Continued sales is always an important goal for any SaaS startup business. After all, a constant stream of users means more profits for you. But that is by no means an easy feat. Your sales team should be ready to take on that challenge.
This is where optimizing that team becomes a vital task. Let’s look at how you can do that and get more from your squad with the help of Virtua Solutions.
Why Your SaaS Team Is Not Bringing In The Sales
The first thing you would want to do when optimizing your SaaS sales team is to understand why it isn’t. After all, this is why you are doing all that work. Here, you will often find several reasons your team isn’t landing sales.
Lack Of Activity Within The Startup Business
One of the most common reasons your SaaS sales team might not perform as intended is the lack of activity.It happens when they can’t generate enough to fill the pipeline. The workflow slows down and you take longer to reach your business goals.
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That lack of activity is often due to your sales team not knowing exactly how much they need to generate. They might also not have the right process to realize these activities fully. While the team can solve these problems, it will still need your guidance.
The Wrong People
Your sales team composition can also impact how well it performs. Here, you might not have the right person for the job. Just a single member not suited for their role can impact the overall effectiveness of your SaaS sales team.
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Of course, you already chose those people during the hiring process based on their qualifications and overall fit for the role. Remember that SaaS is an ever-evolving field. While candidates might be a good fit during initial hiring, they can become less compatible with the role later on.
However, looking for people who might fit the role better is not always an option. Your challenge is ensuring your existing team can remain suited for these changing roles.
Product Flaws
It is worth noting that your SaaS sales team not effectively closing deals might not always be their fault alone. It might sometimes be due to the flaws of your product itself. Customers might find issues during the trial period, which deters them from signing up.
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The problem does not end there, however. Through word of mouth, more people can know about these flaws before even using your products. That can influence their decision to try it in the first place.
The Elements Of An Effective Sales Team
Now that you understand where the poor performance of your SaaS sales team might be coming from, your startup company can work on optimizing it. You need to understand the elements that will make it work. These elements will serve as your guide in steering your sales team in the right direction.
The Right Anatomy
The first element you should work on is the right team composition. Note that every SaaS product is different. Thus, you might have a different team makeup. Nevertheless, here are the essential members that should be part of the team.
- Able sales manager: Your sales manager should fully understand your product and what customers can gain from it.
- Knowledgeable sales reps: Effective sales reps should be knowledgeable in interacting with and guiding customers toward success.
- The right set of tools: Your goal when selecting tools for your sales team is to give them the flexibility to respond to different customers.
- A results-driven culture: Note that such a culture impacts not just the sales team, but also the entire company. That helps different departments work together to secure a sale.
Note that you will not always get this team right from the start. You might need to go through several iterations of your team to get the composition. Be patient in developing your team.
Optimizing Your SaaS Startup Business Sales Process
However, it is not only the composition that determines the success of your SaaS sales team. The process they use to do their work should also be well-optimized. Your work here begins by simplifying the current process.
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The top of your sales funnel is arguably the most essential part, as it determines what your team will engage with down the line. You would want to be clear about what types of leads should enter during this stage. Create an efficient information-gathering subprocess here to ensure that members have what they need from the start.
From there, you need to eliminate complexities in the sales process. One example of such complexity is attempting to close a bad deal. Such attempts force your sales team to do more than they should. You should limit how much they should pursue such deals to fix the issue. Think about what would be reasonable for both the team and its members.
Creating Learning Loops
To help your SaaS sales team become more self-optimizing, create learning loops. One vital component here is continuous customer feedback. As such, you want to establish an open culture where your team would be willing to gather this feedback on their one.
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On the other hand, you also want to facilitate more effective customer learning. Be more empathic in how you reach out to them. One useful trick here is to present yourself as also willing to learn with your customers. That will facilitate a more effective exchange between you and them, encouraging more sales.
Helping Your Startup Business Build The Best SaaS Sales Team
At Virtua Solutions, we believe in the power of an effective sales team for your SaaS startup business. And with that, we are ready to give you all the support you need. From getting the right people to your side to building the service infrastructure you need. Contact us today and let us do more for your sales success.