In this blog we will gather all the interesting information about sales, its functions, how it is organized, what work methodology should be used, some examples and advice that will lead you to potentiate this department in your company.
The sales area is one of the most important in a small or medium-sized organization, since it represents the main channel of communication between customers and the company.
Of course it is a very broad concept, but basically we are going to focus on what the sales area is and its 6 key functions.
Let's go!
What is the sales area?
First we will briefly explain the meaning of sales, as it is one of the oldest professions in the world. This practice was previously known as bartering, there was no monetary value for the products.
In the commercial and professional field, sales are a fundamental part of companies, because without a sale there is no money, there is no growth, or profitability in the company.
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Guide on sales: everything you need to know
Now yes, let's focus on the definition of the sales area.
It refers to the team that is in charge of managing and promoting the products and services of a company, whatever the sector, this includes the identification of new markets, the creation of commercial opportunities, management with clients, monitoring of the results and the competitor analysis.
This area can take many forms to nurture the potential client, it has to work effectively in order to generate more business and money for the company.
What are the functions of the sales department?
When it comes to sales responsibility, it's important to understand the impact each has on the customer, on the team, and on the company.
Next, we share this list of 6 basic functions and their examples:
Develops and executes strategies to achieve the desired sales according to the mission and vision of the company.
Example: a sales process guide document to which the work team has access will be their "bible".
Generate new clients and maintain regular contact with them, create a long-term relationship.
Example: we can see this function in the collection of possible qualified leads that we can retain in the long term.
Keeps up to date with changes in the market and the digital age
Example: by being aligned with the marketing area, you will know first-hand what the current trends and methodologies are.
Research and analyze the market to identify growth opportunities
Example: the sales team decides to use a CRM tool and efficient methods such as RD Station PEACE.
Manage and monitor sales performance so you know if you need to change your initial strategies and goals.
Example: use the sales funnel to develop measurement indicators or know for sure if you achieved what you wanted.
Evaluate and monitor the indicators.
Example: weekly or monthly reports of the results of each seller in order to provide feedback.
How to organize the sales area?
You will say... it is super easy to organize a sales area, but it really has its challenges and challenges, which requires thinking about a differential, standing out from the rest and always doing the best.
As a suggestion, we recommend a new sales method, which you will love and will help you organize the area; is a methodology carried out by the RD Station team: new PEACE sales method.
Join me to know this method in depth!
The acronym PEACE stands for: Process , Empowerment , Approach , Closure , and Evolution . Let's see the definition of each concept:
Process : sequence of steps to attract a customer
Empowerment : the participation and training of the sales team
Approach : approaching the client through communication channels
Closing: monitoring of the measurement indicators of the sales funnel Evolution: analyzing the final results and making decisions.
P rocess
A good process is the basis of sales and almost 30% of companies do not have it structured , it is like putting on your shoes first and then your socks, inconsistent!
To build a sales process, the following information must be defined:
- What is our type of client or the ICP (The Ideal Client) , study your profile to have a base of important clients and know at what stage of the journey you are. In addition, connecting it with the sales funnel, as we have seen in other spaces, should not only matter the purchase decision, but also the user experience when making it.
- Designing a sales PlayBook , an instruction manual where we can find information about the company, the market, the commercial area and the description of the sales processes, this will be the "bible" of a seller.
- Finally, use a tool that allows you to plan and evaluate processes for defined times, a CRM in sales. The one from RD Station can work perfectly.
Empowerment _
It focuses on the participation of the sales team after obtaining a defined process. In a few words, it will be the training stage so that it continues aligned and the proposed objectives are met.
At this stage, the role of the area leader or manager is crucial , who will provide the motivation and path for success.
to enclosure
In this phase of the methodology, the appropriate channels must be determined to have this approach with the client and obtain a sales opportunity.
