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  30. <title>Sales pitch: complete guide with concepts and examples</title>
  31. <link>https://protagnst.com/sales-pitch/</link>
  32. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  33. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:58:02 +0000</pubDate>
  34. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  35. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  36. <category><![CDATA[Outbound Marketing]]></category>
  37. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  38. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  39. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14086</guid>
  40.  
  41. <description><![CDATA[Knowing how to use a sales pitch is increasingly what determines the success of a negotiation. After all, we all have less and less time and need to optimize it as much as possible. The problem, however, is managing to combine a sales approach that is efficient, direct, and non-intrusive all at the same time. [&#8230;]]]></description>
  42. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Knowing how to use a <strong>sales pitch</strong> is increasingly what determines the success of a negotiation. After all, we all have less and less time and need to optimize it as much as possible. The problem, however, is managing to combine a sales approach that is efficient, direct, and non-intrusive all at the same time.</p>
  43. <p>We can assure you upfront: using the right techniques, this is entirely possible.</p>
  44. <p>In this article, we&#8217;ll present a complete guide on how to create a killer sales pitch, to use an expression that&#8217;s already part of the daily lives of top salespeople.</p>
  45. <p>You&#8217;ll see that all you need to do is get the most out of all the techniques and strategies you already use in your daily business dealings. You just need to know how to use the right timing.</p>
  46. <p>So let&#8217;s get started!</p>
  47. <h2>What is a Sales Pitch?</h2>
  48. <p>A sales pitch is a quick, succinct, and efficient sales speech through which you present your product or service concisely. The idea is to take advantage of the short contact time with a potential client or investor to grab their attention.</p>
  49. <p>Imagine, for example, that you get into an elevator and run into that executive you&#8217;ve been trying to present your product to for a long time but never managed to because of their busy schedule.</p>
  50. <p>In this case, you have two options: approach them and say you&#8217;d like to schedule a business meeting, or use the few seconds between the moment the elevator door closes and they leave for their appointment to show them you have an interesting proposal.</p>
  51. <p>If you choose to suggest a future meeting, the chance of it actually happening decreases &#8211; after all, you&#8217;ve been trying to schedule this meeting for a while and never managed to make it happen. Now, if you present your solution to them right away, at least their interest will be piqued, and they themselves might ask for a meeting at a more convenient time.</p>
  52. <p>The example may seem simple, but the term &#8220;sales pitch&#8221; is an approach that comes precisely from the &#8220;elevator pitch.&#8221; It&#8217;s widely used in Silicon Valley tech companies.</p>
  53. <p>After all, it&#8217;s common for investors to participate in tech events, and that funding a startup needs might arise from a quick conversation in those moments. However, you need to know how to sell the idea in a few seconds.</p>
  54. <p>This same approach proposal can be developed in sales of all kinds. In a world where people are increasingly busy and the competition keeps selling, offering a solution in a few seconds makes all the difference.</p>
  55. <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4902" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-2.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  56. <h2>How to Create a Killer Sales Pitch?</h2>
  57. <h3>Study Your Audience Thoroughly</h3>
  58. <p>The same applies to the sales pitch as to any business strategy: base it on concrete data, not guesswork.</p>
  59. <p>Even if you&#8217;re an experienced salesperson, don&#8217;t base your actions on intuition. Of course, the knowledge acquired over the years will help you, but this should be reserved for specific moments in the negotiation, not for conducting it. And this is <a href="https://protagnst.com/empresas-de-prospeccao-b2b/">especially important in B2B business</a>.</p>
  60. <p>So, thoroughly study the person you will be pitching to. Try to understand their style and their level of knowledge about the type of product or service you have to offer. Also, try to understand this professional&#8217;s prior experiences.</p>
  61. <p>Studying the market is, of course, essential. You won&#8217;t grab that lead&#8217;s attention if what you offer is similar to what they already know or completely unfeasible from an economic standpoint.</p>
  62. <p>Remember that a sales pitch is a quick and concise presentation of a solution. That said, making a mistake in the approach, saying something that isn&#8217;t new to the other person, or, conversely, something they have no clue about, could be a wasted opportunity.</p>
  63. <h3>Offer Customized Solutions</h3>
  64. <p>If you&#8217;ve done your homework and studied your target audience well, the next step is to prepare a solution that fits that lead&#8217;s pain points.</p>
  65. <p>You may work with sales of a single type of product or service, but that doesn&#8217;t mean that the way you offer it as a solution should be the same for everyone. After all, even if your product can fully solve their problem, the needs will always be different.</p>
  66. <p>Imagine, for example, that you sell exclusive logistics management software. The application is feasible for companies of all sizes, but the needs of a micro-enterprise and a large corporation are certainly entirely different. Does it make sense to offer the solution in the same way?</p>
  67. <p>In either case, you will have someone in front of you who fits the ideal client profile, but whose approach should be completely different.</p>
  68. <p>Certainly, your sales pitch will have a better return if you know how to confidently offer a solution appropriate for the financial manager of a large company, as well as for an entrepreneur with more limited financial resources.</p>
  69. <p><a href="#form">How about crafting a killer sales pitch with the help of those who know the subject? Protagnst specializes in B2B business. Contact us!</a></p>
  70. <h3>Address Sales Objections</h3>
  71. <p>Whether as a salesperson or a consumer, you have certainly encountered sales objections along your journey so far.</p>
  72. <p>These are the difficulties, barriers, and obstacles that potential clients present during a negotiation. It&#8217;s that moment when you offer your product or service, but the lead reacts with counter-arguments that demonstrate resistance to closing a deal.</p>
  73. <p>This is especially tricky if it arises during a sales pitch, isn&#8217;t it? Imagine that elevator encounter, between the ground floor and the 20th floor. You have less than 30 seconds to convince the lead that you have a good product, but halfway through they raise an objection. If that happens, the chances of the deal not progressing are very high.</p>
  74. <p>Obviously, you don&#8217;t need to have mapped out every possible objection each lead might present. But some are, let&#8217;s say, classic. The most common one is along the lines of &#8220;we can&#8217;t afford to invest right now.&#8221;</p>
  75. <p>In large companies, it&#8217;s natural for a decision involving a large financial volume to depend on more than one person. And there&#8217;s also the possibility that your lead doesn&#8217;t feel confident moving forward with a negotiation that was presented to them quickly, at that moment.</p>
  76. <p>So, prepare yourself to address at least these objections. And be quick.</p>
  77. <p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4901" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-1.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-1.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  78. <h3>Show How to Solve Problems</h3>
  79. <p>This is fundamental in sales: you may have the best product, the most innovative, the one that delivers everything it promises, but the focus is still not on your product. It&#8217;s on your client.</p>
  80. <p>Sales are about solving customer pain points, and that&#8217;s what you need to show them, especially when contact time is short. So, don&#8217;t waste time explaining the characteristics of your product, its potential, or what makes it better than the competition. Instead, use the time to show how it can solve your lead&#8217;s needs.</p>
  81. <p>We have already emphasized in other articles here at Protagnst the increasing importance of <a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-consultivas/">consultative selling</a>—where the sales consultant analyzes all the client&#8217;s real needs to find joint solutions.</p>
  82. <p>Even if this is not exactly possible at the moment in a sales pitch, be prepared to understand what that potential client needs and how your offer will help them.</p>
  83. <p>Consider that a good first impression can be enough to start an interesting business partnership.</p>
  84. <h3>Talk About Value, Not Cost</h3>
  85. <p>We just mentioned that one of the most common sales objections are those dealing with financial difficulties for investing at the moment. And this is directly related to this point.</p>
  86. <p>A successful sales pitch needs to consider the value being delivered, not its cost.</p>
  87. <p>Show that your product or service is not just a simple purchase and sale relationship, but an investment. The fear your lead has of spending more should be transformed into the possibilities of your product increasing their revenue.</p>
  88. <h3>And Something Very Important: Ask for the Sale</h3>
  89. <p>It may seem like a paradox, but research has shown that many times the salesperson fails to do something essential in a sales pitch: ask for the sale.</p>
  90. <p>Perhaps out of fear, perhaps because they consider that such a meeting is precisely about business, many salespeople do not end the conversation with a &#8220;can we move forward with the negotiation?&#8221;. They wait for the lead to take the initiative.</p>
  91. <p>Notice that by doing so, you are letting the initiative come from someone you approached, who perhaps before that had no interest in your product or service.</p>
  92. <p>Of course, the approach doesn&#8217;t need to be direct, but there are ways to move a negotiation forward smoothly. Demonstrate that you understand their needs and indicate how your offer fits them perfectly. Don&#8217;t talk about costs, but rather about solutions and the possibility of increased revenue.</p>
  93. <h2>How to Deliver a Sales Pitch on a Cold Call?</h2>
  94. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-call/">Cold calling is a very efficient outbound marketing strategy</a>, but it&#8217;s the kind of thing you need to know how to do. After all, not everyone is happy about receiving calls, and the chances of ending them prematurely are quite high.</p>
  95. <p>Thus, good <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-sdr-em-vendas/">Sales Development Representatives</a> who work in cold calling are those who can immediately keep the prospect on the line. And those who can then turn a conversation that seemed like it would last only a few seconds into one that lasts several minutes.</p>
  96. <p>Therefore, when you want to sell through calling, it&#8217;s very important to deliver the pitch in the right way and at the right time.</p>
  97. <p>For example, if you&#8217;re too eager, the chance of things going wrong is very high. After all, as we said before, the focus has to be on the customer&#8217;s pain points, and how will you know what they are if you offer a product or service right off the bat?</p>
  98. <p>At the same time, however, you need to capture your lead&#8217;s attention.</p>
  99. <p>A good tip is to immediately showcase your company&#8217;s credentials. For example, if you sell health consulting services, start the conversation by saying that you work with professionals specialized in healthcare solutions for companies, who know how to reduce corporate costs while adding value for their beneficiaries.</p>
  100. <p>Notice that, indirectly, you&#8217;re presenting yourself as a representative of a company capable of generating value for its clients.</p>
  101. <p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4900" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-5.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-5-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  102. <h2>How to Deliver a Sales Pitch in a Meeting?</h2>
  103. <p>The first step to a killer sales pitch in a meeting is to make sure to be as simple and clear as possible.</p>
  104. <p>This means you need to have a friendly, flowing speech, not one full of technical or complicated terms. After all, if you do, your lead will consider it just another work meeting, and the chance of them losing interest is quite high.</p>
  105. <p>Also, remember that perhaps not everyone present at the meeting is familiar with some terms or technical issues. They may be financial managers or professionals from other areas. The point is that it&#8217;s very important that everyone understands what you&#8217;re saying.</p>
  106. <p>Here comes another key point: listen. Even if your time is limited, allow the people in the room to speak so that you can shape your pitch. It&#8217;s always worth remembering: you are selling a solution, and it&#8217;s your leads who should present the problem.</p>
  107. <p>In a business meeting, it&#8217;s also very important that you respect the time you were given or that you requested. If the meeting is for fifteen minutes, you need to be prepared to deliver the sales pitch in ten or twelve. Eliminate specifics or details from your speech.</p>
  108. <p>Finally: don&#8217;t let the conversation end at that meeting.</p>
  109. <p>Ask the lead to send a commercial proposal, make yourself available to answer questions, or schedule a follow-up meeting right then and there.</p>
  110. <h2>How to Deliver a Sales Pitch at a Networking Event?</h2>
  111. <p>Networking events, as the category itself suggests, are great spaces for prospecting. And, as such, also for sales pitches.</p>
  112. <p>To be successful with this, however, you need to be well prepared. Thoroughly studying the event and the background of those who usually attend is a good start.</p>
  113. <p>Whenever possible, it&#8217;s also a good idea to make prior contact with the people you would like to present your product to. For example, if you work in sales of cutting machines and you know the exhibitors who will be there, a good tactic is to get in touch a few days before and arrange a visit to those booths.</p>
  114. <p>If this isn&#8217;t possible, schedule yourself to visit potential leads according to the event&#8217;s schedule. If it&#8217;s short, focus on the most promising ones.</p>
  115. <p>By &#8220;most promising,&#8221; we&#8217;re not talking about those with the greatest average ticket potential, but rather those who are most likely to do business with you.</p>
  116. <p>But perhaps the most important tip we can give you is this: use such events to schedule future meetings.</p>
  117. <p>It&#8217;s worth noting that those exhibiting at events have the same main goal as you: to sell. Therefore, even if your product or service is a perfect fit for them, the chance of greater success with a negotiation is in a subsequent meeting, without the hustle and bustle typical of these events.</p>
  118. <h2>Sales Pitch in PPT</h2>
  119. <p>The great advantage of slide presentations is that they concisely showcase the main ideas. It always has to be this way. After all, a PowerPoint with too much content makes everything more monotonous and less visible. Sometimes, it can even make people sleepy.</p>
  120. <p>When making a sales pitch in PPT, it&#8217;s no different. Use the presentation to highlight the benefits and the value you&#8217;re delivering. Forget about the features of your product or service. Technical matters are for another time.</p>
  121. <p>To help you make a good sales pitch presentation, we at Protagnst have prepared a very didactic example.</p>
  122. <h2>Sales Pitch Examples</h2>
  123. <h3>Get Straight to the Point</h3>
  124. <p>Time is short, and even if you had plenty of time to present your product or service, we all know that time is money. So, if the idea is to make a killer sales pitch, be direct. Don&#8217;t beat around the bush.</p>
  125. <p>Now, we&#8217;re not saying you have to jump in offering your solution. After all, a very aggressive approach can scare your lead away. And, as already mentioned, you need to know how to listen if you want an effective pitch.</p>
  126. <p>The point here is to be prepared, with your speech as optimized as possible. If you know, for example, that the company can afford to invest in your solution, be clear about that: &#8220;We&#8217;re fully capable of adapting to what the company is willing to invest. Can we work on this?&#8221;</p>
  127. <h3>Be a Facilitator</h3>
  128. <p>Suppose you are the sales representative of a company that supplies refrigeration equipment. The range of products it manufactures includes two dozen different products. Is it worth wasting time presenting them all?</p>
  129. <p>Instead, focus on three or four pieces of equipment that will certainly help that lead. This will give you much more time to present the potential of each one and better capture their attention.</p>
  130. <p>&#8220;Our company can present solutions for the entire cold chain, but I&#8217;ve selected three pieces of equipment that I know will be great for helping your business grow.&#8221;</p>
  131. <p>See? Simple and direct.</p>
  132. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4903" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-3.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Pitch-de-vendas-3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  133. <h3>Use Mental Triggers</h3>
  134. <p>Mental triggers are stimuli that cause our brain to act more urgently when making a decision. They are widely used in sales because they take the person out of their comfort zone and make them decide on something, often impulsively.</p>
  135. <p>The use of mental triggers is very common in B2C sales, in retail. &#8220;Buy three, get one free,&#8221; &#8220;last units,&#8221; and &#8220;only until tomorrow&#8221; are just a few examples.</p>
  136. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/gatilho-da-escassez/">It turns out that mental triggers</a> are also very common in B2B business, and scarcity is one that is used quite often. Use one of them when making your sales pitch.</p>
  137. <p>Here&#8217;s an example: &#8220;We always try to work with only &#8216;x&#8217; clients at a time, as a way of dedicating as much attention as possible. Our portfolio for this year is practically finalized. If you agree to hear our proposal, your company will undoubtedly make a good deal.&#8221;</p>
  138. <h3>Be Flexible</h3>
  139. <p>Suppose you&#8217;ve agreed that the business meeting will last 30 minutes. In that case, plan your presentation for 20.</p>
  140. <p>By doing this, you&#8217;ll ensure that you&#8217;ll be able to address all the points you consider essential to moving forward with a deal. But, more than that, it will allow your approach to start in a friendly manner.</p>
  141. <p>&#8220;How much time do you have to hear me out?&#8221; is a good first question to ask. If there&#8217;s time left over at the end, you&#8217;ll certainly know how to make the most of it.</p>
  142. <h3>Focus on the Benefits</h3>
  143. <p>When we buy something, we&#8217;re doing it because of the benefits that thing offers us. Trading a car with a 1.0 engine for a 2.0 will make the owner spend much more on fuel, but they choose to change because they gain the benefit of greater power or speed.</p>
  144. <p>So, in a sales pitch, use your time to extol the benefits of your product or service, not the features. Using the same car example, emphasize the gain in power, speed, and ease of driving on the roads. Whether the car has five or six gears, whether it&#8217;s flex-fuel or not, these are questions that should only be discussed if asked.</p>
  145. <h2>Hire B2B Sales Consulting</h2>
  146. <p>Need to increase your revenue and expand your business capacity? How about improving your sales process even more efficiently?</p>
  147. <p>Then fill out the form below and start your business diagnostic today. <a name="form"></a></p>
  148. <p>Protagnst specializes in lead generation, acquisition, and business expansion with corporate clients. Together, we will create the best strategy for your business.</p>
  149. [contact-form-7]
  150. ]]></content:encoded>
  151. </item>
  152. <item>
  153. <title>Sales cycle: what it is, how to calculate it, how to reduce it &#8211; find out everything here</title>
  154. <link>https://protagnst.com/sales-cycle/</link>
  155. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  156. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:41:58 +0000</pubDate>
  157. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  158. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  159. <category><![CDATA[Sales Closing]]></category>
  160. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  161. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14080</guid>
  162.  
