantly. Whatever stage your company is at, this is a huge benefit.
Speed and agility are more important than ever in today’s B2B world. Not only can sales outsourcing reduce your overheads, it is also much easier and faster than creating a sales team from scratch!
It takes almost 10 months to train a sales person; with an outsourcing partner you should start to see results in months.
It’s a competitive world out there. Meeting revenue targets consistently, month after month is tough and even the best sales people can have a bad day, or even a bad month.
Outsourcing some or all of your business development, lead generation and appointment setting activities can keep your top performers motivated by feeding them a regular flow of qualified opportunities.
As we mentioned, it can be challenging to maintain a consistent sales performance month after month. Sales people are naturally swayed by the pressure to meet monthly or quarterly revenue targets, which means they can neglect prospecting and pipeline development.
Without a strong pipeline, you are inevitably going to see sales drop at some point. The right sales outsourcing partner will smooth out those peaks and troughs that can put a business under real pressure.
The world is changing fast and even the most agile team can struggle to keep up with changing buyer behaviours.
Maybe your field sales team is finding it harder to book face to face appointments? Maybe your business development representatives need a morale boost?
Or perhaps you’re struggling to handle inbound enquiries or give marketing qualified leads the attention they deserve. An outsourced sales partner can help you find practical and innovative solutions to all of these challenges.
Learn More: Telesales vs Telemarketing vs Inside Sales: What’s the Difference?
There are still a lot of companies out there who haven’t heard of you! A sales outsourcing company can help profile your ideal customer, identify new opportunities and make contact with new prospects.
Not only that, but they can take the prospects through a discovery process to qualify them and nurture them until they are ready to buy. If you are in a fast-growth or crowded marketplace, ask yourself if you can really afford to wait for prospects to find you?
Many companies are jumping on the content marketing bandwagon. And there is no doubt that high-value content can ensure potential buyers find you in all the right watering holes.
However, if you neglect those inbound enquiries and fail to nurture them, you are not getting the full ROI from your content marketing strategy.
The same goes for LinkedIn connections, webinars and events. Prospects need to be qualified and they need nurturing to the point where they are ready to buy.
It can seem like a big step to invest in outsourced sales. Can you really trust your chosen agency? Will they deliver the quality and number of appointments they promise? However, your contract comes with accountability, which means it is actually a low risk decision.
At Pace, our Permission to Operate onboarding process means that we agree and commit to financial targets from the outset. That can mean some frank conversations, but a good sales outsourcing company should not be afraid of that.
It can often feel like you’re constantly putting out fires when you’re running a busy sales department. By outsourcing some of the activities that eat into your time and headspace, you will be able to develop that strategic plan that’s been on your mind for months now.
If you’ve been in B2B sales and marketing for any length of time, you will be familiar with the concept of sales and marketing alignment. Growth marketing, account-based marketing, even content marketing.
They’re all about aligning marketing with sales to fuel business growth. In reality this is not easy to achieve and can involve reinventing some cherished conceptions and processes. A sales outsourcing partner can help you find the way forward.
Related Reading: 10 Benefits of Outsourced Sales For Start-Ups
The benefits of outsourcing your sales processes are clear. A good partner can breathe new life into your sales activities, help you to capitalise on new opportunities and maximise the ROI from your marketing investment. They can also help to reduce your risk and free up time and headspace for you to focus on strategic areas.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sales process, or if you need to take your business to the next level, consider outsourcing to a specialist partner like Pace.
At Pace, we work with our clients to achieve their desired outcomes. We have over two decades of experience in outsourced sales and are passionate about helping businesses achieve their growth targets with our tailored Business Development Solutions and B2B Lead Generation Services.
To find out more, please get in touch today!