Some means of communication that you can have on your radar are: telephone, email and WhatsApp, do not forget that if you address a client who is not in any of the stages of the purchase journey, you will waste time.
closing _
In this step, we advise you to track sales funnel measurement indicators such as conversion rates. You will wonder if this should be necessary and of course it is, because this information gives you the basis for making decisions and knowing if the main objective and strategy is being met.
Here we leave you a graph of the sales funnel so you don't lose sight of it.
E volution
“The success of management is the success of the team ”
With this sentence we reach the last stage, where it will be necessary to review what works to invest, analyze the state of your team and possible bottlenecks in the sales funnel phase.
You could focus on ensuring the success of the operation, on the analysis of the data and on the motivation of the team.
Changes are scary and more so in processes, but it is a period that will not last forever, it is about working hard with your team and guaranteeing effective results.
If you want to know more about PEACE, enter our 100% free course and strengthen your sales department.
Importance of the sales department in a company
Without the sales area, you will not achieve any objective of the brand or the marketing strategy, therefore, you have to define what type of area is needed and start with its structuring.
And the million dollar question: Why is a sales area so important in a company?
This department is essential for the success of a business, because it helps to improve the profitability of the company and promote the products or services of the brand.
The sales area can become a slow process that requires commitment and persistence to deliver results, but it depends on you.
4 Methodologies for teamwork
The main thing is to guarantee champion teams!
It is not only having a volume of personnel, but also a high degree of belonging to the process and to the execution of the sales area.
We want you to first keep this checklist in mind to build your top sales team:
- Establishes a profile of the candidate, in order to identify the necessary qualities of a successful salesperson, this includes skills, experience and knowledge.
- Establishing sales objectives for team building will allow you to make better decisions.
- The team must have tools such as CRM software, data analysis, digital marketing and tracking.
Sometimes it is difficult to find the best teamwork methods, as we only realize this when we fail at some stage of the sales process , so let's take a look at three teamwork methodologies that can work for you.
Methodology – OKRs
This method is one of the most used in the areas of marketing and sales, if you have not practiced it yet, we will give you a brief explanation.
Let's first understand how its acronym translates:
Objectives
Key
Results
Objectives and Key Results
Created by Andrew Grove, former CEO of Intel Corporation, used to optimize the performance of collaborators under the proposed objectives.
Some companies that have included this methodology in their workflows are Netflix, LinkedIn and Google. Why not implement it in your business?
It is almost always applied to align the entire team and visualize the entire focus on meeting the initial objectives as the area progresses.
A piece of information that you must take into account to put this methodology into practice is the structuring of the general objective and the specific objectives in the short, medium and long term, then determine the actions and key results to develop each objective.
Advantages
– Strengthen communication with your work team
– You focus on what really matters
– You will be able to monitor the performance of your business through indicators
– Make decisions about the results of each team member
– Improves the ability of the team to concentrate
Methodology – Kanban Boards
Kanban was created by Taiichi Ohno, a Japanese Toyota engineer to improve the company's production system and the activities of each employee.
Translation of Kanban into Spanish is: Kan: visual and Ban: cards
This visual project management methodology , based on the organization of activities on cards placed on a physical board, with access to the work team at all times. Here are the stages of the tasks or actions to be executed, whether they are in progress, on hold or finished.
Now that we are in the digital age, these virtual boards already exist in tools like Asana, where the leader can assign tasks to each person, with their respective delivery time.
You can play with the colors and labels that the platform has available.
Advantages
– Allows the team to visualize the flows and workload
– Progressive and evolutionary changes
– Monitoring of the functions of each team member
– Respect the roles and responsibilities of each collaborator
Methodology – Design Thinking
To start Design Thinking or Design Thinking, it was created in the 80s by David Kelley, an American professor and businessman, with the aim of turning around the teaching methods of design students at Stanford University, where They had the ability to overcome any challenge thanks to creativity.
Design Thinking is a favorite of companies like Apple and Google.