  163. <description><![CDATA[The sales cycle is a crucial aspect to consider in any business. After all, the time it takes to close a deal directly impacts revenue and cash flow. Therefore, having control over it is essential to ensure the financial health of your company and avoid unforeseen issues in strategic planning. In this article, we&#8217;ll break [&#8230;]]]></description>
  164. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The <a href="https://protagnst.com/ciclo-de-vendas/"><strong>sales cycle</strong></a> is a crucial aspect to consider in any business. After all, the time it takes to close a deal directly impacts revenue and cash flow. Therefore, having control over it is essential to ensure the financial health of your company and avoid unforeseen issues in strategic planning.</p>
  165. <p>In this article, we&#8217;ll break down the sales cycle. We&#8217;ll show its stages, how to calculate it, and the importance of reducing its duration. More than that, we&#8217;ll also show how to shorten it and, as a bonus, provide a free planner for you to create your own.</p>
  166. <p>Although it has similar characteristics, each company has its own sales cycle. In general, the cycle is longer in corporate businesses compared to retail sales. But it&#8217;s always possible to optimize it with some strategies. And when you achieve this, there&#8217;s a significant increase in profitability.</p>
  167. <p>In the business world, the sales journey is an intricate sales cycle that requires strategy, technique, and empathy. It&#8217;s like a dance where every step, every move, every glance counts to win over the client and close the deal. From the first contact to post-sales, it&#8217;s crucial to be attentive to the client&#8217;s needs, listen carefully, and offer personalized solutions.</p>
  168. <p>The art of negotiation reveals itself in the ability to build solid relationships, understand client pain points, and present yourself not just as a seller but as a trusted partner.</p>
  169. <p>The sales cycle is not just a simple commercial transaction, but a journey of discoveries, challenges, and opportunities. Each stage of this process demands technique and strategy, from prospecting to closing the contract. The secret lies in understanding that the sale goes far beyond the product or service offered; it also involves building value, overcoming objections, and creating a lasting bond with the client.</p>
  170. <h2>What is the Sales Cycle?</h2>
  171. <p>The sales cycle is the process that encompasses all the stages necessary to sell a product or service. It&#8217;s the (potential) customer journey, which begins at the first contact and goes all the way to post-sales.</p>
  172. <p>By the way, ideally, the sales cycle never completely ends; this is achieved when we manage to retain the customer, which projects new future business.</p>
  173. <p>The cycle is an important commercial indicator since it demonstrates the time needed to close a deal. By mastering it, your company has more control over revenue forecasting and cash flow, which allows for more precise management of your business.</p>
  174. <p>As we&#8217;ll show later, sales cycles can be shorter or longer, depending on several factors. While it is often possible to shorten it, it&#8217;s important to consider from the outset that it is necessary to respect each of its stages.</p>
  175. <p>For a good sales cycle to occur, it&#8217;s essential to study the profile of your customers, knowing their habits and the potential that your solution has for their problems.</p>
  176. <p>Thus, we can say that, for the salesperson, the sales cycle functions as a kind of roadmap for business. It begins in the <a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">lead prospecting</a> phase and, if it develops naturally, becomes a powerful means of closing good deals and retaining customers.</p>
  177. <h2>Discover the Importance of the Sales Cycle for Business Success</h2>
  178. <p>The <strong>sales cycle</strong> is a fundamental process within any business because it represents the journey a customer takes from initial contact to the completion of the purchase. It&#8217;s like a dance in which the salesperson and the customer move in sync, seeking to meet each other&#8217;s needs and desires.</p>
  179. <p>During this journey, it&#8217;s essential that the salesperson be <strong>perceptive</strong> and always attentive to the nuances of the negotiation, adapting their strategies as the stages progress. Each interaction is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship with the customer and demonstrate the value of the product or service offered.</p>
  180. <p><strong>Effective management</strong> of the sales cycle allows the company to identify areas for improvement, adjusting its approaches and processes to maximize the chances of conversion. Moreover, it helps to build a solid base of loyal customers who not only buy but also recommend the company to other potential buyers.</p>
  181. <p>Therefore, understanding and valuing the sales cycle is essential for business success, as it represents the <strong>essence</strong> of the interaction between the company and its customers. It&#8217;s through this process that needs are met, relationships are built, and businesses thrive. A well-executed sales cycle is like a harmonious symphony, where all the elements come together to create a memorable and satisfying experience for both parties.</p>
  182. <h2>How to Calculate the Sales Cycle?</h2>
  183. <p>Calculating how long your company&#8217;s sales cycle lasts is relatively simple. However, you must consider all the stages involved and the duration within a given period. With the data in hand, just do a simple arithmetic calculation.</p>
  184. <p>First, choose a period—which varies depending on the type of business. <a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-complexas/">Complex sales</a>, for example, take much longer than simple sales. But let&#8217;s suppose your company made 10 sales last month, and each one took the following time from prospecting to closing the deal:</p>
  185. <ul>
  186. <li>SALE A &#8211; 8 days</li>
  187. <li>B &#8211; 11 days</li>
  188. <li>C &#8211; 9 days</li>
  189. <li>D &#8211; 15 days</li>
  190. <li>E &#8211; 13 days</li>
  191. <li>F &#8211; 8 days</li>
  192. <li>G &#8211; 9 days</li>
  193. <li>H &#8211; 11 days</li>
  194. <li>I &#8211; 10 days</li>
  195. <li>J &#8211; 14 days</li>
  196. </ul>
  197. <p>With this data, add up the total number of days required and divide by 10, which was the total number of sales. In our example, we have 108/10 = 10.8 days.</p>
  198. <p>This means that your company has an average cycle of approximately one sale every 11 days.</p>
  199. <p>Based on this number, your company&#8217;s manager can project each month&#8217;s revenue and adjust the budget for the next.</p>
  200. <p>If, at the end of the first half of the month, they notice that sales are below what the average sales cycle indicates, they can launch a strategy to increase sales in the second half, such as reducing their profit margin.</p>
  201. <p>On the other hand, if they are within or above expectations, they can work on a business expansion project for the following month.</p>
  202. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4915" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-2.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  203. <h2>The Stages of the Sales Cycle</h2>
  204. <p>Although there are different ways of looking at a sales cycle, it is generally divided into seven stages: prospecting, qualification, offer, follow-up, negotiation, closing, and post-sales.</p>
  205. <h3>Prospecting</h3>
  206. <p>As you probably already know, <a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">client prospecting</a> is the moment when we map the market to find business opportunities by approaching potential clients—leads.</p>
  207. <p>Thus, good prospecting is based on a lot of research, market analysis, method, strategy, and interaction.</p>
  208. <p>The sales cycle begins at this exact point. From the moment a professional, or a team of them, is established to scour the market for potential clients, their buying journey has already begun.</p>
  209. <p>However, you know that in the business world things only become simple if they are well executed. Therefore, prospecting should be considered not just the search for a potential client, but also knowing how to present yourself as important to them.</p>
  210. <p>It is important to keep in mind that this is not a task of luck, but of hard work. It is necessary to understand the economic context, define an area of operation, and act based on concrete data.</p>
  211. <p>This is extremely important because it allows you to invest in leads more accurately, in greater numbers, and with the potential to represent lasting business, not just occasional ones.</p>
  212. <p>If you need help, you can turn to a <a href="https://protagnst.com/empresas-de-prospeccao-b2b/">B2B client prospecting company</a> like Protagnst.</p>
  213. <p>If you want to understand more about the area that works with prospecting, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/">see the article on what pre-sales is.</a></p>
  214. <h3>Qualification</h3>
  215. <p>The next—and very important—step in a sales cycle is qualifying the leads that have been prospected.</p>
  216. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/qualificacao-de-leads/">Qualifying a lead</a> is separating the contacts that have real interest in what you have to offer and making them advance in the sales cycle. This qualification is based on assertive questions capable of leading the lead to convert into a customer. If the return is not what was expected, it is better to discard it as a lead.</p>
  217. <p>The idea behind this is to identify who is likely to actually be a customer for your company. After all, those who <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/">work with B2B sales</a> cannot waste time—or money—with those who do not show signs of being willing to close a deal.</p>
  218. <p>The calculation that establishes the sales cycle serves precisely to see your company&#8217;s business capacity within a given period. Unqualified leads can greatly increase this time, which can represent losses for your business.</p>
  219. <h3>Offer</h3>
  220. <p>Once prospecting has been done and it is known that the lead has the necessary qualifications, the next step is to present your solution to them. This is the time when you present your product or service in more detail.</p>
  221. <p>There are several ways to do this, but the most modern and accepted way is the one that <a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-consultivas/">involves consultative selling</a>. In it, you operate as a true consultant, listening to the potential client&#8217;s desires and working on an offer that meets all their expectations.</p>
  222. <p>Therefore, it is essential that your proposal be exclusive. After all, each client has a different problem and a different capacity to solve it, whether due to the size of the company, its economic potential, or another reason.</p>
  223. <p>Because of this, what you offer must meet the lead&#8217;s needs, and not the lead adapt to your product.</p>
  224. <p>More than a product or service, offer clarity. However specific the niche you work with, you need to put aside technical terms and invest in simple and direct language.</p>
  225. <p>As every good salesperson should do, focus on value, not price. After all, the concept of expensive or cheap is quite relative—everything depends on the return it can bring.</p>
  226. <h3>Follow-Up</h3>
  227. <p>Follow-up refers to monitoring the deal. You have already demonstrated your product or service to them, and you are about to actually start a negotiation.</p>
  228. <p>However, you should not expect the potential client to contact you—after all, they may also be negotiating with other companies. Therefore, invest in ways to keep them interested in your solution. Send emails, make phone calls.</p>
  229. <h3>Negotiation</h3>
  230. <p>If the presentation and offer of the product are satisfactory, the moment in the sales cycle where negotiation occurs arrives.</p>
  231. <p>It must be personalized and flexible. Be open to concessions because they may arise. Make your proposal and justify the numbers, but know how to listen and understand a possible counter-proposal.</p>
  232. <p>It&#8217;s also crucial not to turn a price negotiation into a dispute. Reaching common ground will help close the sale securely and keep the doors open for future agreements.</p>
  233. <p>Also, it is in this phase that sales objections can arise. High cost, the country&#8217;s economic situation, reservations about your company, cost-cutting, and others are arguments that may appear.</p>
  234. <p>Be ready to counter each of them. Use arguments based on numbers, of course. Sales have long ceased to be based on guesswork.</p>
  235. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4918" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-5.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-5-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  236. <h3>Closing</h3>
  237. <p>Closing a sale is one of the most anticipated moments of the cycle, and if everything has been done well up to this point, it tends to be the easiest and most peaceful stage of the process.</p>
  238. <p>If the salesperson has managed to reach this stage, it&#8217;s a clear sign that everything has been done following the normal course of a virtuous sales cycle. There has been prior research, conversations, adjustments, and possibly concessions. Prices and other matters inherent to a sale have also been negotiated. So, what remains now is to formalize.</p>
  239. <p>Formalization is the most bureaucratic part of our sales cycle, and so it&#8217;s very important to make everything simple for the client. Send the documents, provide the best contacts in your company, check the details. Don&#8217;t leave any loose ends.</p>
  240. <p>Furthermore, it&#8217;s crucial to deliver what was agreed upon. Ensure that you deliver the product or service within the deadline, establish schedules, and define who the post-sales contact will be.</p>
  241. <h3>Post-Sales</h3>
  242. <p>If the idea is to put an end to the sales cycle, it ends in post-sales. This is the moment when your company works on serving the now-client.</p>
  243. <p>The idea behind post-sales is to guarantee the full satisfaction of those who did business with you, making their experience pleasant and thus building loyalty for future business.</p>
  244. <p>This stage is part of the sales cycle because, after all, it also demands costs for you. Whether in staff training, travel, or other types of service, it is part of the customer journey.</p>
  245. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">Want to expand your business through a shorter and more efficient sales cycle? Protagnst specializes in corporate lead generation, acquisition, and sales. Contact us and we&#8217;ll present our solutions!</a></p>
  246. <h2>The Sales Cycle: How Long Does It Last?</h2>
  247. <p>The sales cycle can vary depending on the type of product or service, the complexity of the sale, and the client profile. In B2B businesses, for example, the sales cycle is usually longer due to the need to build solid relationships and go through several stages before closing the sale.</p>
  248. <p>In general, the sales cycle can be divided into stages such as prospecting, qualification, solution presentation, negotiation, and closing. In consultative sales, where the focus is on understanding customer needs and offering personalized solutions, the sales cycle tends to be longer.</p>
  249. <p>There is no standard time for the duration of the sales cycle, but it is important to manage this process efficiently, seeking to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. Using process automation can help optimize stages, increasing the productivity of the sales team and accelerating the closing of sales.</p>
  250. <p>In summary, the sales cycle is a dynamic process that varies according to the characteristics of the market and the target audience, and it&#8217;s essential to be aware of these particularities to achieve sales success and guarantee the profitability of the business.</p>
  251. <h2>B2B Sales Cycle</h2>
  252. <p>The B2B sales cycle deserves special attention. After all, because it involves larger values and, in general, a lower frequency of business than that seen in B2C sales, cycles tend to be longer.</p>
  253. <p>This has some very important consequences. One is that revenue takes longer to enter the company&#8217;s coffers. If the business involves complex sales, for example, a single sale can represent all the expected revenue for many months, sometimes years.</p>
  254. <p>Imagine, then, if a negotiation that has been dragging on for a long time suddenly falls apart. More than just a waste of time and a large volume of resources spent in vain, the risk of causing an impact, even an irreversible one, on the company&#8217;s cash flow is quite significant.</p>
  255. <h2>Short Sales Cycle vs. Long Sales Cycle</h2>
  256. <p>The names are self-explanatory and, by definition, fit into different types of businesses. In general, sales to the end consumer (B2C) have a short sales cycle, since the decision-making process is simpler. In corporate businesses, however, the stages of a sales cycle tend to be longer—and take longer.</p>
  257. <p>This is because decisions usually involve more than one person. In addition to the financial manager&#8217;s approval, approval from technicians from different sectors is often required. This makes the cycle naturally longer, but it doesn&#8217;t mean you simply have to wait for it to happen. You need to act to reduce this time.</p>
  258. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4920" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-1.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-1.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  259. <h2>Why Reduce the Cycle?</h2>
  260. <p>In addition to ensuring important revenue for your company, reducing the sales cycle time brings at least three major benefits: it increases profitability, makes your business more competitive, and further motivates your sales team.</p>
  261. <h3>Increased Profitability</h3>
  262. <p>As we showed earlier, the sales cycle encompasses several stages, and each one depends on the performance of a significant number of people.</p>
  263. <p>In companies with a well-structured sales department, the sales cycle requires the engagement and research time of the marketing team to research the market and prospect leads; invest in approaching and subsequently qualifying them; work on presenting the product or service to be sold; act firmly in the negotiation; and, if all goes well, close the sale.</p>
  264. <p>This entire cycle, where the potential client goes through their buying journey through <a href="https://protagnst.com/funil-de-vendas/">our sales funnel</a>, has a cost. This is what we call Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). So, the longer it takes to close the deal, the more will be spent on this acquisition.</p>
  265. <p>On the other hand, if you manage to shorten the sales cycle, with the same end result, in addition to decreasing CAC, you gain time to pursue new closings. As you can see, there is both a direct increase in profitability, as well as other potential increases.</p>
  266. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/7-etapas-do-funil-de-vendas/">Also read about the 7 stages of the sales funnel here.</a></p>
  267. <h3>Increased Competitiveness</h3>
  268. <p>However innovative your product or service, your company must always consider the possibility that there is another company in the market capable of offering a solution.</p>
  269. <p>Today&#8217;s market is highly competitive, and in B2B business environments, this is especially true. After all, companies need solutions to grow at all times, and they can&#8217;t wait.</p>
  270. <p>Therefore, regardless of your business, consider that there may always be another company that your lead can turn to. And if your sales cycle takes too long, it&#8217;s quite possible that your transaction will be intercepted by them.</p>
  271. <p>Furthermore, to give you an idea, a study by Exact Sales indicated that, on average, half of sales occur with the salesperson who made the first contact. This is why speed is so important.</p>
  272. <h3>Greater Motivation for the Sales Team</h3>
  273. <p>Short sales cycles represent greater quantities of potential business.</p>
  274. <p>For example, if your sales cycle is 20 days, it means that your company can close three deals every two months. But if you reduce that cycle to 15 days, the negotiating capacity jumps to four sales in the same period.</p>
  275. <p>This increase in productivity has the potential to motivate the sales team because it demonstrates in practice that their work is developing satisfactorily. Also, for salespeople who receive sales commissions, this represents a significant increase in their income, which always works as motivation.</p>
  276. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4916" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-3.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="665" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-3-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  277. <h2>How to Reduce the Sales Cycle?</h2>
  278. <h3>Invest in Lead Qualification</h3>
  279. <p>One factor that greatly impacts the duration of the sales cycle is the quality of leads. Those that haven&#8217;t gone through a qualification process, or even those that haven&#8217;t been qualified as assertively as possible, extend the negotiation time. Often, they even turn into frustrated negotiations.</p>
  280. <p>Make no mistake: you need to leave behind leads that don&#8217;t fit the qualification. And this is crucial when we talk about B2B leads because the potential loss they can bring is quite significant.</p>
  281. <p>To achieve qualification, a lot of prior research, market analysis, and studies consistent with your company&#8217;s reality are needed.</p>
  282. <p>For this to happen, it is essential that you have a well-defined <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-perfil-de-cliente-ideal/">Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)</a>. And, above all, that your sales team focuses on it.</p>
  283. <p>The use of pre-sales professionals, such as a <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-sdr-em-vendas/">Sales Development Representative (SDR)</a> or a <a href="https://protagnst.com/business-development-representative/">Business Development Representative (BDR)</a>, is another effective way to ensure leads are as qualified as possible.</p>
  284. <p>This is especially important if your company works with complex sales and/or deals with a very high average ticket. After all, in both cases, negotiations tend to take longer than usual, which requires greater investment in technical and negotiation visits. And, as we have already mentioned, this increases costs.</p>
  285. <p>In addition, negotiations with highly qualified—&#8221;hot,&#8221; in sales jargon—leads also have an impact on future negotiations.</p>
  286. <p>Whenever you negotiate with clients that perfectly fit the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-perfil-de-cliente-ideal/">ideal customer profile</a>, the success rate of agreements is higher—as is their chance of satisfaction.</p>
  287. <p>And, ultimately, satisfied customers are much more likely to do business with you again. In this case, without requiring the entire sales cycle that was needed the first time.</p>
  288. <h3>Nurture Leads</h3>
  289. <p>Another point that helps decrease the duration of the sales cycle is nurturing leads that did not pass an initial <a href="https://protagnst.com/qualificacao-de-leads/">qualification process</a>.</p>
  290. <p>While leads that did not pass qualification should be discarded initially, they tend to represent future business.</p>
  291. <p>It may seem paradoxical, but let us explain.</p>
  292. <p>When you invest in inbound marketing strategies, the chance of receiving cold leads is quite high. Several studies have already shown that, in general, 90% of website visitors arrived there by chance, through simple searches.</p>
  293. <p>This means that this group does not come to the company&#8217;s website because they intend to buy, but because some kind of search led them there.</p>
  294. <p>On the other hand, we have to think: if the search this prospect made sent them to that site, it means they have some point of interest in that type of business.</p>
  295. <p>And this is precisely where another, much more promising statistic comes in: seven out of ten visitors are potential leads. The point is that this contingent can become clients for your company just as easily as for your competition.</p>
  296. <p>This is precisely why it&#8217;s important to nurture them.</p>
  297. <p>If the initial filter of your marketing or pre-sales team reached a certain prospect, it means they have some interesting characteristics. Thus, even if, initially, negotiations should only proceed with demonstrably hot leads, the marketing team needs to invest in nurturing the others in parallel.</p>
  298. <p>This will ensure that, in the future, you have a larger lead base—and, therefore, a less time-consuming sales cycle.</p>
  299. <p>However, you need to have clear criteria for nurturing this group. Those that are clearly cold should be discarded. The &#8220;lukewarm&#8221; ones deserve your attention. So, carefully check the reasons that made that lead discardable in the first place.</p>
  300. <p>Seasonality, a bad economic climate, or their lack of awareness of a problem to be solved indicate that it is possible to resume contact in the future.</p>
  301. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  302. <h3>Don&#8217;t Waste Time: Make Contact as Soon as Possible</h3>
  303. <p>We&#8217;ve already mentioned that, in general, up to half of customers do business for the first time with the company that contacted them first.</p>
  304. <p>This is very common in B2C businesses. If you&#8217;re over 40, for example, you&#8217;ll certainly remember a very common practice until the 1990s, when salespeople would go door-to-door offering their products—usually books, encyclopedias, or children&#8217;s kits.</p>
  305. <p>Back then, the salesperson&#8217;s work was even more arduous because they didn&#8217;t usually do the prior research that we do today.</p>
  306. <p>While we now insist on the need to analyze the market and invest only in qualified leads, back then, those who negotiated went door-to-door without knowing what lay ahead. Thus, it wasn&#8217;t uncommon for the children&#8217;s kit salesperson to go through 100 houses that didn&#8217;t even have children.</p>
  307. <p>On the other hand, in homes where there was their ideal client profile, the chance of closing a deal was quite high. After all, what was the probability of that family receiving another kit salesperson in the near future?</p>
  308. <p>Today&#8217;s reality is quite different, but in one respect it resembles that time. After all, now good salespeople know exactly which doors to knock on—whether by cold calling or another approach method. The point is that, unlike back then, the chance of more than one company reaching the lead is quite high.</p>
  309. <p>Therefore, whenever your marketing or pre-sales team identifies a lead, contact them as soon as possible.</p>
  310. <h3>Monitor the Sales Cycle</h3>
  311. <p>Another very efficient way to decrease the duration of the sales cycle is to constantly monitor it.</p>
  312. <p>Evaluate how each stage of your sales funnel is developing. <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">The time spent on prospecting</a>, on product presentation, and on negotiations. Have full control over your <a href="https://protagnst.com/taxa-de-conversao-em-vendas/">metrics and conversion rate</a>.</p>
  313. <p>Bad numbers—or lower than expected—need your attention.</p>
  314. <p>Leads that spend a lot of time in the presentation stage may indicate that the previous process, prospecting and qualification, needs improvement. Abandonment in the final stretch of the funnel may warrant a review of <a href="https://protagnst.com/estrategias-de-preco/">pricing strategies</a> or greater investment in consultative sales.</p>
  315. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4919" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-6.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-6.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-6-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Ciclo-de-vendas-6-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  316. <h2>How to Create a Sales Cycle?</h2>
  317. <p>Now that you know the stages of a sales cycle, let&#8217;s help you create one for your company. We&#8217;ve prepared a very efficient model that you can download for free.</p>
  318. <p>With our guide, you&#8217;ll see that creating a personalized sales cycle is not one of the most difficult tasks. However, you&#8217;ll need to keep in mind that it&#8217;s not a simple formula: there&#8217;s someone on the other end of the table who will make the decision to do business with you or not.</p>
  319. <h3>Decision-Making Process vs. Sales Cycle</h3>
  320. <p>The decision to buy or not usually goes through six stages. They are:</p>
  321. <ul>
  322. <li>Awareness of need: another company will only do business with yours if they know they have a pain point to solve. This need, of course, can come from them. But can you really afford to wait for potential clients to come to you every time? This is why market research and lead prospecting are so important, especially through investment in outbound marketing.</li>
  323. <li>Desire to solve: when the lead discovers they have a problem, the next step is to show interest in solving it. The question is &#8220;how.&#8221; This is when a good salesperson will listen to what that client needs and begin to design a business option that best fits their needs.</li>
  324. <li>Consideration: the potential client already knows what they need, and the seller already knows they have the solution. But it&#8217;s not time to move forward with the deal yet. At this stage, you need to show that lead the value of your product. It&#8217;s time to demonstrate how your solution can best solve that problem.</li>
  325. <li>Purchase intent: here, the potential client has already decided to acquire a solution—but not necessarily yours. After all, they need to invest in something and know there are other players in the market besides you. So, it&#8217;s time for you to start showing what makes doing business with you more interesting. Price? Production capacity? More attractive post-sales service?</li>
  326. <li>Evaluation: the potential client is inclined to negotiate with you, but it doesn&#8217;t depend solely on that lead. In <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/">B2B business</a>, it&#8217;s very common for a purchasing process to be scrutinized by different managers. At this point, it&#8217;s up to your company to maintain that lead&#8217;s interest. To do this, your team needs to be attentive and prepared to answer all questions that may arise and be quick to respond to objections.</li>
  327. <li>Purchase: if all goes well, the decision-making process ends with the purchase. Now it&#8217;s up to you to deliver exactly what you promised and be efficient in your post-sales work.</li>
  328. </ul>
  329. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/ciclo-de-vendas/">https://protagnst.com/ciclo-de-vendas/</a></p>
  330. <h3>Why is it Important to Understand the Sales Cycle in a Business Context?</h3>
  331. <p>Understanding the sales cycle is fundamental to business success, as it allows you to identify opportunities, plan actions, prospect clients, conduct negotiations, close sales, and retain customers strategically and efficiently. Understanding all stages of the sales cycle enables more effective management of the sales team, optimizing processes and increasing company results.</p>
  332. <h3>How to Identify the Stages of the Sales Cycle and Their Respective Activities?</h3>
  333. <p>To identify the stages of the sales cycle and their respective activities, it&#8217;s essential to keep in mind the following: the sales cycle can vary depending on the segment and the product/service offered, but it generally involves the stages of prospecting, qualification, presentation of the solution, negotiation, and closing.</p>
  334. <p>In each of these stages, the activities to be performed include: market research and lead identification in prospecting, analysis of customer needs in qualification, preparation of personalized proposals in the presentation of the solution, discussion of commercial conditions in negotiation, and formalization of the sale in closing.</p>
  335. <p>It is important to adapt these stages and activities according to the customer profile and the complexity of the sale, always seeking to add value and focus on building long-term relationships.</p>
  336. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  337. <h3>What are the Best Practices for Optimizing the Sales Cycle and Increasing Results?</h3>
  338. <p>Invest in training the sales team, use process automation technologies to optimize stages, understand customer needs and pain points to offer personalized solutions, maintain a good post-sales relationship to build customer loyalty, and constantly analyze results and adjust the strategy.</p>
  339. <h3>What is the Relationship between Sales Techniques and the Sales Cycle in a Business Context?</h3>
  340. <p>Sales techniques are fundamental to conducting the sales cycle effectively in a business context. Using appropriate techniques, the salesperson can identify customer needs, present solutions that meet these needs, negotiate more assertively, and close deals more successfully.</p>
  341. <p>The sales cycle, in turn, is the process that the customer goes through from the first contact to the completion of the purchase. By applying sales techniques correctly at each stage of this cycle, it&#8217;s possible to increase the chances of conversion and ensure lasting relationships with customers.</p>
  342. <h2>Hire a Company that Offers the Best Sales Cycle</h2>
  343. <p>Want a short and efficient sales cycle? Protagnst is a <a href="https://protagnst.com/pt/">consulting firm specializing in B2B sales</a>. We work on lead generation, customer acquisition, and increased sales in business-to-business transactions.</p>
  344. <p>Fill out the form below so we can create the best strategy for your business together.</p>
  345. [contact-form-7]
  346. ]]></content:encoded>
  347. </item>
  348. <item>
  349. <title>Customer acquisition: everything you need to know about the subject</title>
  350. <link>https://protagnst.com/customer-acquisition/</link>
  351. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  352. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:26:13 +0000</pubDate>
  353. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  354. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  355. <category><![CDATA[Outbound Marketing]]></category>
  356. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  357. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  358. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14073</guid>
  359.  
