Introduction Growing a company is hard on its own and the moment you have to add a sales team to generate leads that can lead to even more headaches. Should you consider hiring an in-house sales team? But the overhead costs, the training, and everything else! At this point, maybe it’s time to consider a sales outsourcing team. Sales outsourcing has seen an incredible rise over the past few years since having an outsourced sales team is a game-changer in saving both you and your business’s time and money. Remember, you and your internal team can’t do it all. So, don’t stretch yourself too thin. Why are companies seeking sales outsourcing? Here are some reasons why companies are opting for an outsourced sales team: Lack of Experience Having no experience in sales can be disastrous for any business. Not only is your sales team responsible for closing deals, but they have also professionally to represent your brand. Expertise comes at a steep price, especially if you’re still considering getting your in-house team. This is where an outsourced sales team can come in. They have experience with the type of product or service you produce and the market, industry, and clients you serve. An outsourced sales team will help you generate new revenue in a space that you wouldn’t even imagine tapping. They will also introduce you to several types of sales representatives, such as customer success managers and solution engineers, all of which will build in lifetime value with an intelligent cross-sell or up-sell approach. With these experts taking the lead in sales, you and your internal staff can do what you do best. Speed and Flexibility in Hiring There’s a shorter ramp-up time with an outsourced sales team. It will usually take them from six to eight weeks to go from engagement to launch. In stark contrast to this, it can take you months to recruit and train in-house professionals. With an outsourcing provider, you have a bigger talent pool on hand who already have onboarding experience. Risk Reduction An outsourcing sales team will ease the burden of the many risks that are associated with building and managing sales teams, including the risk of hiring the wrong people. Imagine not having to go through the headache of hiring and paying new employees now and then. What’s more, with a highly experienced outsourced sales team, you won’t have to worry about training your employees to keep ahead of the current trends in sales and marketing. You’ll be paying extra for that as well. Outsourcing gives you access to the skills you need when you need it. Furthermore, valuable sales outsourcing companies will typically offer terms of engagement wherein they share in the risk of fully burdened costs. That’s how confident they are in their capability to deliver you the results your business needs. Scalability It’s a fast-paced world out there and you need to be able to scale sales to keep up with the goings-on of the industry you are in. Fortunately, with an outsourced sales provider, you can hire more professionals or subtract from your existing pool whenever you need to. You can start with a dedicated team of around five to ten representatives and scale to what your business needs to prepare for a product launch and anticipated high demand. Expanding to New Markets If you are rolling out a new product or service or expanding to a new area or region, an outsourced sales team can build a sales plan from scratch within a short amount of time. Furthermore, since the costs are relatively low and you can withdraw at any moment, you have the freedom and opportunity to experiment and test a new strategy. Now, you might have already decided that hiring an outsourced sales team is for you. The big question now is which of the sales outsourcing companies you are going to employ. Here are the most important aspects of sales outsourcing you need to look out for: Area of Expertise Sales outsourcing companies are very different from each other in that they specialize in different things. For you to be able to work with the best outsourcing company that will fit what you’re looking for, you’ll first have to figure out the goals you have in mind. There are sales outsourcing companies that specialize in a specific industry; some focus on sales appointment setting, and others in a particular geographic area. Some specialize in telesales outsourcing, while some are more adept with omnichannel sales or social selling. There are even companies that combine a few or all of the above. Whatever it is you need for the projects you have in mind, it’s essential to have clear and specific goals so that it’s easier for you to determine which sales outsourcing company to partner with. Furthermore, it’s crucial to note the type of businesses the outsourcing sales company has already worked with. Check their track record. If you are a SaaS company, you wouldn’t want to work with one that does not have previous experience within the field before. For this, look for case studies and follow up with reference calls. Remember, the cheapest solution isn’t always the best one. Cutting costs shouldn’t mean cutting quality. Achievements Other than the impact of outsourcing sales on your overhead cost, the reason why you are considering a partnership is the growth they can bring to the table. Ask about their notable achievements and how their clients have grown with them. Take note of their selling process–from generating leads to closing deals. You may also opt to look at their current roster of clients. Check if they have any referrals or success stories. Cover your bases as much as possible. Word of mouth is the most reliable source when it comes to understanding more about the sales outsourcing companies you are contemplating partnering with. Should you find it difficult to know their achievements, it is best to move on. This is a sign and you should be wary of the integrity of the company. Alignment with your Company Hiring an outsourced sales team requires finding out if they are the right fit. To do this, you might need to meet every team member. This is to ensure that the firm can adapt and align with your organization and the established processes you might already have. The last thing you’d want is misalignment over anything surrounding your buyer’s persona, messaging, and other vital aspects of your sales funnel. The right outsourced sales team should work closely with you and your internal leadership to fully integrate your processes and strategies. Make sure that the outsourcing firm you are choosing has an effective onboarding process so that everything will flow smoothly once they are mixed in with your team. Affordability While you do want superior quality when it comes to an outsourced sales team, it’s also essential to take note of the cost implications. Understand whether or not this investment will pay off. Make sure the provider will give an accurate estimate of the value that they will deliver. Make a forecast of the ROI you’ll get from an outsourced sales team. To do this, measure the service’s cost against the amount of value you will obtain from it. You need a few extra hands to grow. If you’re set on getting a sales team without having to experience any financial stress, now’s the time to look into a few sales outsourcing companies.
