Over the past 10 years over a dozen of our virtual sales and marketing engagements have been supporting the sophisticated sales efforts of call centers, business process outsourcers and knowledge process outsourcers. This has been invaluable in helping us learn how to best provide our clients with operational excellence. We keep our finger on the pulse of innovation, and it has given us a unique perspective of what is necessary to consider on the front end in order to ensure successful engagements.
Outsourcing sales and marketing is unlike any other form of outsourcing or professional service. If done properly, the result looks like a blend of customer service, business process, and knowledge process as well as the creative “art of the close.” It’s our position that sales strategy has shifted, and the focus is on the science and the process, with the art coming second. With that being said, one thing we have learned from working in outsourced models for as long as we have is that there is no universally successful approach. The more you share with your potential partner upfront, the more successful you will be.
So, to kick start this dialogue, we want to focus on the following areas to help those of you considering to outsource sales come to understand our strategy and approach on the front-end:
What am I looking to change about sales and marketing, and how well are they aligned?
More leads, closed deals and more revenue is just the beginning. Am I taking a new product to market? Do I need to improve my margins? Do I want clients that can scale? Do I want to be in a growth vertical? Do I want to sell to the budget makers or the budget spenders? Do I want to be in a new geography? Do I want to empower my channels? Is it about pipe velocity or pipe quality? – All of these questions should already be buzzing about your thought process.
Are my sales team and management currently viewed as a strength or weakness?
It’s tough to bridge the gap between sales and marketing. Everyone likes to sit in their own silo. Sales people especially are often overly optimistic, and marketing has a hard time matching this measurable success and enthusiasm. If you ride them too hard though, they lose confidence and drive. If you don’t hold them accountable than the pipe can’t be expected to bear fruit. A question emerges: does it make sense to delegate that management to a partner that is contractually bound to hit targets and service levels from day one?
Will outsourcing help me to manage my risk?
This is a loaded question, but we find the answer will almost always be yes. Organizations that outsource sales are bound contractually to target, metrics, reporting requirements and feedback requirements most organizations rarely get from their employees. Outsource sales organizations reduce fixed costs and migrate to a variable expense on your P&L’s. Outsourced sales and organizations get rid of your need for hard infrastructure and capital investments in technologies and marketing platforms. With an outsourced team you get a Senior Sales and Marketing Talent, Executive Talent, a functioning sales machine and marketing support for generally the same cost as a senior enterprise rep. For new product launches, outsourced partners provide real time market intelligence right off the bat due to their combination with lead gen activities. You get instant impressions and insight into the marketplace.
For more on Gabriel Sales or B2B sales outsourcing, please contact us.
