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Are your salespeople underperforming? We’re not saying you should start to point fingers one by one or hang up a “Wall of Shame” in the office, but think about it: Which of your current salespeople are consistently struggling to generate warm leads out of cold calls? Which of them can’t seem to convert leads, even warm leads, due to a lack of information or some other recurring obstacle?
And now, while considering the convicting saying, “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” think about things from a more team-oriented perspective. Reflect on your entire sales staff as a whole and ask yourself:
- How would you rate their overall performance?
- What is their average lead conversion rate?
- Are they well-educated on the businesses and industries they prospect?
- Are they able to build rapport easily?
- Do they come across as trusted advisors to your prospects and customers? Or are they viewed as desperate salespeople who are just out to make a buck?
- Are they able to convert prospects into customers before interest in your products and services is lost forever?
- Are they able to respond promptly and efficiently to prospect and customer needs?
- Are they able to continue delighting customers even after they sign their contracts? Or do they too frequently neglect the retention aspect of the sales process?
If you’re reading this and feeling a little defeated, don’t worry! We get it! The truth is: Our parent company, Zimmer Communications, has been there too. We’ve analyzed our sales teams, faced some pretty daunting realizations, and had to formulate a plan to rise above such seemingly insurmountable odds. But through all of that, we discovered something: There’s hope!
How To Fix Your Underperforming Sales Team Through Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing was (and still is) our hope of reviving our sales and, consequently, our marketing departments. Inbound marketing provides a tried and true formula for resuscitating lifeless sales teams into lead-generating machines who are viewed as expert advisors. Here are some highlights of what inbound marketing can do for your sales team:
- Through strategic content (such as blog posts, eBooks, whitepapers, videos, podcasts, webinars, and more), inbound marketing educates prospects while they are still in the decision-making stages of the buyer’s journey.
- Such content results in lead generation. But keep in mind: These aren’t just any leads; These are warm, sales-qualified leads who are willing to talk to salespeople to learn more.
- Inbound marketing allows sales teams to leverage educational content, using it with prospects to help guide them closer to making a purchase decision. This makes sales teams come across as experts, positioning them as trusted advisors instead of desperate salespeople trying to meet a quota.
- Inbound marketing provides automation options through software programs like HubSpot, providing salespeople with a system for streamlining and tracking all conversations that take place with leads.
- Inbound marketing allows salespeople the opportunity to continue delighting their customers with additional educational content even after contracts are signed and services are delivered. As a result, retention, referral, and overall customer satisfaction rates are drastically improved.
Ready to Transform Your Sales Team?
Does inbound marketing sound like the right solution for your underperforming sales team? Not sure how you’ll implement it or budget for it? Consider replacing your worst-performing salesperson with a solid inbound marketing strategy. Take another look at the benefits above. Can you really risk putting up with a lackluster sales team when the tried and true promises of inbound marketing are knocking at your business’ door?
Still have questions? Want to know more about what an inbound strategy would look like? Take a look at our eBook below and learn more specifically how inbound marketing can help transform your underperforming sales team into a lead-generating machine!
Originally published 6/13/19 - Updated 7/31/23