  360. <description><![CDATA[In this context, a few points must be understood for the acquisition of corporate clients to be successful. With this in mind, we present throughout this article the essential elements to help you acquire more clients and, consequently, boost your company&#8217;s results. Enjoy your reading! Keep in Mind the Specifics of the B2B Market Business [&#8230;]]]></description>
  361. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In this context, a few points must be understood for the acquisition of corporate clients to be successful. With this in mind, we present throughout this article the essential elements to help you acquire more clients and, consequently, boost your company&#8217;s results. Enjoy your reading!</p>
  362. <h2>Keep in Mind the Specifics of the B2B Market</h2>
  363. <p><em>Business to business</em> (or, as it is commonly called, B2B) is a concept that refers to the commercial market established between companies, that is, organizations that conduct business and commercial operations with each other.</p>
  364. <p>It&#8217;s essential to understand that the methods for acquiring large clients in this type of market are entirely different from the techniques used for the market segment whose target is individuals (or individual buyers).</p>
  365. <p>In this sense, the acquisition of corporate clients depends, to a large extent, on marketing actions. In fact, the professionals who make up the marketing team have numerous responsibilities, among which the task of nurturing and capturing leads stands out until they are fully prepared for the <a href="https://protagnst.com/melhores-livros-de-vendas/">sales team</a> to make their approach.</p>
  366. <p>For your company, therefore, one of the biggest challenges is to outperform competitors by preparing a set of content capable of &#8220;educating&#8221; your customers, encouraging them to make good choices, showing them the advantages and differences between each service and/or product.</p>
  367. <p>This way, it becomes easier to generate more qualified business opportunities within your customers&#8217; success journey.</p>
  368. <p>Among the specifics of marketing for this market, we point out some of the most relevant and effective below.</p>
  369. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4101" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-1.jpg" alt="Client Acquisition" width="1000" height="668" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-1.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-1-768x513.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-1-705x471.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  370. <h3>Website</h3>
  371. <p>Your company&#8217;s website&#8217;s mission is to function as a business card for your business. It should be prepared and planned to drive contacts, clearly communicating your offers, and explaining how they solve the pain points of potential clients.</p>
  372. <p>Therefore, the website should be an excellent channel for client acquisition that, through the application of relationship and acquisition strategies (evidently, considering GDPR guidelines), delivers tangible business opportunities to your sales team.</p>
  373. <p>Thus, it&#8217;s highly recommended that your website have institutional content that can provide objective information and data about the services and/or products your organization offers.</p>
  374. <p>Fundamentally, however, the content conveyed should be educational and rich, targeting client pain points. With this initiative, sales can be boosted more easily.</p>
  375. <p>To do so, use, as appropriate, the elements present in content marketing strategies, such as ebooks, landing pages, blog articles, and others.</p>
  376. <h3>Holding and/or Participating in Events</h3>
  377. <p>Participating in B2B market events is a great opportunity to establish direct contact with your potential clients (or prospects), as well as an excellent opportunity to continue strengthening relationships with current clients.</p>
  378. <p>After all, these are <a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-consultivas/">complex sales, typically consultative</a>, and often depend on face-to-face contact—a strategy that remains very valid. However, before deciding to participate in a specific event, it&#8217;s necessary to define metrics, strategies, and objectives.</p>
  379. <p>For this reason, it is recommended to carry out the exercise proposed below, answering the questions as honestly as possible:</p>
  380. <ul>
  381. <li>What will the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) be?</li>
  382. <li>What are the expected returns on the investments made?</li>
  383. <li>How does your organization want to be perceived by the people present at the event?</li>
  384. <li>What experiences will your company provide?</li>
  385. <li>How will your business participate (sponsorship, booth, guest, speaker)?</li>
  386. <li>What communication strategies will you choose to attract potential clients?</li>
  387. <li>Who will be the event&#8217;s audience?</li>
  388. <li>How will this event contribute to achieving your business objectives?</li>
  389. <li>How does the event in question fit into your marketing strategy?</li>
  390. </ul>
  391. <p>In addition to attending events organized by third parties, your company can also hold its own &#8220;in-house&#8221; events. One of the main differences in this alternative can be found in the fact that the guarantee of success and logistical responsibility will fall on your organization.</p>
  392. <p>Some B2B businesses tend to invest in promoting events, making it one of their main marketing strategies. Check out some possibilities that, depending on the current strategy, can be applied by your business:</p>
  393. <ul>
  394. <li>Roadshows</li>
  395. <li>Seminars</li>
  396. <li>Lectures</li>
  397. <li>Master Classes</li>
  398. <li>Webinars</li>
  399. <li>Business breakfasts</li>
  400. <li>Workshops</li>
  401. <li>Congresses</li>
  402. <li>Service and product launches</li>
  403. </ul>
  404. <p>The central objective of events is to position your company as an authority on certain topics. Therefore, sharing rich content—that is, content that adds value to clients&#8217; businesses—is essential.</p>
  405. <h3>Social Selling</h3>
  406. <p>We all know that the ways people communicate and sell have changed radically in recent times, right? Consequently, we&#8217;ve noticed that so-called &#8220;social strategies&#8221; have shifted their focus to buyers&#8217; interests, prioritizing loyalty, interaction, and, of course, conversion.</p>
  407. <p>Therefore, the use of social selling as a great marketing strategy—especially for the increasingly competitive environment of the B2B market—allows you to nurture, understand, <a href="https://protagnst.com/qualificacao-de-leads/">connect with, and find leads</a>, guiding them to close sales.</p>
  408. <p>Thus, social selling emerges as a contemporary way to establish much more personalized contacts with your potential clients, interacting strategically so that, as soon as it is opportune, your company can present the solution to their possible pain points and problems.</p>
  409. <p>Developing best practices in social selling involves some essential steps, namely:</p>
  410. <ul>
  411. <li>Develop a strategy that ensures the production of targeted and focused content according to different channels and client pain points.</li>
  412. <li>Build relationships</li>
  413. <li>Engage</li>
  414. <li>Find the decision-makers of your potential clients</li>
  415. <li>Strengthen your brand</li>
  416. </ul>
  417. <p>By following these principles in guiding your sales team, the chances of obtaining <a href="https://protagnst.com/social-selling/">satisfactory results from social selling</a> will certainly be quite high.</p>
  418. <p>Also read about how to win more clients with the <a href="https://protagnst.com/role-playing/">role-playing</a> technique.</p>
  419. <h3>Database</h3>
  420. <p>By the term &#8220;database&#8221; we mean a repository structured in a certain way that allows for its consultation, updating, as well as other types of operations performed by digital means.</p>
  421. <p>That is, the information inserted in a repository gathers all the data related to your potential and current clients. In the case of a database specific to the B2B market, it is important to emphasize that it can be developed with all the necessary data (such as level of decision-making power, company, position, age, name).</p>
  422. <p>This allows sales communications and approaches to be carried out in the most targeted and personalized way possible. Obviously, this preparation makes actions even more effective.</p>
  423. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4102" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-2.jpg" alt="Client Acquisition" width="1000" height="668" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-2-705x471.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  424. <h2>Know the Main Characteristics of Your Business In-Depth</h2>
  425. <p>This task may seem simple at first. However, many business leaders make the mistake of promoting their services and/or products before being clear about the objectives of their respective companies—which includes scope, target audience, and other crucial elements.</p>
  426. <p>The big problem with this attitude, however, is easy to understand: how would it be possible to sell something without first knowing the reasons for the <a href="https://protagnst.com/estrategias-de-preco/">prices charged</a>, the possible problems, the benefits, and its characteristics?</p>
  427. <p>As soon as the client starts asking about the service and/or product, you must be able to answer all their questions. In short, this will positively impact the client&#8217;s experience with your brand, generating credibility.</p>
  428. <p>The need to study your company, define strategies and objectives, know your clients, understand your services and/or products, and, above all, be prepared to face any situation is evident.</p>
  429. <p>It is very important that you are not &#8220;caught off guard.&#8221; Otherwise, you won&#8217;t convey credibility and, as a result, you will fail to take an important step towards acquiring corporate clients.</p>
  430. <p>It is worth remembering that the buying experience must transcend the product and/or service delivered. It&#8217;s essential to create close ties with your audience, forging relationships between clients and your brand.</p>
  431. <p>In practical terms, this can only be achieved when you know the market in which your company operates, aiming to understand the different client profiles and decision-makers.</p>
  432. <h3>Segment the Market</h3>
  433. <p>Segmentation is an effective method for separating customers into groups, according to their common interests. With this information, you can generate your B2B persona.</p>
  434. <p>By &#8220;targeting&#8221; your ideal client, the company directs efforts towards people who are certainly interested in what is offered. Furthermore, by knowing where your company will operate, all strategic creation will have a greater chance of success.</p>
  435. <p>However, you will also be able to identify potential problems (future or recurring), as there will be a consolidated understanding of your audience&#8217;s behavior in the market.</p>
  436. <p>After all, successful segmentation can be built from factors that directly influence purchasing decisions. Surprisingly, one of the best ways is through market research.</p>
  437. <p>With this, you can collect the data that will inform your decisions. There are two main types of market research:</p>
  438. <ul>
  439. <li>Primary Research: When your company collects specific information to study it</li>
  440. <li>Secondary Research: Information collected by specialized companies. The data is available, as in the surveys conducted by IBOPE</li>
  441. </ul>
  442. <p>Above all, market research is not limited to observing competitors. Rather, it is about analyzing everything that happens in your segment of activity.</p>
  443. <p>Through this tool, it&#8217;s possible to understand the most relevant challenges in your area, identifying opportunities and problems, knowing client profiles, understanding competitor strategies, analyzing suppliers, and understanding—demographically—the area of activity in which your business operates.</p>
  444. <p>Similarly, all research starts with a certain question or problem. Defining the problem in research implies having an appropriate starting point to begin studies.</p>
  445. <p>If your goal is to design strategies that lead your company to become a benchmark in its segment, it is essential to know exactly where you stand in the market.</p>
  446. <p>Similarly, it&#8217;s necessary to describe your business situation clearly, including information about competition, communication, distribution, the market, and other factors.</p>
  447. <p>Secondary information is collected from testimonials from clients who have already made purchases, reviews by digital influencers, evaluations by experts in your area, and articles from blogs, magazines, or newspapers.</p>
  448. <p>Once this information is obtained, and your market position is understood, it remains to define where you want to go. At this point, you will know which data—among those obtained in the research—will be used to create marketing strategies and actions for client acquisition.</p>
  449. <p>Previously, remember that it is not uncommon, when observing research results, for the defined problems not to represent the real bottlenecks of your business model. It is also common for all results to lead to the same decision.</p>
  450. <p>In fact, every well-structured business conducts constant market research. Similarly, your organization should be prepared to the point of being able to predict actions and anticipate bad times that may appear on the horizon.</p>
  451. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4103" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-3.jpg" alt="Client Acquisition" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-3-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  452. <h2>Define Your Company&#8217;s Buyer Persona</h2>
  453. <p>The buyer persona, which in this case can be called the &#8220;B2B persona,&#8221; is the representation, made through a created character, of your ideal client, that is, the buyer.</p>
  454. <p>To identify your B2B persona, you need to conduct research, data collection, and interviews with your prospects and clients, as B2B personas cannot be created based on assumptions, guesses, or &#8220;hunches.&#8221;</p>
  455. <p>It is essential to be assertive to obtain quality results. Starting from the definition of your B2B persona, it&#8217;s possible to know how to act in the acquisition of corporate clients, as your company can begin planning, <a href="https://protagnst.com/como-bater-metas/">setting objectives and goals</a> in a way that demonstrably brings positive returns to the business.</p>
  456. <p>Every B2B persona must face certain functional challenges (such as solving specific problems or completing certain tasks) that have social components (demonstrating status or looking good) and emotional/personal components (seeking security, peace, comfort, among others).</p>
  457. <p>By evaluating purchases from the B2B persona&#8217;s point of view, you will understand how these actions should be carried out and how the solution you offer can help them in this process.</p>
  458. <p>Don&#8217;t forget that, for your B2B persona, there are tasks that are considered more relevant than others. It&#8217;s also important to assess the context in which such activities will take place.</p>
  459. <p>In other words, your B2B persona has pain points that must be addressed. The concept of &#8220;pain,&#8221; in this sense, describes all the elements that bother your B2B persona after, during, or before trying to solve their tasks.</p>
  460. <p>Thus, they can arise from unexpected results (problems such as products that don&#8217;t work), obstacles (situations that make it impossible to complete tasks), or risks (threats and suspicions that certain problems may occur).</p>
  461. <p>Above all, your B2B persona expects to obtain gains from acquiring a new solution. That is, they expect some result that may be necessary for their tasks or that would make their lives easier. It is therefore advisable not to neglect other aspects, such as the desire for social gains linked to status, power, and career.</p>
  462. <p><a href="#form">Need help acquiring B2B clients? Fill out this form to contact Protagnst.</a></p>
  463. <h3>Collecting Information to Identify Your B2B Persona</h3>
  464. <p>There are different tactics used in collecting data about clients. For example, conducting desk research is a quick method, through the analysis of external sources of information available on the internet, such as social media discussion groups, LinkedIn profiles, professional institutions, industry magazines, and professional association websites.</p>
  465. <p>The history of your marketing associations can also be a powerful indicator of the solutions, times, and topics preferred by your audience. Certainly, public information from various research and sources (such as government sources), such as published articles or data provided by the IBGE, can be used.</p>
  466. <p>This information is useful for developing your starting point. However, it should be complemented by market research that will be developed for your business to better understand customers.</p>
  467. <p>At this point, it is recommended to use methods that enable qualitative analysis, such as Design Thinking meetings, focus groups, or interviews. The latter, by the way, are essential for uncovering purchasing processes, including patterns of acquisition and content consumption (how and where customers consume content and what their preferences are).</p>
  468. <p>This allows for a better understanding of the professionals directly involved in the purchasing processes, in order to identify the &#8220;trigger event&#8221; and the problems that the target company is trying to solve.</p>
  469. <p>Another possibility is to study your portfolio of current clients, aiming to detect patterns—although you shouldn&#8217;t limit yourself to this. Establish your B2B persona and seek to interview potential clients.</p>
  470. <p>Since they routinely deal with other suppliers, it is quite likely that they will be less influenced by your brand, and can contribute valuable insights.</p>
  471. <p>It is also possible to obtain relevant data from your own sales team. Your employees receive constant feedback from the market and know the competition up close, in addition to being in permanent contact with your target audience.</p>
  472. <p>In short, you must establish the management of this information at each point of contact, through a well-structured intelligence process. This process must be dialectical, encompassing the collection of information, planning, analysis, evaluation, and measurement of results.</p>
  473. <h2>Outline Your Strategies</h2>
  474. <p>After studying your business, knowing your B2B persona, and knowing who to address your communications to, it&#8217;s time to start outlining your strategies. This is the time to see what competitors are doing and also to invest in innovations that will help you improve your market positioning.</p>
  475. <p>At this stage, start using one of the growing trends that is reinventing itself by focusing more and more on users: the internet. According to a <a href="https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/tecnologia/pesquisa-aponta-que-81-dos-brasileiros-com-mais-de-10-anos-usam-a-internet/">recently published study</a>, more than 80% of Brazilians use the internet daily.</p>
  476. <p>Given this scenario, failing to invest in online environments means giving up the possibility of reaching a huge number of people (and all at once). This is because the internet can break down borders, allowing your company to reach its intended audience in a specific and, at the same time, comprehensive way.</p>
  477. <p>Start dialogues with your potential clients to carry out effective acquisition planning. Negotiations between companies are never as fast as end-consumer purchasing decisions. This is a dynamic that can last for months or years.</p>
  478. <p>For this reason, it is often necessary to have negotiation skills and a great deal of patience. The first phase can be understood as the identification of the sector that will use the services and/or products offered. Your sales team should interact precisely with the individuals in this area.</p>
  479. <p>In practical terms, dialogue is crucial. To this end, salespeople should always be well-informed about the market, knowing their own business in depth. However, this knowledge cannot be dumped all at once.</p>
  480. <p>Indeed, dialogues work as two-way streets: salespeople should listen to their prospects, understanding their needs and weaknesses and, based on this, exchange information, talking about the offer, seeking to contribute to the solution and offering value before making any kind of charge.</p>
  481. <p>The professional needs to demonstrate that they know, as a specialist in the subject, what to do to help the potential client. Acquiring large clients is full of challenges, however, once these are overcome, the process becomes very important for your company&#8217;s sales department.</p>
  482. <p>Undeniably, it&#8217;s necessary to understand the timing and needs of each client. This aspect is so important that it deserves to be reinforced. Understanding timing and needs is extremely important, as the establishment of lasting customer relationships depends on these skills.</p>
  483. <p>In order to understand these aspects, a close relationship between the potential client and the brand is highly relevant: it will be useless for a client to sign a contract and then cancel it immediately due to a lack of adherence elements. Therefore, to prevent rework and wasted time, it is necessary to have a well-trained team.</p>
  484. <p>Perhaps the company with which your employee is negotiating has a high need for your services and/or products but does not have the necessary funds to acquire them at the moment. In this case, it&#8217;s worth registering this contact, maintaining a close relationship with them.</p>
  485. <p>Remember that there is a person on the other side of the email or the phone line. They may contact your company again, especially if they have real interest and have been treated appropriately.</p>
  486. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/empresas-de-prospeccao-b2b/">Prospecting activities</a>, in turn, cannot stop. For B2B client acquisition, the pipeline must be fed regularly so that there is no shortage of deals to be closed.</p>
  487. <p>A good alternative to avoid overloading your team—and, at the same time, keep the search for new markets at high levels—is to implement a team exclusively dedicated to acquisition.</p>
  488. <p>Depending on the segment of activity and the general characteristics of the business, certain companies can also rely on professionals specialized in studying the products that the company makes available, in order to create new products and varieties of use for the market.</p>
  489. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4104" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-4.jpg" alt="Client Acquisition" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-4.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/captacao-de-clientes-4-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  490. <h2>Consider Social Media in Your Planning</h2>
  491. <p>The use of social media represents one of the most widely used strategies by business leaders seeking to know how to use the internet for B2B client acquisition.</p>
  492. <p>Social networks provide several platforms that enable your business to achieve good results, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, among others.</p>
  493. <p>First of all, they can be excellent allies, especially when it comes to acquiring clients for your business, since there is strong user interactivity on them.</p>
  494. <p>For this reason, taking advantage of this exchange of information, aiming to maintain more direct communication with your clients, is a great way to acquire corporate clients.</p>
  495. <p>In addition, you can also use them to promote your products and/or services and analyze the habits of your prospects, maintaining closer contact with your current clients.</p>
  496. <p>It&#8217;s recommended to study and identify which social networks your B2B persona prefers. This measure will prevent your company from wasting time and money investing in a platform where your clients won&#8217;t see your brand.</p>
  497. <p>Then, identify the language used by your B2B persona so that your business can have a more open dialogue. In the B2B market, if your prospects are, for example, engineers, it&#8217;s best to use more informative, technical, and formal language.</p>
  498. <p>Be that as it may, the most important thing is that your company is where your audience is, adapting its tone and language according to the platform, in order to ensure effective communication with users.</p>
  499. <p>If you want help acquiring B2B clients, fill out the form below and together we will create the best strategy for your business.</p>
  500. [contact-form-7]
  501. ]]></content:encoded>
  502. </item>
  503. <item>
  504. <title>Social selling: how to increase sales with this strategy?</title>
  505. <link>https://protagnst.com/social-selling-2/</link>
  506. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  507. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:14:03 +0000</pubDate>
  508. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  509. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  510. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  511. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  512. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  513. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14066</guid>
  514.  
