Sales process: What it is, what it is for and its stages

The sales process is the series of steps or stages that a company or brand goes through from prospecting a customer to closing a sale. In other words, it is everything that is planned to attract, guide and, finally, sell to a user.

These phases are unique to each company, since each sector has its own needs and within the creation of this sales process it is necessary to know the specific needs of the clients in order to take advantage of them in their favor.

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Advantages of having a sales process

A company that takes the time to analyze and develop its sales path has the following advantages:

• They know each of the stages perfectly and can improve or adapt them according to the times or needs of the users.
• Create documentation on processes and steps, creating a foundation for new employees and making it scalable.
• By better understanding the steps offered to the user, the experience is better, giving better perception and conversion results.
• It is possible to generate better prospecting of qualified leads. Likewise, more accurate estimates of profits and acquisition costs can be made .

Likewise, one of the great strengths of having a sales process is that it is standardized, so each of your salespeople will follow the same conditions and your customers will receive the same excellent treatment, gradually generating a favorable brand image.

What are the 4 phases of the sales process?

The sales process can vary depending on the type of business, the product or service offered and the customer profile, but in general four main phases can be identified:

Prospecting : This is the phase in which you search for and identify potential customers who have a need or problem that can be solved with the product or service you offer. You can use different techniques and channels to generate leads, such as digital marketing, social media, email marketing, phone calls, referrals, etc.

Presentation : This is the phase in which the first contact is established with the potential client and the product or service offered is presented to them. It is about capturing their attention, awakening their interest and generating trust. Different formats and media can be used to make the presentation, such as a face-to-face meeting, a video call, a demonstration, a brochure, a webinar , etc.

Negotiation : This is the phase in which potential customer objections or doubts are resolved and he is persuaded to make the purchase decision. It involves demonstrating the value of the product or service and how it surpasses the competition. Different negotiation strategies and techniques can be used, such as early closing, closing by alternatives, closing by commitment, etc.

Post-sale : This is the phase in which contact is maintained with the customer after the sale has been made and quality customer service is offered. It is about building customer loyalty, generating customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat purchases or recommendations. Different post-sale actions and tools can be used, such as follow-up, technical support, warranty, satisfaction surveys, special offers, etc.

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What are the 7 stages of the sales process?

The sales process is divided into three stages: pre-sale, sale and post-sale. Each of them is vital for the company. These are the phases of the sales process:

Prospecting

During the prospecting stage , we seek to attract the future client. This is achieved by creating a custom buyer persona and using tools such as retargeting to capture their attention. It is possible to prospect for cold clients, finding the opportunity to get them interested in our product or taking advantage of those who have already visited our website.

Lead qualification

Once you have the user's contact information, it's time to classify them to see how likely they are to buy your product or service. To achieve this, it's advisable to send educational or interesting resources; if the lead shows interest over a certain period of time, it may be time to move on to the next stage.

Contact

You already know that the lead is potential, so now it's time to approach them and ask them more about their pain points and needs. NO selling at this point, just getting to know the prospect in depth.

Proposal or presentation

After you have addressed the prospect's concerns, it is time to show them the product or service, emphasizing how it will help them solve their problem. Chat communication channels can be helpful, but a good landing page that communicates all of this is certainly essential. Remember that the landing page must have descriptions, demonstrations, CTAs, etc.

Negotiation

Now that you know the needs and you have shown them your product that solves them, it is time to sit down and talk about prices and how they can acquire your product. At all times, the argument must be directed in an empathetic way and with the knowledge you already have of your buyer persona.

Closing

Closing a purchase must be quick, easy and seamless. The checkout page should not have more steps than necessary and should convey confidence in leaving all the customer's sensitive data.

After sales

Many companies do not usually take this step into account, but the process after the sale is also extremely important, since you can retain the customer that you worked so hard to acquire and at the same time make them an ambassador for your brand.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.

If you want more information on this topic or are looking for other options to profile your ideal client, at MHA you will find the solution you need. Schedule a call