Currently, this methodology is used to solve problems and reach a solution that does not affect the company. It is directed in these 5 stages:
1. Empathize: contextualize the problem we are facing and put ourselves in their shoes to choose the best solution.
2. Define: route the aspects that can give value to that solution under the needs of the client.
3. Ideate: creative solutions that benefit the client begin to be proposed. At this stage we recommend you find a space to brainstorm with the team and thus build the appropriate ones.
4. Prototype: here you will build the final ideas to show the end user
5. Evaluate: what is not evaluated does not exist, for this reason, it is very important to receive feedback from the client to know if their problem was solved according to the ideas and solutions previously defined by the team.
Advantages
-Reinforces teamwork
-Encourages creativity
-Strengthen work under pressure
-Creates a good work environment
Methodology – PEACE
We already talked about this as essential, but at this point I want to reinforce that since 2014, we, at RD Station, have been talking and following sales managers from the most diverse markets, industries, sizes and seniority on a daily basis, to trying to understand what sales methods work and what doesn't work for business leaders.
After speaking with thousands of people, we realized that there is a pattern of actions among those who have an efficient and productive team , different from those who consider sales as an activity to be lucky and the "gift of persuasion". ».
Based on this observation, a management methodology was born to help companies achieve better results: PEACE. A predictable, scalable and sustainable way.
Meet goals with less uncertainty and more efficiency. Learn about the new sales method! PEACE: high performance and productivity sales management.
Faced with these scenarios, remember that taking a step forward will always be an advantage to achieve your business objectives.
Let's take a breath to finish this blog with some success stories that will inspire you.
Do not miss it!
Examples of good sales areas
To encourage you to strengthen your sales area, we will mention some success stories in SMEs that you can take as an example and make the right decision.
- GAIA
One of the first startups in Mexico in furniture and design has achieved an increase in its sales using CRM tools and communication channels such as email, telephone and social networks with the purpose of securing its clients.
In addition to enhancing customer service.
- MAKEUPS
A company from Manizales, Colombia dedicated to the manufacture of machinery for the preparation of typical Latin American foods such as empanadas and arepas, exports to more than 35 countries.
Having several challenges in their sales processes and with more than 10 years in the market, they decided to give RD Station's automation processes a chance, but without affecting their financial muscle.
They aimed to potentiate these qualified leads through a sales manual in the commercial area that would allow knowing the needs of the client.
Likewise, they used marketing channels and sales actions such as: increase in organic traffic, increase in sales and generation of qualified leads.
Play the video to learn this story!
- DREAM FACTORY
It is a Mexican company dedicated to creating unforgettable moments with surprise gifts, its plus is 100% e-commerce.
One of its main needs was to increase sales and position itself in the market. So the sales team, realizing their shortcomings, decides to look for a platform that will help them strengthen their sales team and generate a 360-degree strategy.
Dream Factory, choose RD Station and implement the Inbound Marketing methodology, increasing sales by a significant percentage.
In general, the results were given by the synergy and communication of the sales and marketing area of the company.
¡Dale play al video!
Tips for an excellent sales area
As we finish this post, we want to give you these 5 tips to optimize and highlight the sales area of your company. So look for your notes application on your cell phone or computer and save these tips.
Tip #1
A high-quality sales team will achieve long-term success, because the right people with experience and skills will take you to the top.
Tip #2
Establish incentives, it is very important to keep the team motivated, as we said before they are our first brand ambassadors . Don't forget to maintain a good working environment.
Tip #3
Set realistic and achievable goals. Remember to evaluate and measure everything planned
Tip #4
Use tools or methodologies that strengthen the workflow with the team
Tip #5
Last but not least, he always directs, leads and evaluates the team in the pre-sale, sale and post-sale process.
conclusions
We will hear that the success or failure of a company depends on the actions of the sales area, since it is the engine of the business, however, there are too many possibilities for this to end and take another direction.
At this point in the content, we can share some conclusions on the subject.
- In today's world, marketing and sales must be in the organizational chart of a company.
- Data analysis, essential for the entire shopping journey
- The use of methodologies that empower your work team
Count on us to strengthen or create your sales department!