  515. <description><![CDATA[Social media is a powerful presence in our daily lives. Even if you don&#8217;t have a profile on any of them—but you should at least have one on LinkedIn—you&#8217;ve likely landed on a personal profile or company page through a search engine. There&#8217;s no way around it: millions of people are on these platforms, so [&#8230;]]]></description>
  516. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Social media is a powerful presence in our daily lives. Even if you don&#8217;t have a profile on any of them—but you should at least have one on LinkedIn—you&#8217;ve likely landed on a personal profile or company page through a search engine. There&#8217;s no way around it: millions of people are on these platforms, so there&#8217;s no shortage of <a href="https://protagnst.com/geracao-de-leads/">business opportunities</a>.  So today, we&#8217;re going to talk about <strong>social selling</strong>.</p>
  517. <p>Social selling refers to using social media to boost business, whether through lead generation or as a way to increase interaction and relationships with existing customers.</p>
  518. <p>Despite what the name suggests, it&#8217;s not about seeking direct sales. Occasionally, social selling can even serve as a follow-up method <a href="https://protagnst.com/cold-call-2-0/">when cold calls</a> haven&#8217;t yielded the expected return. The focus, however, is different.</p>
  519. <p>As we&#8217;ll show throughout this article, the idea behind social selling is to strengthen relationships.  And this needs to be done by offering good content, seeking friendly, non-intrusive relationships.</p>
  520. <p>This strategy aligns perfectly with sales consultants who act by providing consultation—<a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-consultivas/">so-called consultative selling</a>—in addition to being a great opportunity to prospect for new leads.</p>
  521. <h2>What is Social Selling?</h2>
  522. <p>Social selling is a way to leverage social media to increase interaction with customers. This helps maintain relationships with them and strengthen ties, increasing sales effectiveness.</p>
  523. <p>This can also be a method employed in the search for new leads, mainly because social networks have two aspects that interest us: just as they allow companies to have a space to promote their brand and products, they also put hundreds, tens of thousands of potential customers looking for what you can offer at your fingertips.</p>
  524. <p>As you know, these days it&#8217;s practically impossible for any company to remain absent from social media. In <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/">B2B businesses</a>, having a LinkedIn page is crucial.  But even on networks that, at first glance, aren&#8217;t exactly business-oriented—like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—you need to have a presence.</p>
  525. <p>So, to do social selling, you need to publish relevant content that generates engagement, but that&#8217;s not all. As we&#8217;ll show later, interacting with posts, following potential leads, monitoring what customers do on social media, and making targeted approaches are ways to work social selling.</p>
  526. <p>It&#8217;s important to make it clear from the outset, however, that despite what the term &#8220;social selling&#8221; may suggest, immediate sales are NOT the objective of this technique. As we said at the beginning, the goal is to increase interaction and build relationships.  The focus is on conversion work for the medium and long term.</p>
  527. <h2>Advantages of Social Selling</h2>
  528. <p>You&#8217;ve certainly heard of the <a href="https://protagnst.com/funil-de-vendas/">sales funnel</a>. Its function is to demonstrate what a customer&#8217;s buying journey usually looks like—although it&#8217;s not always linear or the same for all customers.</p>
  529. <p>In the funnel, the top represents prospecting, lead identification, and qualification.  It&#8217;s larger because it accommodates everyone who could become a customer. But from there, as you identify the real pain points of customers, the funnel narrows. Only a small portion usually end up closing a deal.</p>
  530. <p>As we&#8217;ll show below, using social selling has the potential to make the traditional sales funnel smaller and with a more interesting shape for those offering products and services.  Follow along.</p>
  531. <h3>Potential to Shorten the Sales Cycle</h3>
  532. <p>There are many sales techniques, ranging from lead prospecting to closing a deal. All of them are well-established and have their advantages and disadvantages.  But few are capable of making the interaction with the potential customer more &#8220;human&#8221; from the start than social selling.</p>
  533. <p>The interaction that social media provides is more spontaneous and, if done correctly, at the right time, can bring good results.</p>
  534. <p>The seller interacts with the potential buyer more frequently and, little by little, becomes the expert on the subject in their eyes.</p>
  535. <p>For example, imagine that someone interacts with your company&#8217;s post about a certain topic.  You respond, clarify their doubts, and make yourself available to help them understand the topic.</p>
  536. <p>This interaction could help you understand the potential client&#8217;s real needs more quickly.  At the same time, it will make them move through your sales funnel faster: you don&#8217;t need the same effort to prospect and qualify the lead, because they themselves started showing interest from the first interactions.</p>
  537. <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="#form">Want to accelerate your sales and increase your customer base? Protagnst can help! Fill out the form and we&#8217;ll get in touch to present our solutions!</a></p>
  538. <h3>Greater Understanding of Customer Pain Points</h3>
  539. <p>Social selling has everything it takes to be a strong ally for those working with consultative sales, a method that is increasingly used and tends to show better results.</p>
  540. <p>Consultative selling is a strategy entirely focused on identifying and solving the problems that the customer presents. It requires a lot of contact and information exchange.</p>
  541. <p>In person, this consultative selling has a higher cost and demands that both parties be willing to meet and set aside hours in their schedules. Online or over the phone, it saves on travel, but it still requires setting aside a specific time.</p>
  542. <p>Conversations and interactions on social networks, as well as analysis of lead activities, in turn, help to understand the main pain points that the customer faces without necessarily taking time from either party &#8211; the conversation occurs at the opportune moment.</p>
  543. <p>The essence is the same, but the fundamental gain is time. And this makes it easier for you to develop the best strategy to help them.</p>
  544. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3993" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-5.jpg" alt="social selling" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-5-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  545. <h3>Increased Sales Volume</h3>
  546. <p>Acquiring new customers always needs to be a focus for companies, but keeping current ones is essential. And if you track the <a href="https://protagnst.com/lifetime-value/">lifetime value in your company</a>, you know what we&#8217;re talking about.</p>
  547. <p>There are a number of gains when dealing with recurring customers.  You already know who is responsible for purchasing at that company, how their decision-making process works, what the most effective sales strategy is, what negotiation structure they prefer, and so on. Also, once again, the <a href="https://protagnst.com/ciclo-de-vendas/">sales cycle</a> is shorter.</p>
  548. <p>But there is another advantage: the greater possibility of cross-selling and upselling. After all, it&#8217;s a partnership that already has greater understanding, and both sides can make concessions in order to close a deal involving larger volumes than initially anticipated.</p>
  549. <p>With social selling, these opportunities tend to become even more common.  This is because, while the salesperson themselves can make occasional approaches offering to expand business, the buyer can come across an opportunity advertised by the company with which they have an agreement.  Thus, the initiative to expand opportunities comes from them.</p>
  550. <h2>How to Do Social Selling?</h2>
  551. <p>An important aspect of social selling is understanding that it requires offering relevant content.</p>
  552. <p>Imagine, for example, that your company has a LinkedIn page, but it&#8217;s basically &#8220;static.&#8221;  It provides information about your business, but it doesn&#8217;t frequently offer content related to it. What are the chances of it generating engagement that way?</p>
  553. <p>The very definition of relevant content, however, involves establishing some criteria.  Therefore, below we&#8217;ll present a small step-by-step guide for your company to build a social selling strategy.</p>
  554. <h3>Define Your Customer</h3>
  555. <p>Business success demands a few factors, the two most basic being having someone to sell and having someone to buy.  You have a product or service to offer, and there are certainly many other companies whose problems can be solved by what you produce. So, the question you should always know the answer to is: who is your customer?</p>
  556. <p>Knowing the profile of those who do business with you is crucial to increasing sales.  That&#8217;s why you need to <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-persona/">build a persona</a>—or buyer persona, as it&#8217;s also called.</p>
  557. <p>The persona is a fictional character you create based on real behavior and data you find in your customer base. If the persona is built correctly, you&#8217;ll know if the customer is generally male or female, their age, education level, how much they usually spend, their motivations, and so on.</p>
  558. <p>In the B2B business environment, defining the persona helps identify the best leads within companies that the prospecting team has identified as having the greatest potential to do business with you.</p>
  559. <p>Knowing your persona is important in social selling because you become capable of producing content targeted to them.  It also allows you to choose the best approach and when to make it.</p>
  560. <h3>Know the Social Networks</h3>
  561. <p>Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube&#8230; there are countless social networks these days.  Some have been more enduring, while others were hugely successful for a short period and are now rarely used—or have simply disappeared.</p>
  562. <p>Regardless, knowing the different social networks and their approach styles is essential for effective social selling.</p>
  563. <p>We&#8217;ve already said that LinkedIn tends to be the social network with the best potential for B2B business results. After all, it&#8217;s a medium focused on professional and business purposes. This is the network where you&#8217;ll most easily find the best leads and where you can have a more assertive approach from a business standpoint.</p>
  564. <p>But it&#8217;s not the only one.</p>
  565. <p>Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, to name a few of the most well-known, have options geared exclusively toward businesses. Although these networks tend to be remembered more and are more efficient for B2C business, they can&#8217;t be completely ignored for sales in the corporate segment.</p>
  566. <p>By the way, you&#8217;ve probably seen an ad on Instagram offering the opportunity to partner in some business venture.</p>
  567. <p>From a social selling perspective, these networks allow you to produce content with a less formal approach.  Also, sometimes your leads may have an active presence on these networks. Remember our tip about building a persona?  This is precisely where it will help you in your business.</p>
  568. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3990" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-2.jpg" alt="social selling" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-2-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  569. <h3>Offer Good Content</h3>
  570. <p>No matter the social network: <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">if you have a business and want to prospect</a>, engage, and maintain lasting relationships with customers, you need to offer content that piques their interest.</p>
  571. <p>We&#8217;ve already mentioned in other articles that acquiring new customers is more difficult than keeping them, especially in B2B businesses. After all, in these cases, sales can involve large volumes and sums.  It&#8217;s not so easy to convince someone who has never done business with you to start doing so.</p>
  572. <p>Even though, on average, those with LinkedIn profiles already expect to be contacted eventually with a business opportunity, everything becomes easier if they gradually come across everything a company has to offer. The solutions, the differentiators, how that product can add value.</p>
  573. <p>Posts, however, need to be frequent. Think about your favorite TV show: you know the day and time it will be broadcast. Likewise, those who follow your posts also appreciate regularity.</p>
  574. <p>Remember: content marketing is primarily an inbound strategy, but it works very well when <a href="https://protagnst.com/para-que-serve-o-outbound-marketing/">combined with outbound techniques</a>. And social selling is a good example of this.</p>
  575. <h3>Make Connections, Seek Recommendations</h3>
  576. <p>A good way to reach new leads is to have many connections, especially on LinkedIn.</p>
  577. <p>People feel more comfortable interacting with those they know—or at least those with whom they have friends or acquaintances in common.</p>
  578. <p>It&#8217;s for this same reason that recommendations from friends are always welcome because they help endorse your status as an expert on a given subject.</p>
  579. <p>In addition, with a good number of connections, there is always the possibility of spontaneous promotion.  For example, if you publish your own content on your profile, and that content is shared by friends, it will reach other connections you didn&#8217;t have—and the chance of boosting business increases.</p>
  580. <h2>Approach Techniques</h2>
  581. <p>There&#8217;s no manual on how to approach potential clients when doing social selling, but there are best practices worth following. One is also a matter of etiquette: if your lead has a LinkedIn profile, use that to discuss business, not their Facebook profile or other networks.</p>
  582. <p>In general, people also don&#8217;t like to be approached directly with an offer.  It&#8217;s rather unpleasant to open your inbox and be immediately faced with someone trying to sell you something.</p>
  583. <p>As mentioned earlier, social selling is not about immediate sales, but about building relationships.</p>
  584. <p>Therefore, instead of offering a product, offer content or an opportunity for information exchange. &#8220;I&#8217;d like to introduce you to an innovative product that our company offers&#8221; is more elegant than &#8220;Don&#8217;t miss out on buying the innovative product that our company offers,&#8221; wouldn&#8217;t you agree?</p>
  585. <p>Another important point is to make the most of the functionalities and options that social networks offer.</p>
  586. <h3>LinkedIn</h3>
  587. <p>LinkedIn is the main network for B2B social selling.</p>
  588. <p>We&#8217;ve already emphasized that the first step should always be defining a persona.  Well, the next immediate step—even better if it&#8217;s done together—is for your company to stand out on the network. To be *the* brand when it comes to what it has to offer.</p>
  589. <p>LinkedIn&#8217;s own research has already shown that decision-makers tend to negotiate on the platform with companies that are considered market leaders. And your company doesn&#8217;t have to be the top seller to be considered a leader; it needs to show that it is recognized.</p>
  590. <p>To do this, create original content frequently, promote engagement, and interact with everyone who shows interest.</p>
  591. <p>Also, don&#8217;t hesitate to occasionally share quality content produced by other companies or experts.  For example, if you work in the solar energy industry, share articles and reports from reputable news organizations on the topic.  This demonstrates that, more than being an expert on the subject, your company is aware of what&#8217;s happening in the world and willing to share all kinds of information.</p>
  592. <p>Another important point: have an attractive LinkedIn profile. Just stating your name and position isn&#8217;t enough.</p>
  593. <p>Imagine, for example, that you&#8217;re looking for a doctor in a specialty you&#8217;ve never sought before. You pick up your health insurance directory and find 20 names.  How will you decide on one?  Probably by researching their background or seeking recommendations, right?</p>
  594. <p>The same is true for those seeking professional contact on LinkedIn.  The chances of someone interacting with you are greater if they know your experience and what you can offer beforehand.</p>
  595. <h3>Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Others</h3>
  596. <p>Social selling on Facebook or other social networks isn&#8217;t much different from LinkedIn, but you need to pay attention to the profile of each network and, especially, what they can offer.</p>
  597. <p>Facebook, for example, offers an opportunity for lead generation and expansion of existing relationships that other networks don&#8217;t: groups.</p>
  598. <p>Facebook groups bring together people with common interests, and if that interest has to do with the solutions your company offers, opportunities can arise at any time.</p>
  599. <p>Propose discussions on the topic, respond to existing discussions. Show that you are knowledgeable about the subject and have the solutions people are looking for.</p>
  600. <p>On Instagram, the focus has to be on high-quality images.  Remember: it&#8217;s primarily a visual network. People are there to see pictures. Communication needs to be effective through the eyes.</p>
  601. <p>Also, be sure to use stories and occasionally host live streams.  Both tend to generate good engagement.</p>
  602. <p>And on Twitter, seek engagement with posts related to your area of expertise.  Comment on news, make comments about business opportunities, invite followers to discuss a certain topic.</p>
  603. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3991" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-3.jpg" alt="social selling" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-3-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  604. <h2>Social Selling Tools</h2>
  605. <p>Having a presence on social media to expand sales opportunities is important. After all, as you know, there can be thousands of business opportunities &#8220;hidden&#8221; among the profiles that make up the platforms.</p>
  606. <p>We&#8217;ve already shown that having a strong profile, generating engagement, and having a good number of connections helps. However, even if you have all of this, countless other chances to increase sales are still lost.  But how can you access a good portion of them?</p>
  607. <p>The best way is to use prospecting tools.  They automate processes and allow you and your company to connect directly with good leads. Here are a few of them:</p>
  608. <h3>Ramper</h3>
  609. <p>Protagnst is an official partner of Ramper. We started our partnership when we pivoted our brand <a href="https://www.intern-brazil.com.br/">Intern Brazil</a> to offer sales consulting.</p>
  610. <p>In Brazil, Ramper is the best B2B sales prospecting tool for generating qualified leads. It automates several stages of the lead prospecting process. Ramper allows you to capture contacts on social networks, which will later help you create lists, approaches, and follow-up.</p>
  611. <p><a href="#form">If you want inside sales consulting to help you operate Ramper, please fill out our form.</a></p>
  612. <h3>Dux-Soup</h3>
  613. <p>Dux-Soup is a tool that automates some LinkedIn activities. It lets you find, attract, and interact with potential clients.  In other words, Dux-Soup provides leads in much less time than normal prospecting. This is because it monitors all the profiles you visit.</p>
  614. <p>When any of these potential clients show real interest in what your company has to offer, you can start doing social selling with them personally.</p>
  615. <h3>Social Selling Index (SSI)</h3>
  616. <p>Part of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, the Social Selling Index (SSI) is an indicator created by the platform itself that helps you understand your positioning on the social network.</p>
  617. <p>With a simple click, the SSI gathers information such as the potential of your professional brand, how much a person interacts and contributes with their posts, comments, publications, and shares, and your ability on LinkedIn to build relationships and strengthen your credibility.</p>
  618. <h3>Find That Lead</h3>
  619. <p>This is a tool whose objective is to find the lead you should initiate contact with. It can be integrated with LinkedIn.</p>
  620. <p>All you have to do is enter the company&#8217;s full name and website address. From there, Find That Lead finds the correct email address of the person you&#8217;re looking for.</p>
  621. <h2>Pay Attention to Metrics</h2>
  622. <p>We&#8217;ve reiterated in countless articles the importance of monitoring sales metrics, all of them.  <a href="https://protagnst.com/taxa-de-conversao-em-vendas/">It could be the conversion rate</a>, the lifetime value, the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)&#8230; In short, all metrics are important because they show whether your sales strategy is effective.</p>
  623. <p>The same is true in social selling.</p>
  624. <p>There are some tools that generate reports on your performance on social media.  LinkedIn, even on personal profiles, provides basic information such as percentage of interactions, interest, and so on.</p>
  625. <p>On Facebook and Twitter, for example, accounts—especially business accounts—give access to reach, engagement, and other reports. Monitoring these metrics allows you to assess your performance over the weeks.</p>
  626. <p>Has the number of interactions increased?  Has there been greater engagement? Great, that&#8217;s a sign you&#8217;re doing social selling correctly.  Has your profile lost strength?  It&#8217;s time to review your activity on social media or your approach method.</p>
  627. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3992" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-4.jpg" alt="social selling" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-4.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-selling-4-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  628. <h2>Final Considerations</h2>
  629. <p>Those in sales know how difficult it is to acquire new customers. Keeping those with whom you&#8217;ve already done business is usually a less arduous task, but the economic climate is always an additional obstacle. Therefore, you need to be very resilient and not let opportunities slip away.</p>
  630. <p>Social networks are a great environment for business. In relationships between companies, the focus generally falls on LinkedIn—which, ultimately, is the best option.  But even other networks are business opportunities. After all, people follow brand profiles they like and interact with them.</p>
  631. <p>The concept of social selling involves knowing how to make the most of the opportunities that these platforms offer.  Producing content, interacting with leads and customers, being present without being intrusive is a way to prepare the ground for future business. It&#8217;s worth investing in.</p>
  632. <h2>Hire a B2B Prospecting Company</h2>
  633. <p>Want to maximize the potential of social selling? Rely on the support of a company focused on prospecting new customers and generating new business opportunities.</p>
  634. <p>Protagnst specializes in B2B lead generation and corporate client acquisition for business-to-business negotiations.</p>
  635. <p>Fill out the form below, tell us a little about yourself, and together we can create the best strategy for your business.</p>
  636. [contact-form-7]
  637. ]]></content:encoded>
  638. </item>
  639. <item>
  640. <title>Lifetime value (LTV): essential indicator for SaaS companies</title>
  641. <link>https://protagnst.com/lifetime-value-2/</link>
  642. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  643. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:55:51 +0000</pubDate>
  644. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  645. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  646. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  647. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  648. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14058</guid>
  649.  
