You’ve got your sales plan in place and figured out your sales forecasts. The next step? It’s time to put your sales strategies into action – and start working towards your set goals.
Ask ten people and you’ll get ten different definitions of what a sales strategy is. So before we dive into our four examples, let’s get on the same page. For this blog, a sales strategy refers to the combined decisions, plans, actions, and targets you need to make a sale. It’s shared with your entire sales network and is your business’s single source of truth when it comes to processes, product positioning, and the competition.
Sales Cloud Demo
Transform sales management and improve your bottom line with Sales Cloud. Sales Cloud lets you sell the way you want and connect to your customers the way they want. Find leads, close deals and streamline your sales process.
That’s right: your sales strategy covers a lot.
So let’s look at strategies that’ll help you increase your online sales.
These days, it’s possible to analyse your buyers’ behaviour down to the smallest detail, and right across the entire customer journey. This means you can tailor online sales strategies to suit the route each customer takes.
(Side note: This means it’s critical to keep reviewing and updating your buyer personas. As the customer journey gets more fluid, you should regularly check in with your personas, and adapt your sales strategies in line.)
Now, let’s dig into these examples.
Sales strategies: three successful examples
1. Qualify potential customers
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear, does it make a noise? That’s debatable.
What isn’t up for debate is this: if you plan out a fantastic sales strategy and aim it at the wrong customers, all of your resources will have gone to waste.
So, start with your CRM. Analyse your database to identify the customers most likely to make a purchase. For example, you might find that existing customers are your best customers because they have a higher likelihood of making a repeat purchase.
(A thorough follow-up process will help you build out this list of high-intent repeat buyers.)
2. Give priority to customers who contact your business
Whether you’re scrolling on LinkedIn or checking your personal emails, you’re bombarded with marketing messaging and sales offers. This means you’re not just competing for your customers’ share of wallet – you’re competing for a share of attention too.
When a customer reaches out to your business, prioritise them. Put processes in place that make sure your sales team gets back to them fast. Like, within 24 hours.
They’ve made the effort to contact you, so capitalise on that attention – and don’t let it go to waste.
Reply quickly, showing you respect the time they’ve given you, and (most importantly) that your business can help them solve their problems.
3. Increase online sales through social networks
When you define your buyer persona, it is easy to figure out on which social network they spend most of their time and when, and therefore where to direct your efforts and during what times of the day.
Social networks are a treasure trove of information, including for understanding how your buyer persona expresses him/herself so that you can suitably adapt the tone of voice for each sales initiative.
A bonus sales strategy (that’s pure gold): Offer your customer a personalised benefit
Customers aren’t necessarily looking for a product. (In some cases, they might not even know the product they need exists.)
No, customers are looking for answers. For solutions. They want something that will make their lives easier; that means they can clock off earlier; that gives them peace of mind and eradicates those late-night worries.
Use this to get the edge with your online sales strategy.
Map specific benefits to your products, and then to the relevant customers and prospects. Then, base your targeted digital marketing and advertising campaigns on these super-specific offers – and make sure your sales team are ready to follow up.
So, there you have it: four strategies to help you ignite your online sales.
Ready to kick it up a notch?
Sales Cloud Demo
Transform sales management and improve your bottom line with Sales Cloud. Sales Cloud lets you sell the way you want and connect to your customers the way they want. Find leads, close deals and streamline your sales process.
