Have you ever thought about how much work goes on behind the scenes of movies, plays, musicals, etc.? There are teams who work tirelessly to make whatever it is you’re watching as amazing as it can be. Without these backbones, many projects would crumble. The same is true with marketing agencies! While you can see the work of the creative team and get to talk to customer service or a client success manager, the sales team is often in the background. However, the people you have making sales are what keeps your company growing. Without them, you would not get any new clients, and your growth would screech to a halt.

Because the sales team is so important, you must hire the right people for the job and give them the proper training they need to be successful. We don’t think it needs to be said that salespeople should be personable, easy to talk to, and problem solvers. There are plenty of legitimate sales techniques that can be applied to take an already-accomplished employee to the next level. Here are our five favorite best sales practices.

1. P ractice Active Listening

All members of your sales team will be on dozens of calls per day, trying to get leads to close. Phone and in-person skills are both critical for a job in sales so that you can make the customer feel understood. To do so, it is essential for your salespeople to actively listen every time they speak to a client or prospect. Unlike passive listening, active listening requires the employee’s full attention so that they can listen to, respond to, and remember what was said in any given meeting. Think about how much you appreciate someone remembering a little fun fact about you; it probably makes you feel important to that person, right? Using this as a sales technique can go a long way when it comes to getting new clients because they know you care about them and their business enough to truly listen to them in meetings. This, in turn, can help you make more sales because you will set yourselves apart from other agencies. Earning more sales is always the goal, so active listening can confidently be called one of the best sales practices.

2. Scripts

On a related note to #2 is the idea of sales scripts. The use of scripts is a commonly-debated best sales practice and has been for years. Generally speaking, a sales script is a frequently used sales technique in just about every industry. The idea has been around for decades, but does that make it a best sales practice? There are pros and cons to using a script for sales. Let’s break them down briefly:

Pros:

- Easier training
- All prospects hear the same details and descriptions regardless of who they talk to
- More professional and informative voice mails
- You can test different versions to see what customers respond best to.

Cons:

- They lack personality
- The sales team may not be able to discuss things that are not on the script
- Using a strict script is robotic and uninviting
- Many sales scripts are similar across companies and can lump you with competitors rather than set you apart

So what’s the verdict on scripts? It’s entirely up to you, of course, but here’s what we do. Here at BusySeed, we utilize a sales script but not in the traditional sense. We do believe sales scripts are one of the best sales practices because it makes sure that all the essential points are hit on every single phone call. However, our sales team does not read off a script when talking to prospects. We opt for the modified sales technique of having a script with the basics but letting our salespeople ad lib as they see fit. This brings in the big personalities of our employees and our business, and lets prospects know that we are humans who want to help them succeed in business. We have found that getting rid of the hard and fast sales script has enabled us to make more sales while still getting our point across about what we do and why we can help the businesses we talk to.

3. Always Follow Up

When your sales team makes a call that is met with curiosity or a desire for more information, they should ALWAYS follow up. Even if the call was pretty lackluster, your team should follow up via email or phone call. Not only does a follow-up keep the line of communication open between you and a prospect, but it also shows that you sincerely want to work with them; enough to take time out of your day to talk to them again. If you really want to impress them, consider sending a note, postcard, or letter via actual mail. It shows even more time and dedication.

4. Use Engaging Content To Increase Sales on Facebook

Looking to make more sales on Facebook? The key is engaging content. What does this entail? If you want to make sales on Facebook, you need to have high-quality photos or videos of your product. You could have the nicest diamonds on earth for sale but if your images are low-res, you can kiss your Facebook sales goodbye. Consumers also want to see well-designed posts and clear, concise copy. While your content should focus on what you are selling, avoid using static images of products against plain backgrounds; it gets boring and people won’t interact with your content. Instead, put some basic graphic design skills to use and create an eye-catching ad or post. A great way to increase your sales on Facebook is to utilize carousel posts and ads. With these, you can showcase multiple products at once and link them to separate pages to make it convenient for people to purchase.

5. Advertise on LinkedIn for Lead Generation

LinkedIn Lead Generation ads can be hugely successful if you do them properly. You need to have something valuable to offer to anyone on the site. If you want people to click on your LinkedIn Lead Generation ad, consider adding an industry report or a blog post. The topics of these articles could peak interest and get someone to interact with your ad. When creating your LinkedIn Lead Generation ad, remember the general rule of thumb - to weed out the undesirable leads, ask more challenging questions. The more questions you ask, and the more complex they are, the lower the response rate will be for your ad. This means that those who do complete your form are genuinely interested in your product or service. This is a great way to get more good-quality leads from your LinkedIn Lead Generation ad so that your sales team does not need to waste time filtering through dead end leads.

There you have it! Our five best sales practice suggestions. With these sales techniques, you will quickly see improvements in the quantity and quality of your clients. Another quick tip (to be covered in a later blog, so check back soon): set up a partnership program with referral discounts, exclusive deals, etc. This makes it even easier to get good leads that are stable and ready to work with you. If you are looking for help with lead generation, contact BusySeed today! Our team has been getting solid leads for our clients for years, and our sales team knows all the tricks of the trade. Call today at (888) 353-1484 to speak to our VP of Business Development, Renato Gutierrez.