  650. <description><![CDATA[Having complete control over all the indicators that, in some way, reflect a company&#8217;s financial results is crucial. After all, understanding each metric in depth will help pinpoint bottlenecks and work more effectively to resolve them. One such indicator is **lifetime value**, a concept we&#8217;ll cover in this article, and it&#8217;s super important. Broadly speaking, [&#8230;]]]></description>
  651. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Having complete control over all the indicators that, in some way, reflect a company&#8217;s financial results is crucial. After all, understanding each metric in depth will help pinpoint bottlenecks and work more effectively to resolve them. One such indicator is **lifetime value**, a concept we&#8217;ll cover in this article, and it&#8217;s super important.</p>
  652. <p>Broadly speaking, lifetime value helps a company understand how much and for how long its customers typically spend. It shows the customer&#8217;s &#8220;lifecycle&#8221; with your company. If properly evaluated, lifetime value allows you to diagnose how useful your company is to the customer – and thus, <a href="https://protagnst.com/inbound-e-outbound/">work on ways to strengthen that bond</a>.</p>
  653. <p>As we&#8217;ll show throughout this article, this indicator&#8217;s main objective is to find ways to build customer loyalty.</p>
  654. <p>Despite the somewhat fancy name, lifetime value is calculated simply. However, it requires the company to have an organized database and constantly verify its numbers. After all, business and customers can change relatively frequently, and outdated number analysis can potentially present skewed – and therefore ineffective – results.</p>
  655. <h2>What is Lifetime Value?</h2>
  656. <p>Lifetime value, also known as LTV, is a metric used in sales to calculate the value of a customer&#8217;s lifecycle with a brand or company. In other words, it&#8217;s the sum of all values spent by the customer during the period they actively did business with your company.</p>
  657. <p>This measurement is crucial because it can provide effective answers about your customer base and how they view their relationship with you. After all, it demonstrates how long your company is actually useful in solving a customer&#8217;s problem.</p>
  658. <p>Knowing the lifetime value immediately provides two important pieces of information: how much a customer spends and how long they remain loyal to the brand. Since this is based on data gathered from the entire customer portfolio, you get a reliable snapshot of your business.</p>
  659. <p>Another important point about calculating lifetime value is that it allows you to understand the cost of a customer – how much you&#8217;re willing to invest in them. This isn&#8217;t about customer acquisition cost (CAC), which we&#8217;ll discuss later, but rather the relationship with the return they provide.</p>
  660. <p>This information is important for marketing and sales teams to work on strategies that improve customer retention.</p>
  661. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">While seeking leads</a> and acquiring new customers is a goal that should always be on the horizon, retaining existing customers is essential.</p>
  662. <p>This is because, whenever you have a solid customer base, ensuring the company&#8217;s financial health becomes relatively easier. Furthermore, several studies have shown that it&#8217;s much easier to retain existing customers than to acquire new ones.</p>
  663. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3446" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-2.jpg" alt="Lifetime Value" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-2-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  664. <h2>The Importance of Lifetime Value</h2>
  665. <p>As mentioned, LTV is a critical metric because it tells us how much a customer typically spends throughout their entire business cycle with the company.</p>
  666. <p>This data is fundamental for maintaining a financially healthy company.</p>
  667. <p>By knowing how much return your customer usually brings, the marketing team, for example, will know how much is worth investing in them.</p>
  668. <p>After all, there&#8217;s no point in spending X amount to consolidate a sale if, throughout the customer&#8217;s entire lifecycle, they don&#8217;t provide a return beyond that.</p>
  669. <p>The same applies to the sales department. By knowing <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-persona/">how much the customer, on average, returns</a>, the sales consultant can establish strategies based on the profit each deal yields. Thus, reflected throughout the entire lifetime value, you can know with greater precision how much you can concede.</p>
  670. <p>One of the sectors most impacted by LTV is Software as a Service (SaaS). This indicator is especially important in this segment because, often, offering the service only becomes profitable if the company can maintain a minimum customer base every month.</p>
  671. <p>Imagine, for example, a software offering on demand. It requires the company offering the program to have a robust hosting infrastructure that ensures quality even with high traffic demand. For this, they need a team dedicated full-time to monitoring the service and able to correct failures as quickly as possible.</p>
  672. <p>All of this, of course, requires a cost that a single customer would take many months or even years to cover – but that is significantly reduced if the customer base is large and they remain active for a certain period. That&#8217;s why knowing LTV is crucial for SaaS companies.</p>
  673. <h2>What Exactly is SaaS?</h2>
  674. <p>Software as a Service (SaaS) is a way of offering software or other technology solutions over the internet, like a service. In other words, instead of the customer having to install programs or even hardware in their own company, they simply purchase the service and use it over the internet.</p>
  675. <p>SaaS is also known by other names, like on-demand software, hosted software, or web-based software. So, if you come across any of these definitions, know that the objective is the same.</p>
  676. <p>This type of service is a great option for both sides, which is why it has been showing growth in the B2B business environment. After all, with technology and automation becoming increasingly present, no large company can do without programs that streamline all kinds of services. And having someone provide solutions without the need to invest in equipment and labor makes a big difference.</p>
  677. <p>So, on one hand, SaaS is good for the provider because it allows them to sell the service to a large customer base, already having all the means to do so.</p>
  678. <p>On the other hand, it&#8217;s great for the purchaser. The customer has a reduced initial cost compared to the &#8220;traditional&#8221; method, since they don&#8217;t need to invest in equipment or installation. Moreover, because it&#8217;s done over the internet, it can be accessed from anywhere.</p>
  679. <p>Finally, service upgrades or updates are done remotely, quickly, and simply, without the need to schedule appointments with technicians.</p>
  680. <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="#form">Want to increase sales and strengthen your bond with existing customers? Protagnst specializes in B2B consulting. Contact us today and see how we can help!</a></p>
  681. <h2>Important Indicators for Lifetime Value</h2>
  682. <p>Whether in SaaS companies or any other type of business, knowing LTV is increasingly fundamental for planning next steps.</p>
  683. <p>To arrive at the number, some indicators are crucial. They may be needed in isolation or as a comparison item, as they will allow the sales analyst or company manager to act more assertively when defining strategies.</p>
  684. <p>Next, we&#8217;ll present three indicators that every company should consider, which will help you better understand your lifetime value.</p>
  685. <h3>Churn Rate</h3>
  686. <p>Churn rate, also known as attrition rate or cancellation rate, is the metric that calculates how many customers have stopped doing business with your company.</p>
  687. <p>In many cases, this data is crucial, especially in those involving negotiations with other companies. After all, when it comes to B2B business, which represents high financial and product volume, a cancellation can have a significant impact on revenue.</p>
  688. <p>Among the most common cases where churn rate always needs to be calculated is SaaS, since a sudden drop in the customer base can make the overall service offering unviable. That&#8217;s why companies operating in this segment need to have a high control capacity.</p>
  689. <p>When it comes to lifetime value, the higher the churn rate, the worse the LTV result. This metric isn&#8217;t directly used in the calculation formula – which we&#8217;ll show later – but it affects one of the factors.</p>
  690. <p>Because of this, more than considering it just as a calculation item, churn rate is important to evaluate in isolation as well, to use as a comparison.</p>
  691. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3447" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-3.jpg" alt="Lifetime Value" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-3-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  692. <h3>Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)</h3>
  693. <p>This data shows how much the company invests to acquire new customers. It&#8217;s calculated by considering all the work involved in the sales funnel, from lead identification and <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-sao-leads/">acquisition</a> to closing the deal.</p>
  694. <p>Here&#8217;s a practical example: If your company invested $1,000 in direct customer acquisition actions – whether through marketing efforts, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-call/">cold calling</a>, in-person visits, etc. – and at the end of the campaign gained ten new customers, your customer acquisition cost was $100 per customer.</p>
  695. <p>To know the CAC, however, you need to have control over all sales stages. This will help determine how much investment each phase of the funnel requires and what its return is. This way, it will be easier to make adjustments and reduce this cost.</p>
  696. <p>As you can imagine, under no circumstances should the CAC be higher than the LTV, or even close to it. After all, in the first case it means a loss, and in the second, low profitability.</p>
  697. <h3>Average Revenue Per User (ARPU)</h3>
  698. <p>ARPU represents the average revenue generated per user or unit over a specific period. It serves as a performance indicator, allowing you to assess whether the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">sales team</a> has been able to close deals that are advantageous for the company.</p>
  699. <p>Simply put, to calculate ARPU, you need to divide total sales in a given period by the number of customers who made purchases.</p>
  700. <p>The higher the ARPU, the better the revenue performance.</p>
  701. <p>Similarly, this data has a direct impact on lifetime value. When ARPU goes up, LTV also increases.</p>
  702. <p>As with churn rate, it&#8217;s important to always evaluate ARPU in isolation. After all, outlier values will impact the final calculation, which could skew the analysis.</p>
  703. <h2>How to Calculate Lifetime Value?</h2>
  704. <p>The LTV calculation is based on the average recorded across a company&#8217;s entire customer base – after all, in the vast majority of cases, it&#8217;s impossible to do this for each customer, given the size of the database.</p>
  705. <p>To arrive at LTV, you&#8217;ll need to gather three pieces of data beforehand: ARPU, purchase frequency per year, and average customer lifespan.</p>
  706. <p>As you can see, these three numbers require prior research and tend to change periodically. Therefore, one initial tip is to compile these numbers from time to time.</p>
  707. <p>With this data in hand, the calculation itself is relatively simple. Just plug the three values into the lifetime value formula, which is essentially a multiplication of the three factors:</p>
  708. <blockquote><p><strong>LTV = </strong>ARPU<strong> x </strong>Purchase Frequency<strong> x </strong>Average Customer Lifespan</p></blockquote>
  709. <p>To make it clearer, let&#8217;s look at an example.</p>
  710. <p>Imagine a Software as a Service company that offers its product through a monthly subscription. The monthly fee is $50. If the customer stays with the service for a year, there will be 12 transactions during that period. But you&#8217;ve determined from your database that, generally, a customer uses the service for three years.</p>
  711. <p>Plugging the data into the formula, we have LTV = $50 (ARPU) x 12 (purchase frequency) x 3 (average customer lifespan). Therefore, the lifetime value is $1,800.</p>
  712. <p>This means that, on average, each customer of your company spends $1,800 during the period they do business with you.</p>
  713. <h2>How to Increase LTV?</h2>
  714. <p>Like everything related to marketing and sales, increasing customer lifecycle involves applying good methods and strategies. There&#8217;s no single rule, but following some tips and maintaining good relationship practices tends to bring positive results.</p>
  715. <p>Below, we list strategies that, if applied well, usually yield results not only for lifetime value but also for improving other sales metrics.</p>
  716. <p><a href="#form">Contact Protagnst to learn how we can assist in your B2B client acquisition process.</a></p>
  717. <h3>Invest in Content Marketing</h3>
  718. <p>You&#8217;ve probably seen this tip in other Protagnst articles. The reason is simple: in addition to capturing leads organically, content marketing is a great way to engage and retain customers.</p>
  719. <p>When it comes to lifetime value, retention is key.</p>
  720. <p>One way to keep your customers with you is to give them good reasons to stay. By producing relevant content, in a way that makes them want to engage with what your company offers, you demonstrate that you have much more to offer.</p>
  721. <p>One of the advantages of content marketing is that it&#8217;s relevant for companies of all sizes and segments. Widely used in B2C relationships, it also shows results in B2B.</p>
  722. <p>Imagine, for example, producing relevant material for managers and purchasing decision-makers in companies you already do business with. Even if it&#8217;s not the ideal time for new sales, offering texts, videos, and images via email, invitations to read new articles on your blog, or posting content of interest on social media will keep you on their radar.</p>
  723. <h3>Build Customer Loyalty</h3>
  724. <p>We&#8217;ve already touched on this in the previous section, but it bears repeating: lifetime value is, at its core, customer loyalty.</p>
  725. <p>Developing loyalty strategies is crucial, so it&#8217;s important that this is part of your company culture.</p>
  726. <p>Retaining a customer for a long time requires understanding that they need to be cared for at all touchpoints and throughout their entire buying journey. Thinking about marketing, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/">pre-sales</a>, and post-sales strategies aimed at keeping that customer by your side makes it possible to achieve a higher lifetime value.</p>
  727. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3448" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-4.jpg" alt="Lifetime Value" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-4.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-4-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  728. <h3>Customer Success</h3>
  729. <p>Not everyone is familiar with this term. It&#8217;s not a department or a job title – although some companies invest in customer success managers or even build a team dedicated to this – but rather something inherent in the company&#8217;s way of operating.</p>
  730. <p>Satisfied customers are likely to do more business with the same company. And to feel satisfied, they need to receive at least everything they expected. Being positively surprised by receiving something extra is the icing on the cake.</p>
  731. <p>Therefore, investing in post-sales, staying in touch, seeking feedback on the purchased product or service, and, above all, being available to correct any failures, are the foundations for good customer success practices.</p>
  732. <p>At the same time, it&#8217;s a good way to increase lifetime value.</p>
  733. <h3>Excel at Customer Service</h3>
  734. <p>Good customer service is the bare minimum any customer expects before closing a deal, right? After all, even in everyday purchases, <a href="https://protagnst.com/objecoes-de-vendas/">no one feels comfortable</a> if the salesperson shows disinterest or isn&#8217;t courteous.</p>
  735. <p>But increasing lifetime value involves offering good customer service *after* the sale is finalized as well. Making yourself available to answer future questions and resolve any problems isn&#8217;t a differentiator anymore; it&#8217;s an increasingly common practice.</p>
  736. <p>Training your team to always offer the best customer service significantly helps increase LTV.</p>
  737. <h3>Offer a Loyalty Program</h3>
  738. <p>If you frequently travel by plane, you&#8217;re probably a member of at least one frequent flyer program, right? After all, it&#8217;s a simple way to ensure that a future trip will be cheaper – sometimes even &#8220;free.&#8221;</p>
  739. <p>You might also have a plan for mobile data and calls that&#8217;s cheaper than the standard price. All you had to do was agree to the loyalty contract offered by the carrier.</p>
  740. <p>Both cases are simple examples of a win-win relationship. The obvious advantage for the customer is the lower cost. For the company, it&#8217;s the guarantee that they&#8217;ll retain that customer at least for the duration of the loyalty program.</p>
  741. <h3>Invest in Innovation</h3>
  742. <p>Digital transformation is increasingly present, and we&#8217;re constantly surprised by new ways to use a particular product or service.</p>
  743. <p>The concept of SaaS itself, which we discussed earlier, is an example of this. Not long ago, accessing software required purchasing physical media and installing it on your own equipment, often with very expensive configurations. Today, you get the same result with a single smartphone.</p>
  744. <p>Therefore, being aware of transformations and being open to innovation is a great way to increase lifetime value. We&#8217;ve said repeatedly that LTV is about customer retention, and that means talking not just about the present, but also the future.</p>
  745. <h2>Final Considerations</h2>
  746. <p>Those who work in sales know that acquiring new customers isn&#8217;t the easiest task. It requires a joint effort, especially from the marketing team. After all, you need to identify leads, qualify them, approach them, and convince them that you have the best solution for them. Only then can you close a deal.</p>
  747. <p>While it&#8217;s difficult to win new customers, keeping existing ones loyal is a slightly simpler task. But this, of course, depends on the customer having a positive experience. If they were satisfied with the product or service they purchased and were well attended to, <a href="https://protagnst.com/23-formas-de-fazer-up-sell-e-cross-sell-sem-enrolacao/">the chances of them increasing their purchases</a> or continuing to do business with you in the future greatly increase.</p>
  748. <p>Obviously, the length of time a customer does business with a company can vary compared to another. But it&#8217;s always possible to calculate an average – and if it&#8217;s supported by a robust database, it will provide a result that closely reflects that customer&#8217;s &#8220;lifecycle.&#8221;</p>
  749. <p>This cycle is what, in the sales world, we call lifetime value. It&#8217;s a fundamental metric for knowing how much and for how long a customer typically provides a return to the company.</p>
  750. <p>Knowing this indicator is a great way to better understand your own company – and thus, establish conditions to retain those who already do business with you for longer.</p>
  751. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3449" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-5.jpg" alt="Lifetime Value" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Lifetime-value-5-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  752. <h2>Hire B2B Sales Consulting</h2>
  753. <p>Want to expand your customer base and business with existing clients?</p>
  754. <p>Protagnst specializes in lead generation, customer acquisition, and sales consulting for business-to-business transactions. Fill out the form below, tell us a little about yourself, and together we can create the best strategy for your business.</p>
  755. [contact-form-7]
  756. ]]></content:encoded>
  757. </item>
  758. <item>
  759. <title>Sales Objections: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding the Subject</title>
  760. <link>https://protagnst.com/sales-objections/</link>
  761. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  762. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Nov 2024 16:29:16 +0000</pubDate>
  763. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  764. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  765. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  766. <category><![CDATA[Sales Closing]]></category>
  767. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  768. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14052</guid>
  769.  
