If you’re currently rethinking your B2B lead generation strategy, pay close attention to the activities of your inside sales team. The message they deliver could mean the difference between connecting with a high quality lead or failing to do so.
That’s according to a recent survey of over 600 B2B marketers in which 77% of respondents reported the following as having the largest impact on follow-up success:
- Highly knowledgeable sales representatives
- Sales representatives who are able to answer questions promptly
76% of those surveyed also said that salespeople who were “well suited” to speak with someone at a target organization provided more effective follow-ups. But what if you haven’t built a high performing sales team yet? Where should you begin?
Start building your inside sales team
Creating a knowledgeable, productive inside sales team is a substantial investment. In addition to compensating the representatives you hire, you must also take the time to interview, hire, onboard, manage, motivate and evaluate them.
To build your inside sales team, you need to:
- Screen resumes, interview job seekers, check references and allow candidates to demonstrate their ability to deliver a message to targets
- Onboard new team members so that they possess a deep understanding of your brand, your solutions, and your value propositions
- Design campaigns, set success benchmarks, and monitor each representative’s progress
- Analyze performance reports periodically to identify the strongest and weakest links in your operation
While every organization will have unique requirements for its inside sales team, all of the above activities are essential for generating positive ROI. If you’re willing to invest in your team, you will see results.
An alternative to building your own team: insourcing
What if you don’t have the time to effectively build and develop an inside sales team?
You might miss out on valuable opportunities, fail to communicate your value proposition, or do immeasurable damage to your brand in the eyes of potential buyers. Nobody wants those things to happen, which is why many organizations choose to insource their inside sales team management.
When you insource your inside sales team, an experienced B2B lead generation firm identifies, onboards, develops, and manages your inside sales representatives. It’s still your sales team. The agents or representatives work for you, but their management is handled by a third party with years of experience. As a result, you get the benefit of a high performing inside sales department while existing team members (yourself included) continue to focus on core competencies.
If sales insourcing sounds like a great way to enhance your lead generation strategy, contact Intelemark to learn more! Our experts will help you create an inside sales strategy that meets your objectives.