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 client to closing a sale. That is, it is everything that is planned to attract, guide and, finally, sell a user.

These phases are unique for 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 to their advantage.

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Advantages of having a sales process

A company that takes the time to analyze and create a development for its sales path has the following advantages:

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

Likewise, one of the great strengths of having a sales process is that said process is homogenized, thus, each of your sellers will follow the same conditions and your clients 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 : It is the phase in which potential customers who have a need or problem that can be solved with the product or service offered are sought and identified. You can use different techniques and channels to generate leads, such as digital marketing, social networks, email marketing, phone calls, referrals, etc.

Presentation : It is the phase in which the first contact is established with the potential client and the product or service offered is presented. It's about capturing their attention, piquing their interest, and building trust. You can use different formats and media to make the presentation, such as a face-to-face meeting, a video call, a demonstration, a brochure, a webinar , etc.

Negotiation : It is the phase in which possible objections or doubts that the potential client has are resolved and they are persuaded to make the purchasing decision. It is about demonstrating the value of the product or service and how it outperforms the competition. You can use different negotiation strategies and techniques, such as early closing, closing by alternatives, closing by commitment, etc.

After-sales : It 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 satisfaction and stimulating repeat purchases or recommendations. Different after-sales actions and tools can be used, such as monitoring, 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 3 moments: pre-sale, sale and post-sale. Each one of them being 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 tailored buyer persona and using tools such as retargeting to capture their attention. It is possible to prospect for cold customers, finding the opportunity to get them interested in our product or taking advantage of those who have already entered our website.

Lead Qualification

Once you have the user's contact, now it's time to classify them to know how suitable they are to buy your product or service. To achieve this, it is 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. NOTHING about selling at this point, it's just getting to know the prospect in depth.

Proposal or presentation

After having answered the prospect's questions, it is time to show them the product or service, emphasizing how it will help them solve their problem. Communication channels via chat can be helpful, but, without a doubt, a good landing page that communicates all this is essential. Remember that the landing page must have descriptions, demos, CTAs, etc.

Negotiation

Now that you know the needs and you showed them your product that solves them, it is time for you to sit down and talk about prices and how they can purchase your product. At all times the argument must be directed empathetically and with the knowledge you already have of your buyer persona.

Closing

Closing a purchase should be quick, easy and perfect. The check out page should not have more steps than necessary and should convey confidence in leaving all the client's sensitive data.

After-sales

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