  770. <description><![CDATA[Those who work in sales know that, day in and day out, they&#8217;ll face a lot of immediate rejections. It&#8217;s part of the job. But rejection is especially tough when you start a negotiation, it seems to be developing well, and in the end, it doesn&#8217;t materialize because the potential client backs out. When this [&#8230;]]]></description>
  771. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Those who work in sales know that, day in and day out, they&#8217;ll face a lot of immediate rejections. It&#8217;s part of the job. But rejection is especially tough when you start a negotiation, it seems to be developing well, and in the end, it doesn&#8217;t materialize because the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-sao-leads/">potential client</a> backs out. When this happens, the reason tends to be one of the so-called <strong>sales objections</strong>.</p>
  772. <p>First things first, let&#8217;s look at the dictionary definition of &#8220;objection.&#8221; It&#8217;s &#8220;a reason or argument presented in opposition to a previously stated thesis.&#8221; In the context of this article, sales objections are the counter-arguments that our potential client presents to reject the business proposal we&#8217;ve made.</p>
  773. <p>These counter-arguments can have a wide range of reasons, but generally, they revolve around four points: lack of money; lack of priority; distrust of the product, service, or even the company itself; or the lead considering that it&#8217;s not a necessity for them.</p>
  774. <p>A well-prepared salesperson, however, is capable of overcoming any of these objections. As we&#8217;ll show throughout this article, all you need to do is anticipate the objections and show the lead that closing the deal is the best decision they can make for their company.</p>
  775. <p>Shall we begin?</p>
  776. <h2>What are Sales Objections?</h2>
  777. <p>Sales objections are difficulties, barriers, or obstacles that potential clients present to the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">sales representative or consultant</a> during a negotiation. In other words, when faced with the offer of a product or service, the lead reacts with counter-arguments that demonstrate resistance to finalizing a deal.</p>
  778. <p>As a customer, you&#8217;ve certainly raised numerous objections to salespeople throughout your life. Remember, for instance, that magazine subscription offer you declined a few years ago after receiving a call from the publisher&#8217;s representative, arguing that you already subscribed to another magazine.</p>
  779. <p>Or when you went to buy a product in a store and the <a href="https://protagnst.com/23-formas-de-fazer-up-sell-e-cross-sell-sem-enrolacao/">salesperson suggested you also buy another one</a> to enhance your customer experience, but you refused, claiming you weren&#8217;t willing to spend more.</p>
  780. <p>As you can see, sales objections are very common and part of everyday life, especially for those working in sales. Dealing with them is part of a salesperson&#8217;s life, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it&#8217;s not frustrating.</p>
  781. <p>Imagine, for example, a sales representative who spent hours on a phone or video call with the purchasing manager of another company and, in the end, received a &#8220;no&#8221; as a response. Nobody&#8217;s happy about that.</p>
  782. <p>Keeping in mind that objections are common, however, is the best way to prepare for them. A good salesperson knows that the potential client may raise doubts, questions, and present some difficulties in closing a sale – and, therefore, will be prepared to answer all of them.</p>
  783. <p>Objections in sales don&#8217;t mean the lead won&#8217;t buy. It means that you, as the salesperson, will need to provide more arguments to convince them.</p>
  784. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3267" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-2.jpg" alt="Sales Objections" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-2-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  785. <h2>Most Common Categories of Customer Objections</h2>
  786. <p>There are countless reasons why a potential client might show resistance to moving forward with a purchase, but they generally fall into four main categories: lack of need for the product or service, lack of urgency, distrust of the offer received, or, one of the most common in times of crisis, lack of money.</p>
  787. <h3>Doesn&#8217;t See the Need</h3>
  788. <p>These are the clients who, upon receiving a business offer, decline, arguing that they don&#8217;t see any reason to acquire the product or service.</p>
  789. <p>The thing is, if the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">lead prospecting</a> was done correctly, it means that the potential client *does* have good reasons to buy. What the lead is probably lacking is the perception that they have a problem.</p>
  790. <h3>Doesn&#8217;t See the Urgency</h3>
  791. <p>This category includes leads who decline a proposal, arguing that &#8220;there are other priorities.&#8221;</p>
  792. <p>Notice, however, that this implies they recognize there&#8217;s a problem to be solved, but right now their focus is on something else. Thus, they believe that this specific deal can wait.</p>
  793. <h3>Distrusts the Offer</h3>
  794. <p>You can be the best salesperson in the world, but often a potential client raises objections to the purchase because they don&#8217;t feel confident. This distrust may be in you, the company you represent, the proposal you presented, or even in how your product or service will be able to solve their problem.</p>
  795. <h3>Lacks Money</h3>
  796. <p>Among the objections in the sales process, lack of money is probably the most common.</p>
  797. <p>Especially in business-to-business (B2B) transactions, it&#8217;s common for the purchasing manager to counter-argue that they can&#8217;t finalize a deal at that moment because the company is in the process of cutting costs or prioritizing other types of investments.</p>
  798. <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="#form">Protagnst specializes in acquiring new clients in the B2B environment. How about expanding your business with the help of experts in the field?</a></p>
  799. <h2>How to Avoid Sales Objections</h2>
  800. <p>Even though a salesperson has to deal with objections, there are ways to minimize them. And, like everything involving a sales process, this requires having a strategy and preparing for them.</p>
  801. <p>Before we continue, imagine, for example, that you are preparing for a test. You know the subject, but you don&#8217;t know which questions about it the teacher or the examining board will ask.</p>
  802. <p>In this case, you have an initial advantage: you know the limits of the content they will cover. At the same time, however, you have a disadvantage: you don&#8217;t know which parts of the content you will have to answer.</p>
  803. <p>So, the best way to do well on the test is to study the content as much as possible and be prepared for any question within it that might appear, right?</p>
  804. <p>Well, that&#8217;s exactly what you need to do to avoid sales objections.</p>
  805. <h3>Have an &#8220;Objection Matrix&#8221;</h3>
  806. <p>Mapping all possible obstacles that may arise during a negotiation should be the first step for every salesperson.</p>
  807. <p>This will allow them to answer the lead&#8217;s questions as soon as they arise, demonstrating knowledge of the subject and conveying credibility about the product or service.</p>
  808. <p>If the resistance is related to financial issues, having a prior plan will allow you to present possible solutions or even have more viable alternatives ready to ensure the continuation of the negotiation.</p>
  809. <p>To build a good objection matrix, ideally, seek questions and their answers from various departments within the company, from marketing to production. Asking each of them about the strengths and possible bottlenecks in their area and how to resolve them is an efficient way to prepare for potential client resistance.</p>
  810. <h3>Keep a History</h3>
  811. <p>There&#8217;s a quote of unknown origin, but it&#8217;s often repeated by some of the most successful coaches: &#8220;Those who don&#8217;t know why they lose, also don&#8217;t know why they win.&#8221; It applies to everything in life, especially in sales.</p>
  812. <p>Looking back and analyzing all the deals that didn&#8217;t work out is a great way to identify a possible bottleneck in sales.</p>
  813. <p>At the same time, if it&#8217;s a client with whom you&#8217;ve already done business, history becomes even more important. This is because you already know what they&#8217;re looking for and how they negotiate. Therefore, it&#8217;s easier to know what resistance they might present and how to overcome it.</p>
  814. <p>Keeping a history of negotiations, including a record of sales that didn&#8217;t materialize, allows you to get it right the next time you approach the same client and potential clients.</p>
  815. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3268" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-3.jpg" alt="Sales Objections" width="1000" height="730" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-3-300x219.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-3-768x561.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-3-705x515.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  816. <h3>Present All the Advantages</h3>
  817. <p>As we said, objections generally fall into four categories, ranging from distrust to lack of need or money on the buyer&#8217;s part.</p>
  818. <p>By knowing all the advantages of the product or service being offered, the salesperson can &#8220;disarm&#8221; the person they are negotiating with.</p>
  819. <p>They don&#8217;t see a need? Show them how it will boost their profits.</p>
  820. <p>It&#8217;s not urgent? Demonstrate how being proactive will be advantageous for them.</p>
  821. <p>The company is cutting costs? Present an offer they can&#8217;t refuse.</p>
  822. <p>Want to learn how to <a href="https://protagnst.com/instantly-ai/">implement Instantly AI in your company? See how.</a></p>
  823. <h3>Know Your Company Well</h3>
  824. <p>This is one of those items that should be included in the objection matrix, but it clearly goes far beyond that.</p>
  825. <p>Being fully aware of the company you work for is the least that anyone buying from you will expect. And it&#8217;s especially important for you.</p>
  826. <p>By knowing your company well, you&#8217;ll be fully able to provide any information &#8211; or you&#8217;ll know who to turn to.</p>
  827. <p>This will also allow you to know how far you can be flexible in a negotiation and ensure that any financial objections are overcome.</p>
  828. <h3>Know Your Competition</h3>
  829. <p>Competition is healthy and helps with motivation. We want to be better than others, but we have to know that they also want to be better than us.</p>
  830. <p>Therefore, knowing the companies that operate in the same industry and can offer products and services under seemingly more advantageous conditions than yours is essential. This way, it will be possible to highlight the advantages of your product compared to the competitor&#8217;s and put the financial investment in a better perspective.</p>
  831. <h3>Be a Good Listener</h3>
  832. <p>The advice that is valuable to <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/">pre-sales</a> – the <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-sdr/">Sales Development Representatives (SDRs)</a> – is also valid for those who work directly in negotiation and hear a &#8220;no&#8221; to the proposal.</p>
  833. <p>A &#8220;no&#8221; doesn&#8217;t mean the end of negotiations, but a demonstration that the terms you presented weren&#8217;t satisfactory or haven&#8217;t sparked interest yet.</p>
  834. <p>Remember: the simple fact that the buyer is in front of you means they at least found something your company can offer interesting. Otherwise, they wouldn&#8217;t have bothered scheduling this business meeting.</p>
  835. <p>Therefore, even if the deal doesn&#8217;t go through at that moment, by acting as a good listener, you&#8217;ll be better positioned to avoid another objection in a future business attempt with them.</p>
  836. <h3>Don&#8217;t Force a Negotiation</h3>
  837. <p>Few things are more annoying than a salesperson who keeps insisting that you buy something you&#8217;re really not interested in, right?</p>
  838. <p>Even worse is confronting the potential client. Having an attitude that might sound challenging is terrible for someone we want to win over. It&#8217;s one thing to demonstrate that their concern can be addressed in a certain way, it&#8217;s quite another to say they&#8217;re &#8220;wrong.&#8221;</p>
  839. <p>If, even after answering all the objections, the potential buyer declines, don&#8217;t insist – at least not at that moment. Make a strategic retreat. Include this in your history, evaluate what went wrong, and try again at another time.</p>
  840. <h2>How to Overcome Objections: Objections and Responses</h2>
  841. <p>As we&#8217;ve said, objections are part of life for those in sales, and at some point, you&#8217;re bound to encounter them.</p>
  842. <p>This will probably happen even if you follow the suggestions we&#8217;ve given previously – in fact, the last two are directly linked to an objection.</p>
  843. <p>But, with an objection matrix in hand, you can prepare for them in a way to overcome them. Below, we&#8217;ve listed some of the most common ones and what strategies can be useful for knowing how to break down objections.</p>
  844. <h3>Agree with the Lead</h3>
  845. <p>One of the most common steps to overcome an objection is to agree with it. If your client says the product is too expensive, agree with them. Say, &#8220;Yes, you&#8217;re right, this investment isn&#8217;t for every company, and precisely because it&#8217;s expensive, I can deliver the quality you need to generate results.&#8221;</p>
  846. <p>When you give the lead validation regarding their objection, they&#8217;re taken aback, and this breaks their logical train of thought.</p>
  847. <p>If the potential client raised an objection, it&#8217;s a sign that they&#8217;re interested. If they had no intention of buying, they could simply say they weren&#8217;t interested or didn&#8217;t have a need for the product.</p>
  848. <p>Show the client they&#8217;re right. Agree with their objection, and then subtly and elegantly break it down, showing how your company can deliver something that will truly solve their problem. The expensive option would be paying less for something that *doesn&#8217;t* solve the potential client&#8217;s real problem.</p>
  849. <h3>Show that Your Price is Right</h3>
  850. <p>A very common objection concerns the price of the product. Phrases like <a href="https://protagnst.com/resposta-para-o-ta-caro/">&#8220;what you&#8217;re offering is too expensive,&#8221;</a> &#8220;we can&#8217;t afford to invest in this right now,&#8221; or &#8220;your competitor sells it to me for less&#8221; come up all the time.</p>
  851. <p>To address this, show that your product offers the best value for money, that it&#8217;s not expensive, and above all, that it will deliver good results for the buyer.</p>
  852. <p>This last part is especially important in B2B negotiations. Companies that buy in bulk need to be sure that the product will sell and represent profits in the future.</p>
  853. <p>If the objection the lead presented was a lack of money, there are two effective ways to respond.</p>
  854. <p>One is to shift the focus from the price to the benefits of the product. If you can demonstrate that the price is low compared to the return it will provide, the chance of moving forward with the deal is greater.</p>
  855. <p>The other way to address the lack of money is to offer more flexible agreements. Consider the possibility of the potential client extending payment terms or receiving the products in stages.</p>
  856. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/resposta-para-o-ta-caro/">Want to know how to respond when the client says it&#8217;s too expensive? See this article.</a></p>
  857. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3269" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-4.jpg" alt="Sales Objections" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-4.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-4-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  858. <h3>Prove Your Product or Service is Better than the Competition&#8217;s</h3>
  859. <p>Sometimes, selling a product or service involves convincing the potential client that what you offer is better than what they already purchase from another supplier, in several ways.</p>
  860. <p>Among the objections that may arise from a lead who already buys from another company are questions like &#8220;your competitor&#8217;s price is better&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8217;ve been doing business with another company for a long time and I&#8217;m comfortable with them.&#8221;</p>
  861. <p>In the case of the first objection, sometimes it&#8217;s possible to overcome it by reducing your profit margin. But this isn&#8217;t always feasible.</p>
  862. <p>As for the second, it might be difficult to convince a loyal customer of another company to switch to yours simply because of a better price – especially since they might try to renegotiate with their current supplier.</p>
  863. <p>Therefore, an effective way is to prove that your product or service is better than the competition&#8217;s. Highlight its strengths, show the advantages over the other product, and, most importantly, demonstrate how this will generate gains for the buyer in the future.</p>
  864. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/apollo-io/">Learn more about Apollo.io</a> and see how it can help you with prospecting.</p>
  865. <h3>Demonstrate the Priority</h3>
  866. <p>It&#8217;s not uncommon for a negotiation to stall because the potential client believes that the product or service is not among their current priorities.</p>
  867. <p>This argument can have various reasons: &#8220;right now our acquisition focus is elsewhere,&#8221; &#8220;we&#8217;re concentrating resources on something else,&#8221; and &#8220;our sales are more profitable with another product&#8221; are some possible objections.</p>
  868. <p>Unlike the claim of lack of money, here the potential client implies that resources are available. Their argument is that they don&#8217;t need your product or service *right now*.</p>
  869. <p>Again, if your <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/">pre-sales team</a> qualified this lead, it means they show all the indications of someone who has a problem to solve – and it&#8217;s time for you to show them that.</p>
  870. <p>Emphasize how your offer will represent new gains for the client. Show that acquiring your product or service now will generate a competitive advantage in the future. Point out that considering your product doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean changing the company&#8217;s focus, but rather dividing it to achieve better results.</p>
  871. <p><a href="#form">Protagnst specializes in B2B lead generation. Fill out this form and see how we can help.</a></p>
  872. <h3>Build Trust with the Lead</h3>
  873. <p>Often, objections in the sales process arise because the potential client doesn&#8217;t feel secure negotiating with you. And the reasons are varied.</p>
  874. <p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know your company,&#8221; &#8220;I&#8217;m not sure this offer you&#8217;ve made me will be good for me,&#8221; or &#8220;I&#8217;ve done business with you in the past and the experience wasn&#8217;t good&#8221; are three possible obstacles to a successful sale.</p>
  875. <p>As you can see, all of these focus on the distrust the lead shows in moving forward with the negotiation. At no point have they suggested that they lack resources or that your product or service isn&#8217;t among their acquisition priorities – quite the opposite. The fact is: they need to be convinced that your company is the best option.</p>
  876. <p>To the objection about not knowing your company, make yourself available to present it in more detail. Show them who your current clients are, the company&#8217;s history. It might even be helpful to talk about plans for the future.</p>
  877. <p>On the other hand, when the lead expresses doubts about the potential of your offer, highlight its advantages. Show how that negotiation will translate into gains for them in the future. If possible, bring concrete examples of other companies that invested in this and had a positive response.</p>
  878. <p>In the event that the potential client reports that past negotiations with your company were bad, remember above all two tips we&#8217;ve already given: listen to what they have to say and don&#8217;t confront them. Try to understand their perspective and ask for a chance to reverse this negative impression with this new deal. Once again, show how this will be good for them and how you can start a lasting business relationship.</p>
  879. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3270" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-5.jpg" alt="Sales Objections" width="1000" height="677" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-5-300x203.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-5-768x520.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Objecoes-de-vendas-5-705x477.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  880. <h3>Have a Flexible Schedule</h3>
  881. <p>There&#8217;s one type of sales objection we haven&#8217;t listed because it&#8217;s one of those that comes up on short notice. If you&#8217;ve worked in pre-sales or tried <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-call/">cold calling</a>, you&#8217;ve probably heard the phrase &#8220;I don&#8217;t have time to listen to your proposal&#8221; a few times.</p>
  882. <p>Indeed, especially in business-to-business environments, it&#8217;s quite common for people with decision-making power – including purchasing power – to be very busy. Therefore, finding space in their schedules to listen to proposals they don&#8217;t even know if they can bring any advantage to their company tends not to be a priority.</p>
  883. <p>So, have a flexible schedule. If the objection you hear is &#8220;I don&#8217;t have time,&#8221; ask the lead to suggest a time to hear your proposal. If they reiterate that they can&#8217;t, suggest an initial presentation via email, so they can at least learn about your product and, if it piques their interest, think about a feasible time for you to meet.</p>
  884. <h2>So, is an Objection Good or Bad?</h2>
  885. <p>It may seem counterintuitive, but every time you get an objection: celebrate! An objection is a sign of interest. And if they have doubts, it’s better that you address them all so the lead can make the best decision.</p>
  886. <p>You don&#8217;t convince anyone to buy your product or service. That decision is up to the client. Your role is to show that your solution is the best one to solve a specific type of problem, even if the lead hasn&#8217;t even considered solutions for it.</p>
  887. <p>Showing empathy, active listening, and knowing how to argue are fundamental points for masterfully overcoming objections. If you&#8217;re having trouble closing deals, you&#8217;re probably handling objections the wrong way and need more preparation to accelerate your sales.</p>
  888. <h2>Final Considerations</h2>
  889. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/inbound-e-outbound/">Identifying a lead, qualifying it,</a> and seeing it move through the funnel is always satisfying for a company&#8217;s entire sales team.</p>
  890. <p>Often, however, their buying journey stalls, and a negotiation that seemed certain can fall apart.</p>
  891. <p>This usually happens when the lead raises objections in the sales process. These are considerations the potential client makes about the real advantage of that deal for them. And if they become convinced that their doubts outweigh the salesperson&#8217;s arguments, the deal doesn&#8217;t go through.</p>
  892. <p>Therefore, preparing for sales objections and having the answers or resources ready for them is always a safe way to conduct a sales process. If you work in sales, invest in this.</p>
  893. <h2>Hire B2B Sales Consulting</h2>
  894. <p>Would you like to expand your client portfolio? Protagnst specializes in lead generation and client acquisition for business-to-business transactions. Fill out the form below so we can build the best strategy for your business together.</p>
  895. [contact-form-7]
  896. ]]></content:encoded>
  897. </item>
  898. <item>
  899. <title>Pricing strategies: how to be assertive and get the best results?</title>
  900. <link>https://protagnst.com/pricing-strategies-how-to-be-assertive-and-get-the-best-results/</link>
  901. <dc:creator><![CDATA[beatriz]]></dc:creator>
  902. <pubDate>Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:25:01 +0000</pubDate>
  903. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  904. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  905. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  906. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  907. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=14041</guid>
  908.  
