Suppose you were asked to speak at an event. How would you prepare? Would you wing it and say whatever comes to mind? Or would you develop a clear outline? In order to make your presentation meaningful to your audience, you will likely need a structure or process, just like a good speech does.
Your sales reps will provide customers with positive and consistent experiences — no matter who they talk to — if your sales workflow is effective.
This guide is designed to help you build a sales workflow tailored to your business, and build it scalable.
What is a sales workflow?
Workflows are a series of repeatable steps a sales team takes to turn a prospect into a closed customer. They provide reps with a framework to close deals consistently.
Why build a sales workflow?
In sales, a workflow is a guide that helps your sales team convert potential leads into customers. Marketing’s lead generation efforts would quickly fail without the map. When you develop a proper sales workflow, you make more money. It can also help less experienced reps become familiar with best practices.
How to Create a sales workflow
You can map your sales process by walking through each step, comparing it to your business, customers, and sales team. By identifying inefficiencies, learning from what’s working, and aligning sales workflow with business goals, your team can develop a sustainable long-term growth strategy.
Let’s walk through how to map a sales workflow using a fictional business example so that you understand where you are coming from with every decision you make.
1. It is best to begin at the end.
In terms of setting sales goals, keep your plan simple but specific for your team. Knowing where you’re going will help you reach your destination.
2. Engage all stakeholders.
There are other departments in your organization that have a stake in your sales workflow. These departments include marketing, product, customer service, information technology, and more. Get these stakeholders involved, share your goal, and get their support.
3. Outline the sales workflow steps.
Now we’re going to go over each step as it pertains to your business, products, and sales team. Take a look at your sales workflow history to see which steps were successful, and where prospects stopped. You can map out what teams affect each step with your stakeholders on board, and what actions they can take — particularly sales.
4. Map the buyer’s journey.
Make a note of your customers’ habits and reactions to your sales workflow on the same document. Ensure your buyer personas are readily accessible to ensure you remain customer-centric.
5. Implement changes, test, and measure.
Having mapped out your sales workflow, both from the seller and buyer’s point of view, is the first step to putting it into action. It’s not until you test and measure your sales workflow that you’ll know if it impacts your goal.
Dive Into Your sales workflow to Grow Better
A sales workflow will help your sales team close more deals and convert more leads. It will also give prospects a consistent experience that’s representative of your brand. Boost conversions and build lasting relationships today by creating and mapping a sales workflow tailored to your business, sales team, and customers.
