Navigating Success: Avoiding the Top Mistake Most Small Sales Teams Make

1. The Top Mistake Most Small Sales Teams Make Your company might be ruining its own sales funnel. Plenty of companies are. That’s because they have their account executives (AEs) do everything from lead generation to deal signing. The common belief is that AEs know best and having them handle everything will build a firmer relationship with prospects right from the start. But is this sales team strategy really the most effective? Here are some small business sales tips to help you out. The Downside of Doing Everything Having AEs handle everything can lead to a significant opportunity cost that is hard to quantify. Many companies do not consider this or are unwilling to take what they perceive as a gamble on sales improvement by investing in a specialized lead

2. generation team. Unfortunately, they think having a specialized team will be more costly—one of the most common sales outsourcing misconceptions. This approach essentially creates an “excuse engine” out of a sales rep. Sales reps often find themselves saying, “I can’t do everything—I’m not getting enough leads, or I don’t have time to work these deals.” And they are right. AEs end up spending 30% to 40% of their time doing lead generation, which leaves less time for closing deals. So they end up wasting their time on less valuable tasks while leaders try to find sales optimization tips. But those might even be the tasks they’re worse at—after all, not everyone is good at everything. Some people are great at creating opportunities, while others are incredible at closing deals. By not specializing, you weigh down your top performers with other burdens, which is not efficient. Only 20% of salespeople drive most companies’ revenue, and even fewer can do other jobs like lead generation at the same time. Additionally, without divisions in the sales process, it is impossible to identify problems and fix them. This lack of monitoring can lead to inefficiencies and lost opportunities. The Importance of Specialization Specialization is key to proper sales team management. By figuring out who is good at what and assigning roles accordingly, you can remove the possibility for excuses and determine whether your AEs are closers or not. This approach also allows you to monitor performance at all stages of the sales funnel and identify and fix problems as they arise. Many firms claim that their sales reps handle the full sales cycle, including sales prospecting, lead generation, follow-ups, appointment setting, nurturing, inbound calls, and contract negotiations. However, this approach burdens the sales reps with unnecessary work. On the other hand, firms like Salaria offer handoffs without handholding. While SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) are expensive because you need to train them, Salaria’s professionals are all ready to go, saving your sales reps time.

3. While it may seem cost-effective to have AEs handle everything, this approach has several downsides, including the opportunity cost, inefficiencies, and the burden it places on your top performers. Specialization is key to optimizing the sales process and driving revenue. Outsourcing to quality lead generation and sales prospecting services like Salaria can be a more efficient way to generate leads without burdening your sales reps with unnecessary work. Remember, no handholding, no tools, no excuses—just 30 minutes of your time per week. A good firm is the most efficient way to generate leads. So, take a step back, assess your sales process, and make the necessary changes to optimize it for success. Interested in saving yourself some money, accelerating your revenue growth, and letting your AEs focus on what they do best? Reach out to Salaria to have a conversation today. Source: https://salariasales.com/the-top-mistake-most-small-sales-teams-make/