Sales Outsourcing for Small Businesses

As a small company, wouldn’t it be nice to have the same caliber of inside sales assets at your disposal as a Fortune 500 company?

Sure, it would.

However, the reality is that there are several barriers that keep small companies from developing those inside sales assets. Executives and managers at small companies are Jacks of all trades. That’s because they need to be. The very nature of the size and financial situation of the organization dictates that everyone wears multiple hats. And, they must consistently do more with less. Consequently, even when someone within a small company is a master of one area of the business, it usually isn’t sales.

All of this translates into the likelihood that small companies will lack the resources required to operate an inside sales function that fuels growth and maximizes success. Here is where sales outsourcing comes into play.

Where to Begin?

The first barrier to a successful sales function is a simple one. Executives in many small organizations simply don’t know where to begin. They are busy living their roles day in and day out. This places them in the position of being so far in the weeds that they don’t have the perspective they need to even begin to build and effective inside sales function. This isn’t to say that they are completely lost. They may know what they need. They are just unsure about how to get started.

An outsourced sales partner can be of valuable assistance at this stage. It often helps to have an outsider come in and ask the right questions to learn about where the business is and where it should be. This partner can assess the organization’s sales assets to identify challenges, highlight successes, and discover areas of improvement before moving on to develop a strategy.

What’s the Strategy?

The next barrier is the lack of a good strategy. Assuming that the organization’s executives have figured out where to begin, they still need a strategy that will get the organization where it needs to go. They have clear objectives such as revenue targets, the number of closed deals, and the like. Now, they need help building a plan that will enable them to reach those objectives. Filling in the blanks between the start and finish lines is one of the major benefits that an outsourced sales partner brings to the table.

Difficulty with Finding and Training Talent

Whether you realize it or not, there is an ongoing war for good sales talent. This means that small companies that employ an HR generalist will have a difficult time finding and competing for star performers. That’s because hiring a salesperson is a unique challenge best left to a dedicated sales recruiter. There is no degree or certification that demonstrates that a salesperson has the abilities an organization requires. This means that hiring someone with an outstanding resume and lots of potential could still be a mistake. That person may not perform well within the organization or with what they are required to sell.

After the hire, the salesperson must then be trained, managed, and supported. Most small companies are able to conduct at least one good training, but then leave the salesperson to their own devices. The lack of ongoing training and support typically prevents the salesperson from performing as well as they should.

Hiring and training barriers are no problem for the right outsourced sales partner. The right partner has resources that are dedicated to finding and evaluating top talent. And, the right partner excels in initial and ongoing training, management, and coaching to make sure that the salesperson is making progress towards the organization’s sales objectives.

Difficulty with Maintaining Processes and Procedures

Most small companies don’t have sales managers to hold salespeople accountable. Not having a sales manager in place often means that essential sales processes and procedures are not followed on a daily basis.

Someone needs to be there to handle managing all of the sales enablement tools like the organization’s CRM system, integrating the sales function with the marketing department, and building out reports and dashboards so that executives and managers can have clear visibility into what’s happening in the sales department. These are just a few of the roles that an outsourced sales partner can perform with regards to managing sales processes and procedures.

Acquirent Breaks Down Barriers to Success

As a small company, you can have the same caliber of inside sales assets at your disposal as a Fortune 500 company. All it takes is partnering with Acquirent to outsource your inside sales function. Acquirent can help you figure out where you are and how you can begin to exceed your current sales goals. Acquirent also has the resources to find, train, and manage an outstanding sales team all within an environment that supports their success. You can find more information about Acquirent’s outsourced sales services here

When you are forced to do more with less, outsource your inside sales function to Acquirent and leverage a team approach for a fraction of the cost of doing it yourself.