  909. <description><![CDATA[&#60;h1&#62;Setting the Right Price: Pricing Strategies for Your Business&#60;/h1&#62; &#60;p&#62;Setting the price of a product or service is a complex exercise that must consider many variables. Although different &#60;strong&#62;pricing strategies&#60;/strong&#62; exist, choosing the one that sustains your business requires analyzing different points.&#60;/p&#62; &#60;p&#62;Business owners often opt to define the price of their products based on [&#8230;]]]></description>
  910. <content:encoded><![CDATA[
  911. <p>&lt;h1&gt;Setting the Right Price: Pricing Strategies for Your Business&lt;/h1&gt; &lt;p&gt;Setting the price of a product or service is a complex exercise that must consider many variables. Although different &lt;strong&gt;pricing strategies&lt;/strong&gt; exist, choosing the one that sustains your business requires analyzing different points.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Business owners often opt to define the price of their products based on a relatively simple logic: considering all production costs plus the expected profit. This is one of the most common pricing strategies.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The issue is that often, considering only this may not be the most efficient technique. This is because it requires having an existing customer base or, at least, dealing with a product or service that is easily accepted.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;But what if the brand is new to a competitive market? Or if the product you want to sell is completely new, with no equivalent, and therefore &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/geracao-de-leads/&#8221;&gt;potential customers&lt;/a&gt; have no idea how much it&#8217;s actually worth?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;To address these questions, various strategies have been created over the past decades.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;They consider pricing from different angles. One of them starts with competitor analysis. After all, if there is an average price for similar products, it means it has good public acceptance and can be sufficient for the seller.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;There are also strategies that aim for maximum profit at the beginning and then gradually reduce it over time. Another model focuses not on the price you want, but on the value the customer seems willing to pay.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this article, we&#8217;ll present the most common pricing strategies and how they are applied in practice.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;img class=&#8221;aligncenter size-full wp-image-3905&#8243; src=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/estrategias-de-preco-1.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;pricing strategies&#8221; width=&#8221;1000&#8243; height=&#8221;667&#8243; /&gt; &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;How to Define Prices?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Before we present the different ways to define the price of a product or service &#8211; and before you choose which pricing strategy best suits you &#8211; we need to consider an important point: how do you define a price?&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;It may seem redundant, but knowing how to define prices isn&#8217;t that simple. After all, before defining a strategy to sell more, you need to consider the minimum you need for the entire operation to work.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;In marketing and sales, a good guide to arriving at an appropriate price involves what has become known as the &#8220;5 Cs of Pricing&#8221;. They are based on the words &lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;company objectives&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;customers&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;costs&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;competition&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;, and &lt;i&gt;&lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;channel members&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Company Objectives&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;This pricing definition is based on your overall business objective. In other words: think about how you want your company to operate or be recognized.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;For example, you might want a rapid increase in sales &#8211; and then price reduction can be a good strategy. Or, conversely, your company may aim to be recognized for innovation or exclusivity. In this case, a higher price may be necessary.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;At other times, whether due to seasonality or market repositioning, you can set the price with a reduced or increased profit margin.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;In short, in this type of strategy, you prioritize the company&#8217;s needs.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Customers&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;The old adage that the customer is always right is the key to this pricing strategy.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Here you need to consider how much &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-persona/&#8221;&gt;your persona&lt;/a&gt; is willing to pay for your product or service. This point can be important for both lowering and raising the price.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Suppose you&#8217;ve defined that the company&#8217;s goal is to sell more, and as such, you&#8217;ve decided to lower prices. This usually works if the product is for everyday use and has good added value.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;For example, your company sells pots and pans &#8211; whether in a B2B or B2C environment &#8211; you have a reasonable amount in stock and decide to lower the price by 30%. Your pricing strategy is likely to succeed. Now, if you sell salt &#8211; which is already notoriously cheap &#8211; this may not make much of a difference.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Lowering prices may also not be a suitable strategy from the customer&#8217;s point of view if you work with something exclusive or that signifies status.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Costs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;The cost of production is obviously a factor to always consider when setting prices. But not in isolation.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;First, you need to consider that your company needs to make a profit. Otherwise, it won&#8217;t last long.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;On the other hand, if you seek profit in absolutely everything you produce, you may become uncompetitive and lose ground to the competition. So, you need to find a balance.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;A good way to set prices based on costs is to look at your business globally. This way, you can decrease the profit margin on one product and increase it considerably on another.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;A classic example that is often given is that of pizzerias. Notice how pizzas often have the same price &#8211; a cheese pizza costs the same as a pepperoni pizza, which in turn costs the same as a chocolate pizza.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Certainly, the production cost of the three is not the same, but by decreasing the profit margin on one and increasing it on the others, the pizzeria owner manages to maintain their business.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Competition&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Looking at what the competition is doing is also very important when setting the price of something &#8211; and later on, we&#8217;ll dedicate a specific topic to competitive pricing strategies.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;When it comes to a monopoly, this doesn&#8217;t need to be taken into account. After all, there is little room for price variation.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;And a good example is the fuel you use to fill up your car: even though there are gas stations from different brands, the gasoline or diesel comes from the same oil company and is subject to the same taxes. Therefore, the variation between one station and another will be minimal.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Now, if you operate with a product or service with a wide range of offerings, considering how much your competitor is charging is essential.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Channel Members&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Finally, another point to consider when defining pricing strategies is the value chain.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;In this case, you need to consider everything involved in the product or service you offer: your suppliers, whether transportation is done by yourself or by a logistics company, whether the period is more conducive to targeting the end consumer or a large retailer, and so on.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;p&gt;Now that you understand how to define prices, it will be easier to understand the strategies we will present next.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Having trouble defining your pricing? Need help with pricing strategies? Count on Protagnst&#8217;s &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/pt/&#8221;&gt;sales consulting&lt;/a&gt; focused on results.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Examples of Different Pricing Strategies (or Pricing Types)&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;You&#8217;ve probably already considered that it&#8217;s worth it to buy the combo that includes the burger, fries, and soda at that fast-food chain, rather than buying just one of the products individually, right?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Or, when you go to the movies, it makes much more sense to pay $15 for the popcorn bucket and a large soda than to pay $11 for the smallest package with the smallest cup, doesn&#8217;t it?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Both cases are classic examples of &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/23-formas-de-fazer-up-sell-e-cross-sell-sem-enrolacao/&#8221;&gt;upselling and cross-selling strategies&lt;/a&gt;, and they help define the logic of pricing.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Even though the owner of the burger franchise will make less profit selling the combo than if they sold the products individually, and the owner of the movie theater concession stand will proportionally profit less selling the larger combo, in both cases, they will profit from the sale. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;More than that: as the customer&#8217;s perception is that the combo is &#8220;cheap,&#8221; the chance of both selling thousands of combos every month is higher. Thus, the final revenue will be large.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some businesses don&#8217;t even mind losing money on some products because they know the operation as a whole will be profitable.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This product diversification has to do with the application of different pricing strategies. A company might want, at the same time, good and cheap products. For that, it&#8217;s worth losing on one side to gain a lot on the other. They practice pricing from a competitive perspective, with market penetration, and that plays with our brain&#8217;s perception.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Next, we&#8217;ll show these and other pricing strategies that are commonly employed.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Competitive Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;Among pricing strategies, this is probably the one that comes closest to what every conscious consumer also does: price research.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The model is simple and practical. It&#8217;s based on researching and analyzing competitors&#8217; prices, and then establishing a lower or slightly higher price.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The lower cost for the customer, of course, is based on the strategy of being able to buy more with less; a higher price allows positioning the product or service above the competition, or as an &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/como-calcular-lucro/&#8221;&gt;attempt to increase profit margin&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Despite being simple and presenting few risks, since it&#8217;s based on the average that has proven effective in the market, competitive pricing can eventually bring problems.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Often, competitors&#8217; prices are established based on a greater productive potential associated with a smaller profit margin. Not all companies can use the same strategy.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Another potential disadvantage of this pricing strategy is missing out on good opportunities. Often, the customer is willing to pay more for your product, as long as they are convinced it&#8217;s worth it. Those who work with consultative selling know this.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Ideally, competitive pricing should not simply be a model to adopt, but rather be part of a pricing strategy. Researching the market to find out what prices are being practiced can be the first step, and from there, combine competition with another way of setting prices.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Price Skimming&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you&#8217;re into gaming or are tech-savvy and always want the latest cell phones, you&#8217;ve probably come across this strategy.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Imagine that coveted smartphone line, and the announcement that the latest model will be launched by the end of next month. You&#8217;re already preparing to buy, and sometimes you don&#8217;t waste time and join the pre-sale lists.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Your desire for the product is so great that you don&#8217;t mind the launch price, usually higher than what you paid for the previous model a year or two earlier – even knowing that the price will drop after a few months. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Well, this is the pricing strategy known as price skimming, very common in technology companies or established brands.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This strategy consists of setting the price of launches or innovative products very high and gradually reducing it as time goes by and it becomes obsolete, loses ground to new technologies, or becomes too popular. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Among pricing strategies, skimming has the advantage of generating a lot of revenue and profit for companies in the short term.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It also works very well, especially in technology-driven companies, because it usually relies on a good base of loyal consumers. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;However, the skimming technique also has disadvantages. If not handled correctly, it can generate discontent among consumers who paid much more for a product that would soon lose value.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style=&#8221;text-align: left;&#8221;&gt;&lt;a href=&#8221;#form&#8221;&gt;Want to increase sales and don&#8217;t know how? Protagnst specializes in B2B business and can help you. Contact us!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;img class=&#8221;aligncenter size-full wp-image-3906&#8243; src=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/estrategias-de-preco-2.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;pricing strategies&#8221; width=&#8221;1000&#8243; height=&#8221;667&#8243; /&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Free Trial&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;This is one of the most used pricing strategies by companies that offer subscription services, such as news portals, video streaming websites – like Netflix or Amazon Prime – and on-demand services. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The idea behind this model is quite simple: the company offers a free trial period and then starts charging for the exclusive service.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The model is very well suited to companies whose product or service is provided over the internet. This is because it allows the potential customer to have a full demonstration of what is being offered – albeit for a short period, precisely to awaken that desire for &#8220;I want more.&#8221;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;And the strategy has proven effective. &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/taxa-de-conversao-em-vendas/&#8221;&gt;The conversion rate&lt;/a&gt; among companies that adopt the model tends to be higher than those that choose exclusively to charge from the first access. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This happens for a very simple reason: premium services that don&#8217;t allow the customer to sample what is offered tend to only convert for established brands that already have loyal customers. After all, what are the chances of paying for something you don&#8217;t know yet?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This strategy, however, needs to be very well thought out. This is because, among the disadvantages, is the potential to attract cold leads that are not qualifiable – in other words, people who are not actually interested in closing a deal later.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Even though this is fully anticipated and measurable, the strategy has to offer a minimum return that sustains the service.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Penetration Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;This is a pricing practice that is widely used for new brands in the market. The strategy consists of offering products and services at a price below – sometimes well below – what is normally practiced by the market. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can check the use of this strategy right now. Take your smartphone and search in the food delivery app for discounts on first purchases at certain restaurants. This example, by the way, helps to explain a common consequence of this strategy for those who sell: the chance of loss.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;When you offer something at a price well below what is practiced by the market – like, for example, a hamburger for $5 while the competition charges $15 – it&#8217;s because there&#8217;s a good chance that the costs aren&#8217;t being covered.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The loss, however, is also part of the strategy. This is because the idea of offering an initial price below the competition allows for the creation of a robust customer base. If the product is good, these customers will become loyal and &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/objecoes-de-vendas/&#8221;&gt;won&#8217;t have any purchase objections&lt;/a&gt; when the price returns to its appropriate level later on.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;But the model, of course, also has its disadvantages. The main one is precisely the chance that future profits will not support the initial losses. To prevent this from happening, you need to have a very well done prior market analysis and revenue forecasting work. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Psychological Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;You&#8217;ve probably made a purchase and regretted it shortly after. &#8220;I shouldn&#8217;t have spent that money&#8221; is a phrase that everyone has felt hammering in their head. And this happens because studies have already proven that spending money &#8220;hurts&#8221; – yes, the area of the brain activated when spending money is the same one responsible for pain.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;At the same time, however, researchers have already been able to prove that the use of subterfuge works as an anesthetic. For example, if you make the same purchase you regretted immediately afterward by paying with credit – that is, without having the feeling that the money you had at the time is gone –, the pain disappears.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The logic also applies to pricing and sales techniques, such as &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/gatilho-da-escassez/&#8221;&gt;the use of mental triggers&lt;/a&gt;. Among the most used pricing strategies worldwide, and which you see all the time, is using prices with odd values, often with values that make no difference at all.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Meat at the butcher shop, for example, doesn&#8217;t cost $40, but $39.99. The package of pasta on the supermarket shelf doesn&#8217;t go for $5, but $4.99.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Logically, unless you buy these products in really significant quantities, the reduction of one or ten cents will practically make no difference in the final bill. But for the brain, the change from the first number to a lower number does. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The same strategy can be used in other ways, including &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/&#8221;&gt;for B2B negotiations&lt;/a&gt;. Instead of reducing the price of the product, you can offer discounts on the purchase of a second one. This is what is done, for example, in upselling and cross-selling techniques.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Cost-Plus Pricing or Markup&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;Of all the pricing strategies, this is the most classic of them, certainly used since the world adopted a system of production, purchase, and sale. But, of course, today it&#8217;s done with clearer methods and measurements.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The cost-plus strategy, also called markup, considers all the costs necessary for the production of the good or service, plus the profit that is expected to be obtained with it.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Imagine, for example, that your company produces industrial refrigeration equipment, and your &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/&#8221;&gt;presales representative&lt;/a&gt; prospects a customer who is interested in buying five of your machines. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The budget area will define the cost to produce these five machines, but you know that it&#8217;s not limited to raw materials. You have costs with energy, rent or maintenance of the pavilion where your factory is installed, taxes, employee salaries, among others.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;So you already know exactly how much it will actually cost to produce the five pieces of equipment. For you to set the price for that potential customer, it remains now to define how much you intend to profit from this sale.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This model works very well for physical products, whose production cost is more easily measurable. One of its advantages is the ability to more easily forecast revenue, as well as allowing you to change the profit margin when negotiating.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;img class=&#8221;aligncenter size-full wp-image-3907&#8243; src=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/estrategias-de-preco-3.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;pricing strategies&#8221; width=&#8221;1000&#8243; height=&#8221;667&#8243; /&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Value-Based Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this pricing strategy, the logic is somewhat reversed in relation to markup. Here, pricing is defined based on how much the customer would be willing to invest. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The idea here is not for the customer to define how much they want to pay for a product, but rather to invest heavily in research to accurately establish the value that product brings to the customer.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The model is well suited for innovative or unique products that don&#8217;t have any competition in the market. After all, there&#8217;s nowhere to look for a similar one. So you pay what you think it&#8217;s worth.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The value-based pricing strategy has the potential to greatly maximize companies&#8217; profits, but to do so it needs to be very well structured. It demands a lot of research and, above all, &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-persona/&#8221;&gt;defining a persona&lt;/a&gt;. Knowing exactly the profile of the customer for whom the product is intended is the best way to know what price they are willing to pay.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Using Strategies Together&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;The different pricing strategies we&#8217;ve presented so far apply very well to a wide range of products, but they&#8217;re not always easily applicable to one category: software. At the same time, defining the price of services, such as consulting, also has its nuances. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Software Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;The price to charge for software is a particularly difficult task to establish. It possibly consumed hundreds or even thousands of hours of joint effort, highly skilled professionals, not to mention all the investment in computers and other supporting software.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The point is, the customer isn&#8217;t interested in that: they will pay the price they think the software is worth for their company (i.e., value-based). If the cost is higher than the return, it won&#8217;t make any sense for them to acquire it. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;On the other hand, if you charge too low a price to gain more market penetration, you run the serious risk that the revenue won&#8217;t cover the costs. Not to mention that, in many cases, software requires training, maintenance services, and more.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Thus, defining the price of software depends on criteria that are both objective and subjective. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Objective because you need to cover costs, especially operational costs – delivering software rarely means the end of the work. And subjective because you need to consider the context. Therefore, knowing the market and the segment in which you operate is essential.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3&gt;Service Pricing&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;Do you know how to price a service like consulting?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Broadly speaking, there are two ways to define a price for this. One is based on hours – you can, for example, hire a consultant to work for a certain period and make the payment based on the hourly rate.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The other way is to set a project value. In this case, the consultant defines the price they will charge for the service regardless of the number of hours dedicated to it.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In both cases, they will first have to consider all their costs. Expenses with rent, any employees, travel, accommodation, among others. On top of these costs, they will have to think about their profit &#8211; which here we call the &#8220;contribution margin&#8221;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Calculating costs is relatively simple, but the contribution margin is relative.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It needs to consider both the consultant&#8217;s desire and the prices practiced in the market. If on average other consultancies charge, for example, $5,000 for a service, it&#8217;s unlikely anyone will hire yours if the applied price is $10,000. Likewise, they will probably raise an eyebrow if the price charged is much lower than the average.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Once again, knowing the competition well is essential.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;img class=&#8221;aligncenter size-full wp-image-3909&#8243; src=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/estrategias-de-preco-5.jpg&#8221; alt=&#8221;pricing strategies&#8221; width=&#8221;1000&#8243; height=&#8221;667&#8243; /&gt; &lt;h2&gt;&lt;b&gt;Remember: Price is Different from Value&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Now that you know the different pricing strategies, we need to remind you of something very important: although in everyday life we use these terms synonymously, price is different from value.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;As we have seen, price is what you charge for a certain product or service. This is what will make you cover production costs and make a profit in the end, regardless of which pricing method you choose.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Value, in turn, goes beyond that.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Imagine, for example, that you need to buy a pair of jeans. You go to a multi-brand store and find hundreds of them lined up, apparently with the same type of fabric or with some difference that you only feel by touch. But the price difference between one and the other is striking: you find one at the beginning of the rack for $50, and another in the middle of it for $500.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;It is very likely that the quality of the fabric of one is not 10 times inferior to the other, but you still opt for the more expensive one. Why? Because it was made by a brand you trust, or that&#8217;s in fashion, or that offers better after-sales service, with a loyalty club, and so on.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&#8221;font-weight: 400;&#8221;&gt;Notice that, in this case, &#8220;value&#8221; was more important than &#8220;price&#8221;. So, also take this aspect into account when defining how much your product or service costs. Offer efficient after-sales service and show it in practice. In short, add value to your product.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;h2&gt;Final Considerations&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;Knowing how to price products and services correctly is fundamental for any business. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Companies&#8217; profits depend directly on the equation that involves all their costs, whether production or operational, and the price charged for what they deliver. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Although there are simple ways to set a price, nowadays it needs to consider many variables. Simply setting a value based on what you intend to profit is increasingly difficult, as competition is increasing – and the consumer market is increasingly demanding. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;As we have seen, there are different ways to set the price of a product or service. All of them are applicable in isolation, but the pricing strategies that have proven to be most efficient are those that are applied in conjunction with the market reality. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/estrategias-de-preco/&#8221;&gt;https://protagnst.com/estrategias-de-preco/&lt;/a&gt; &lt;h2&gt;&lt;a href=&#8221;https://protagnst.com/pt/&#8221;&gt;Hire Sales Consulting&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/h2&gt; &lt;p&gt;Now that you know the different ways to define price, how about having our help to expand your sales? Protagnst specializes in lead generation and customer acquisition for business-to-business. &lt;a href=&#8221;#form&#8221;&gt;Fill out the form below&lt;/a&gt; to build, together, the best strategy for your business. &lt;/p&gt; [contact-form-7]</p>
  912. ]]></content:encoded>
  913. </item>
  914. <item>
  915. <title>Lead generation: how does it work and how to do it the best way?</title>
  916. <link>https://protagnst.com/lead-generation-how-does-it-work-and-how-to-do-it-the-best-way/</link>
  917. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Martha Loera]]></dc:creator>
  918. <pubDate>Fri, 01 Nov 2024 03:31:52 +0000</pubDate>
  919. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  920. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  921. <category><![CDATA[Outbound Marketing]]></category>
  922. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  923. <category><![CDATA[B2B sales]]></category>
  924. <category><![CDATA[leads b2b]]></category>
  925. <category><![CDATA[Leads generation]]></category>
  926. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=13994</guid>
  927.  
