Is Your Foodservice Equipment Sales Process Broken?

Do you have a defined sales process?

What does it actually look like?

Does it need to be redefined?

A familiar trend we continue to see in the foodservice equipment industry is that sales and marketing leaders are trying to figure out:

2) How to track what leads are closing and determine the ROI of their marketing efforts

Whether you're a rep or manufacturer, you must first determine what an SQL actually is. Typically, they should be ready for a quote, specs, a demo, or to talk with a product specialist or a local sales rep.

It's important to ask, what does an SQL look like for my company? And then, what will I do with an SQL once it's received? Is there a defined process for getting my SQL (along with the sales intelligence that comes with it) to the correct sales person for efficient follow up?

NO DEFINED PROCESS?

No worries. You're not alone. Let’s think about how to bridge that gap between a qualified lead and getting into the right sales person’s hands. It’s not an easy task to figure out, especially if you have several different types of products you are selling that require several different types of processes. But it still must be defined and agreed upon across by both sales and marketing.

WHY DO WE NEED A DEFINED SALES PROCESS?

There are a number of reasons why your company should have a defined sales process. Let’s take forecasting, for example. Forecasting revenue one month out, let alone three, six, or even a year out, can be very difficult if you don’t have a defined sales process or a CRM tool to manage the sales pipeline.  

Second, human intervention is still required as an SQL comes through your website, email, and/or a phone call before it gets routed to the correct sales rep. Do you really know how much time it takes before that website lead is ‘touched’? A few days? A week? The fact is, today’s buyers are looking for a response within hours, not days or weeks. The more time that passes, the more time your competitors can swoop in and take over the deal. 

MARKETING HAS TO BE ALIGNED WITH THE SALES PROCESS.  

Are we asking the right questions or listening to the customers needs? Are we listening to them as they tell us they want to be communicated with via email only? In today’s world, people want to communicate with the form of communication that, 1) they are most comfortable with, and 2) that is most efficient for them. Not everyone wants to talk on the phone. Some people just want to communicate via email. Sales people must respect this. 

Find out how sales can benefit from 21^st Century marketing techniques.