It is no secret that a great SaaS sales representative has a strong impact on the success of the sales process. SaaS is complex and requires for the SaaS sales experts to develop a knack for qualifying quality leads, being tenacious and making strong impressions to close the deals that may seem impossible.
Being efficient, creative, effective and knowledgeable about the SaaS product that you are trying to sell and how you are selling it is important. SaaS sales is the process of selling online web-based software to potential prospects and clients. The focus of SaaS sales is to not only acquire clients who are willing to buy the product presented to them but also retain the clients by upselling. To achieve this, there are certain unique qualities and traits that SaaS sales representatives possess which sets them apart from the regular sales representatives.
Closing a deal in the SaaS industry requires more than just basic knowledge or having a better product. For SaaS sales representatives to close a deal they need to map out their sales funnel that effectively and systematically lays out the beginning and end of a customer’s journey.
This blog is here to highlight the top 5 SaaS sales tips that all SaaS sales representatives know and follow.
Persistence, Persistence and… Persistence
A SaaS sales representative has to make an effort to connect with potential prospects having to make an average of 50 or more calls per day. It is tiring to do such a task every day with barely any results observed, making the work tedious.
With research showing the call-back rates being typically lower than 1%, one might come to a point where they wonder why they are even putting in so much effort. This is where one can see the persistence and determination of a SaaS sales expert. Instead of being discouraged and stopping their efforts to pursue prospects, they continue because they understand that once they connect with prospects, they can bring in meaningful results for the company.
SaaS sales experts understand that when they connect with a prospect that it is not the end of the sales process. They are consistently active in following up with the prospects and pitching trials and demos to them to solidify their purchase decisions.
Aligning Marketing and Sales
The biggest mistake that you could make as a SaaS sales representative is to think that marketing and sales should be independent of each other. SaaS is a complex industry and for successful prospecting and sales, utilization of data obtained from inbound marketing is necessary to make the buyer journey smoother and more natural.
Through inbound marketing, value driven content is produced which targets the desire of customers to experience and know the testimonials of other customers and if they were satisfied or not. Through a collaborative team effort of marketing and sales, nurturing a relationship with the customer becomes easier. SaaS companies know the importance of having core data and metrics - tracking visitors, conversion rates, trials, and closed deals. All this information helps the sales representatives and the company understand customer behavior, best sales practices, and how to improve over time.
It is the marketing teams that are responsible for managing this data and include sales reps in their discussions to ensure transparency and clear communication. By sharing insights and strategies between sales and marketing teams, a SaaS company can decrease the cost of customer acquisition.
Understanding and Utilizing Technology
The world of sales has been heavily influenced by the advance in technology, making it possible for sales reps to maximize productivity and enable increased interaction between prospects and sales reps.
There are many modern CRM tools that have enabled SaaS sales representatives to connect with users. Having the knowledge of using the latest technology to make the sales process easier and more efficient is the best way for sales reps to ensure a higher conversion rate and increased closed deals. Through email and SMS capabilities one can try to approach their prospects and inform them of the product. With continued exposure to the product details, its benefits and how it addresses their pain points, consumers go on to make direct purchases.
Upsell To Existing Customers
SaaS relies heavily on upselling rather than on bringing in new customers all the time. Selling software, an intangible product, is hard and requires more effort to build the trust of the prospects in the potential and benefits it carries. Thus, when SaaS sales reps close a deal with a prospect, they try to upsell to the existing customers as they already have a sense of trust and experience using the web-based product.
SaaS sales experts understand that upselling carries many growth opportunities for the company but they choose to overlook it. The reason for that is:
Upselling is hard.
When a relationship has been built with customers by selling a product to them, it can be hard to know when to approach the customer again to offer or sell something new to them. If the customer does not have a great experience with the SaaS product that you successfully pitched to them before, they may know your flaws and shortcomings. Knowing prior experiences of the customer, the details of your product, its strengths and weaknesses, and monitoring the interaction of the customer with the product is your best way to upsell successfully.
Becoming The Best SaaS Sales Representative
All these tips are a great way to improve and sharpen your skills as the best SaaS sales expert in the market. However, one thing that a SaaS sales expert should be dedicated towards to be the best is the desire and effort to learn. As mentioned before, SaaS is a complex product to sell to potential customers. It is not going to be easy to get the stats and achievements under your belt in the beginning. Investing your time and energy in learning about modern tools and relevant training will get you on the right track.
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