If you’re struggling to stay on top of your startup sales, you must have already thought about outsourcing sales or at least a part of your sales process… and asked yourself, if it is possible and good for your company. The definition of sales outsourcing says, via Wikipedia, that it is a way for companies to attract increased, high volumes of sales for their products or services by using a third party. This third party companies are usually dedicated and highly experienced in sales, so they can be a huge help for your own sales experts team.
Sales outsourcing costs are low, which makes it an easy solution to your problem. Besides, there are so many people around you who rely on outsourced sales for startups.
But before you outsource your sales, think it over carefully. It can, but doesn’t have to be a good solution for your business. It all depends on the industry, the company and its sales structure.
Why Outsourced Sales for Startups Can Be Risky?
Team of sales reps work properly when they know the product like the back of their hand. They should also know everything there is to know about the company behind it. You need reliable brand ambassadors for your product, not random people who just read your brief.
Don’t forget that your product deserves the spotlight. That’s why it should be represented by salespeople who put their heart into creating it. The same people will serve as the best possible representatives of your company culture which is critical to successful sales and branding.
You can be sure that when dealing with this type of internal salespeople, customers will have all their questions and curiosities answered. The professionalism and reliability consumers encounter at the initial purchasing stages will help them to see your brand in a positive light. And that’s the first step to gaining their trust, which is crucial for sales.
Finally, you can be sure that outsourcing isn’t going to work as a long-term solution. At one point or another, you’ll need to bring more salespeople on board. Why waste time and money for a temporary solution and outsourced sales team while you could be scouting for talented workers to boost your sales for the years to come?
What You Can Outsource and Actually Gain
Still, there are a couple of things that work in outsourced sales for startups.
First, there’s lead generation. Generating new leads is time-consuming, and you can easily delegate it to an external company that knows your target. If you need help in getting more leads to power your sales get in touch with us.
Another smart way for outsourcing sales is through consultancy. External consultants will help you manage your sales department, teach you how to structure your sales offer, or define your pricing strategy. I think it’s smart for startups to outsource this part of their sales department. They usually have limited or no experience in sales and need some good advice in this area.
If you can manage the costs of outsourcing sales consultancy, you should definitely go for it or at least try for a short period of time and check if that works for your business.
As you can see, outsourcing your sales is a tricky matter. To have a clear image and make the decision easier, let’s sum up all the pros and cons of outsourcing sales:
Pros
- you don’t have to care about lead generation, that can be tiring and boring
- you get the cream: deals with the best leads, close sales faster and expand your business
- you can learn a lot from the external experts and re-organise your own sales team, so you save time and money on training
- you have more time on your hands for plenty of other tasks to catch up with
Cons
- no external salesman and sales outsourcing company will know more about your own product or service than you and your team
- you have smaller influence on how your product and brand is represented
- it is a temporary solution and you will need real brand ambassadors in the future
- it can be expensive
My experience shows that outsourced sales for startups work only when they aren’t directly involved with customers.
Whether it’s helping you to build a better sales department for your startup, or presenting you with a list of leads ready to be engaged and converted, outsourcing sales can help you save plenty of time. Take a closer look at the costs of outsourcing your sales, browse through different solutions, and set on the one that will help boost your startup’s bottom line.
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