  928. <description><![CDATA[Do you know how to measure the results of your Inbound Marketing to capture potential customers? If the answer is no, that’s a sign that your website doesn’t have efficient lead generation. After all, more than just gaining visitors, everyone wants to turn a visit into a deal, right? But what exactly is a lead [&#8230;]]]></description>
  929. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Do you know how to measure the results of your Inbound Marketing to capture potential customers? If the answer is no, that’s a sign that your website doesn’t have efficient <strong>lead generation</strong>. After all, more than just gaining visitors, everyone wants to turn a visit into a deal, right?</p>
  930. <p>But what exactly is a lead in digital marketing?</p>
  931. <p>A lead is someone interested in your company&#8217;s product or service. Lead generation is a strategic way for a company to get information from its customers and turn them into potential buyers.</p>
  932. <p>However, to get a visitor to download an ebook, sign up for emails, or take any other desired action, you need to know your target audience and personalize your marketing. This makes it easier to use strategies like landing pages and CTAs (Calls to Action) to generate leads.</p>
  933. <p>And how do you generate B2B leads in <a href="https://protagnst.com/para-que-serve-o-outbound-marketing/">Outbound Marketing</a>? What are the criteria for generating truly qualified leads? What processes, software, and procedures does your company need to actually generate B2B leads without headaches? What are the best communication channels to generate them?</p>
  934. <p>Want to better understand how to use the best lead generation methods? Then keep reading!</p>
  935. <h2>What is a lead?</h2>
  936. <p>We’ve already talked about <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-sao-leads/">what leads are</a>, but let&#8217;s recap. A lead is someone interested in what your company has to offer. They arrived at your website after clicking a link on another site in the same niche or through a Google search, for example.<br />
  937. So, the best way to get qualified leads is through relevant and valuable content, ebook downloads, newsletter sign-ups, and similar actions.</p>
  938. <p>So, if you have compelling material, the result of your study and experience, what do you do? You engage your audience, offer a free ebook (where the user will need to provide their email), and you&#8217;ve got a new lead. This, of course, is just one strategy.</p>
  939. <h2>What is lead generation and how does it work?</h2>
  940. <p>As mentioned, lead generation uses digital marketing strategies to attract, engage, and get information from potential customers.<br />
  941. For example, if you have an online store, you’ll only convert a visitor into a customer if you convince them that it’s the best place for them to make their purchase. But how would the store do this?</p>
  942. <p>An unbeatable offer, free shipping over a certain amount, lower prices, a discount coupon for the first purchase, cashback, and product personalization, for example, are all good strategies.</p>
  943. <p>Before you get a customer, however, it&#8217;s easier to get a lead (someone your sales team can work to convert). To do this, you need to offer something of value to the store visitor. A good idea, in this case, would be something like, &#8220;Enter your email here and get 20% off your first purchase.&#8221;</p>
  944. <p>This is, in fact, the methodology of marketing: sparking genuine interest in a product or service.</p>
  945. <p>Are you interested in learning more about <a href="https://protagnst.com/consultoria-comercial-b2b/">how a sales consultancy works?</a> <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">Want to know more about what a sales consultant does?</a></p>
  946. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3702" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-1.jpg" alt="lead generation" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-1.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-1-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  947. <h2>How to Generate Qualified Leads in Inbound Marketing</h2>
  948. <p>By now, you understand that lead generation is an important strategy for boosting your business, right?<br />
  949. One of the most effective ways to do this is by creating valuable content with good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) practices to rank on the first pages of search engines like Google. This is an inbound marketing strategy.</p>
  950. <p>Here are some other methods for generating qualified leads:</p>
  951. <ul>
  952. <li>Landing pages</li>
  953. <li>Free ebooks</li>
  954. <li>Webinars</li>
  955. <li>Content kits</li>
  956. <li>Free consultations</li>
  957. <li>Surveys</li>
  958. <li>Contact forms</li>
  959. <li>Free online courses</li>
  960. <li>Call to Action</li>
  961. </ul>
  962. <p>Of course, these methods work much better together. For example, you can write relevant content for your persona, drive traffic to your website using SEO best practices, engage your audience with educational material, and offer something of value (a free ebook) in exchange for their email at the end of the content, through a killer CTA.<br />
  963. We’ve chosen three strategies from the list above to explain each one in more detail. Let’s dive in!</p>
  964. <h3>Landing Pages</h3>
  965. <p>You know that attractive page that presents a product or service in a focused way, with call-to-action buttons like &#8220;consult with a specialist,&#8221; &#8220;learn more,&#8221; or &#8220;buy now&#8221;? That&#8217;s called a landing page.<br />
  966. By using digital marketing resources like copywriting (the technique of persuasive writing using psychological triggers that induce the reader to take a specific action), you can effectively capture and generate leads. Want an example?</p>
  967. <p>If you visit a streaming service website recommended by friends, you&#8217;re more likely to become a customer if you encounter an attractive landing page offering a free 30-day trial, for example.</p>
  968. <h3>Webinars</h3>
  969. <p>In recent years, the word &#8220;webinar&#8221; has become popular, representing online lectures and presentations – live or recorded. Considering that many people like free solutions, it can be very useful to include webinars in your lead generation strategy.<br />
  970. Customers register to participate in the webinar, become interested in the content presented, and can then move to the next stage of the sales funnel. At this point, the company can convince them to purchase a paid course or ebook with more comprehensive information on the topics covered in the webinar.</p>
  971. <h3>Call to Action</h3>
  972. <p>The famous &#8220;Call to Action&#8221; (CTA) is an important – and necessary – part of all content marketing. It&#8217;s thanks to a good CTA that all your marketing techniques applied throughout the text have a chance of converting into the action you&#8217;re hoping for: purchasing a product, service, or subscribing to a plan, for example.<br />
  973. You can also use CTAs to invite users to share a blog post, comment on a social media post, or even tag a friend who might be interested in the content. All of this, of course, is aimed at increasing your chances of capturing good leads.</p>
  974. <h2>Why SEO is Important for Capturing Qualified Leads</h2>
  975. <p>We’ve already discussed how SEO practices are fundamental to your lead’s journey, right? But we still need to understand how these practices can be applied.<br />
  976. SEO is a resource used in Content Marketing to help your blog/website climb the search rankings. In other words, it&#8217;s through good techniques (or tricks, if you prefer) that your article, product, or service will rank on Google&#8217;s first page (or even in the top position).</p>
  977. <p>Some of these techniques include:</p>
  978. <ul>
  979. <li>Short paragraphs</li>
  980. <li>Attractive titles</li>
  981. <li>Subheadings that help the reader find the section of the text that interests them most</li>
  982. <li>Keywords in the introduction, titles, and CTA</li>
  983. </ul>
  984. <p>Basically, it all comes down to keywords, especially long-tail keywords. In a highly competitive market, it’s hard to rank easily using terms like &#8220;finance,&#8221; &#8220;digital marketing,&#8221; or &#8220;SEO&#8221; – these are known as head-tail keywords.<br />
  985. That&#8217;s why long-tail keywords are the method that helps you rank better due to lower competition, pushing your content to the top of search results more easily.</p>
  986. <p>Examples:</p>
  987. <ul>
  988. <li>Head tail: fleet management app / Long tail: trucking fleet management app</li>
  989. <li>Head tail: face moisturizer / Long tail: face moisturizer for oily, Black skin</li>
  990. <li>Head tail: men&#8217;s shoes / Long tail: brown men&#8217;s dress shoes size 11</li>
  991. </ul>
  992. <p>Besides having less competition, the more specific a search term is, the better your chances of getting highly qualified leads.</p>
  993. <h2>How to Generate Qualified Leads in Outbound Marketing</h2>
  994. <p>Unlike its counterpart, Inbound Marketing, where you need to attract and educate leads with great content to become potential customers, in Outbound Marketing, the company goes after the customer.<br />
  995. While some people see Outbound Marketing as an intrusive sales method, we can actually say that it’s a more active approach compared to Inbound Marketing. After all, as we said, it’s about searching for potential customers in the market and presenting your product or service, rather than waiting for them to come to you.</p>
  996. <p>Good examples of this include cold emails, cold calls, direct mail, and physical visits to companies. Below, we&#8217;ll talk in more detail about the first two examples.</p>
  997. <h3>Cold Email</h3>
  998. <p>Also known as a &#8220;cold email,&#8221; Cold Emailing is an outbound marketing technique done via email. The idea is to contact people and alert them to an offer, service, or product that can solve their problem, even if they haven&#8217;t shown prior interest.<br />
  999. Unlike spam (mass, non-personalized emails) or email marketing (where you provide your contact information in a previous step, usually through an inbound marketing action), Cold Email evaluates who fits your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) through a qualified contact list. This means it’s a personalized and human approach.</p>
  1000. <p>When sending a Cold Email, the salesperson needs to address the lead specifically. On the other hand, emails characterized as spam are sent en masse and aren&#8217;t always focused on what the recipient needs.</p>
  1001. <p>Moreover, a Cold Email should present a very clear value proposition. The objective should be, first and foremost, to build trust with the potential lead to continue the conversation and naturally move them down the sales funnel.</p>
  1002. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3703" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-2.jpg" alt="lead generation" width="1000" height="562" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-2-705x396.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1003. <h3>Cold Calls</h3>
  1004. <p>Cold Calling is the name for the sales process done over the phone. Just like Cold Email, the salesperson aims to reach people who have never shown interest in your business and, in many cases, don’t even know your company.<br />
  1005. It’s a technique that many entrepreneurs still use. Is Cold Calling still relevant in our current digital landscape?</p>
  1006. <p>Well, when done right and combined with other strategies, cold calling can yield good results. In fact, phone prospecting is a major challenge for salespeople, as it requires patience, perseverance, and resilience.</p>
  1007. <p>Even in such a digitized market, Cold Calling is still a great sales strategy. Among its benefits, we can highlight:</p>
  1008. <ul>
  1009. <li>Immediate lead response</li>
  1010. <li>Opportunity to immediately clarify doubts</li>
  1011. <li>Clear presentation of the solution</li>
  1012. <li>Personalization of the offered product or service (when possible)</li>
  1013. </ul>
  1014. <p>Of course, prospecting might not end with the cold call. A Cold Call can evolve into a more detailed email presentation, a video conference with decision-makers, or even an in-person visit with a product demonstration.<br />
  1015. Certainly, Cold Calling is quite different from telemarketing, which, besides focusing on the number of contacts and trying to sell, also lacks strategies for guiding the customer on their buying journey.</p>
  1016. <h3>Social Selling</h3>
  1017. <p>Social selling is about using social media to increase sales. As the name suggests, social media platforms are environments where social interaction happens between groups of individuals. Some of them have shared focuses and goals, which makes lead generation a natural fit.<br />
  1018. Each social media platform has its own quirks, and here, we&#8217;ll show you <a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">how to prospect customers</a> effectively without bothering your potential customers.</p>
  1019. <h4>Lead Generation on LinkedIn</h4>
  1020. <p>Currently, LinkedIn is the social network most focused on professional relationships. Whether it&#8217;s for finding a new job, creating partnerships, or acquiring new customers, LinkedIn is a very promising business environment.<br />
  1021. To generate leads on LinkedIn, you need a strategy. Since it’s a business-oriented social network, your lead probably works at a company in a specific industry.</p>
  1022. <p>Before reaching out to any company or professional, you should study your Ideal Customer Profile. See <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-perfil-de-cliente-ideal/">how to define your ICP in this article</a>.</p>
  1023. <p>Once you’ve mapped out your ideal customer, you can start your strategy by connecting with their professional network. To do this, use the personalized note field when sending a connection request. It’s important to make a genuine connection and explain the reason for connecting. Here’s an example of a connection request:</p>
  1024. <blockquote><p>Hi [NAME], how are you?<br />
  1025. I’m connecting with logistics professionals and I saw that you have over 10 years of experience and you&#8217;re also a Black Belt! Congrats. I look forward to connecting with you.</p></blockquote>
  1026. <p>Besides personalizing your note, comment and interact with your network on LinkedIn. Comment on posts, create your own posts, and like what your potential customers post.<br />
  1027. Use the basic principles of a good relationship. Dale Carnegie&#8217;s book, &#8220;How to Win Friends and Influence People,&#8221; can be a helpful resource for building rapport.</p>
  1028. <p>In addition to building rapport, create relevant content for your audience. If you work in sales, create sales-related content and offer tips on how your clients can improve their own sales performance.</p>
  1029. <p>But wait, does that mean I&#8217;ll be working for free, giving my best tips to my clients? Why would they hire me?</p>
  1030. <p>Precisely because you’ve shared tips with them. This exchange is also known as the reciprocity and gratitude trigger. People tend to value content and information from people they already know.</p>
  1031. <p>Besides creating content and interacting, send messages briefly explaining the benefits of your solution and how you can help them get more customers.</p>
  1032. <p>By following these steps, you and your team will definitely be generating lots of leads on LinkedIn, just like we do at Protagnst and for our own clients.</p>
  1033. <h4>Lead Generation on Facebook</h4>
  1034. <p>Although less commonly used, Facebook is also a good platform for lead generation through social selling. It has specific groups where you can exchange experiences on certain topics. By connecting with a community of entrepreneurs in your niche, you can genuinely help them, earn their trust, and generate leads.<br />
  1035. In these groups, many people looking to hire professionals in the field post job opportunities. You can respond to these demands as they appear.</p>
  1036. <p>By trying to help and posting quality content, people tend to reach out to you to solve specific problems. Show that you are an authority on the subject.</p>
  1037. <p>On Facebook, by interacting with groups, you can generate many qualified leads, as long as you’re in the right groups.</p>
  1038. <p><a href="#form">Protagnst specializes in outbound marketing and qualified B2B lead generation. Want to implement effective strategies in your business? Contact us and see how we can help.</a></p>
  1039. <h2>B2B Lead Generation</h2>
  1040. <p>As you probably already know, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/">B2B, or Business to Business</a>, is a business model where companies sell to other companies.<br />
  1041. Despite being a slower process than selling to end consumers (B2C), since the amounts involved are usually higher, requiring decision-makers to research and compare prices, B2B sales are quite lucrative – if, of course, the product/service quality is excellent.</p>
  1042. <p>B2B lead generation requires more care (and a greater dose of persistence) compared to B2C. This is because businesses are much more selective and detail-oriented when closing a deal.</p>
  1043. <p>So, how do you capture B2B leads?</p>
  1044. <p>The process can be done using <a href="https://protagnst.com/inbound-e-outbound/">Inbound and Outbound Marketing</a> or even marketing automation tools.</p>
  1045. <h2>How to Generate B2B Leads for Complex Sales</h2>
  1046. <p>Discovering potential leads, qualifying them, moving them through the sales funnel to eventually convert them into customers and build loyalty in B2B lead generation is no easy task. After all, these are sales to companies, not to the end consumer.<br />
  1047. Therefore, it’s essential to define steps to increase conversion rates since the entire process, as mentioned, is too slow to waste opportunities.</p>
  1048. <p>Simply put, every B2B sale is a bit complex, as it involves a more cautious decision-making process. But there are segments where the complexity is even greater, as is the case with a medical equipment supplier for large hospitals, or a tech company pioneering a solution the market is still unfamiliar with.</p>
  1049. <p>You need to have tact – and, of course, excellent training and knowledge of what you&#8217;re offering – to <a href="https://protagnst.com/objecoes-de-vendas/">handle objections</a> and break down barriers, especially in lead generation for complex B2B sales.</p>
  1050. <h3>Step-by-Step Guide to Generating B2B Leads</h3>
  1051. <h4>1. Define and Seek Your Ideal Customer Profile</h4>
  1052. <p>To target your marketing strategies effectively, it’s crucial to define the characteristics of your ideal customer profile.<br />
  1053. To do this, it’s worth noting the profiles that companies need to have to close a deal with yours. Therefore, consider:</p>
  1054. <ul>
  1055. <li>Characteristics that make them suitable to receive your services and/or products (your solution)</li>
  1056. <li>Purchase readiness</li>
  1057. <li>Minimum sustainability requirements (or all the characteristics you consider important, such as location, number of employees, revenue, among others)</li>
  1058. <li>Priority in solving the problem in question</li>
  1059. <li>Financial resources to make payments</li>
  1060. <li>A problem that your service and/or product can actually solve</li>
  1061. </ul>
  1062. <p>Once you&#8217;ve done this, you need to find companies in the market that fit the profile you&#8217;ve outlined as your ideal customer.<br />
  1063. <a href="#form">No idea how to do this? Fill out this form and see how we can help you capture highly qualified B2B leads.</a></p>
  1064. <h4>2. Identify the Decision-Makers</h4>
  1065. <p>Those working in the B2B model can&#8217;t waste time talking and arguing with people who won&#8217;t make the purchasing decision.<br />
  1066. Therefore, once you have your ideal customer profile and the company you want to do business with, it’s time to identify who makes purchasing decisions for the organization. This streamlines the entire process.</p>
  1067. <h4>3. Deep Dive into Your Target Audience&#8217;s Problems and Pain Points</h4>
  1068. <p>Now that you know who to approach and which companies, segments, and people within each company are most likely to close a deal with you, it’s time to pinpoint which pain points or problems you can help them solve.<br />
  1069. Having this clear will make it much easier to address your target audience&#8217;s pain points and problems. Besides knowing the problems, it’s important to list the benefits of your solution.</p>
  1070. <p>How do you help your clients? Do you save them time? Money? Do you reduce stress? Do you help them generate more and higher-quality leads? What kind of solution do you offer?</p>
  1071. <p>By studying how you can help and listing your <a href="https://protagnst.com/cases-de-sucesso/">success stories</a>, you’ll be ready for the next step, which is crafting your pitch to connect with potential clients and generate qualified B2B leads.</p>
  1072. <h4>4. Create Customized Templates for Each Audience</h4>
  1073. <p>If your ideal customer profile has variations, you might need to create different approaches for each audience. When creating templates, consider approaches via email, phone, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and other channels that will be important for reaching them.<br />
  1074. Templates or scripts for lead generation are essential for saving time in B2B prospecting. By defining these pitches, lead generation becomes more assertive and faster.</p>
  1075. <p><a href="#form">Interested? Fill out the form below.</a></p>
  1076. <h4>5. Initiate First Contact</h4>
  1077. <p>During this <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">B2B lead prospecting</a> stage, once you’re aware of who the decision-maker is at the company, it&#8217;s time to make contact.<br />
  1078. It&#8217;s important to be concise when presenting your business, contextualizing the contact and offering a solution that could be valuable to the customer.</p>
  1079. <p>These steps can even be done by pre-sales professionals in B2B companies. Learn more about <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-pre-venda/">what pre-sales is</a> and how important it is for those working with Business to Business.</p>
  1080. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3704" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-3.jpg" alt="lead generation" width="1000" height="595" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-3-300x179.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-3-768x457.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-3-705x419.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1081. <h2>Lead Generation on Instagram</h2>
  1082. <p>Remember when social media started with the goal of bringing together people with the same interests? Well, businesses saw in this a great potential for sales and lead generation.<br />
  1083. With this, Instagram, until then a photo app, became a lead generation marketing strategy after it was acquired by Facebook. From then on, many companies started investing in this platform.</p>
  1084. <p>Certain actions can help those who want to generate leads through Instagram. Check out the tips below:</p>
  1085. <ul>
  1086. <li>Use the link in bio</li>
  1087. <li>Post regularly</li>
  1088. <li>Optimize your profile description</li>
  1089. <li>Use CTAs in images</li>
  1090. <li>Invest in Instagram Stories</li>
  1091. <li>Use hashtags in your posts</li>
  1092. <li>Use price tags on products</li>
  1093. <li>Go live and save to IGTV</li>
  1094. <li>Build partnerships</li>
  1095. <li>Leverage Instagram Ads</li>
  1096. </ul>
  1097. <h2>Average Order Value: A Super Important Performance Indicator</h2>
  1098. <p>Average Order Value (AOV) is an indicator of the average value of sales and revenue for a company.<br />
  1099. Therefore, it’s a performance indicator that helps you understand details such as:</p>
  1100. <ul>
  1101. <li>Your customers’ consumption habits</li>
  1102. <li>Which products/services perform best</li>
  1103. </ul>
  1104. <p>Naturally, the higher the AOV, the better. But, of course, the benchmarks vary from business to business. While a large supermarket chain might be frustrated with an AOV of $1,000, that same figure might be more than satisfactory for a small hardware store.</p>
  1105. <h3>How to Calculate Average Order Value</h3>
  1106. <p>AOV is calculated by dividing total revenue by the number of sales in the period, for example, over a month. See the formula below:</p>
  1107. <ul>
  1108. <li>Average Order Value: Total Revenue / Number of Sales</li>
  1109. </ul>
  1110. <p><strong>Example calculation:</strong> In one month, your store sold 1500 products and generated $150,000 in revenue. Therefore, your AOV would be:</p>
  1111. <ul>
  1112. <li>AOV: $150,000 / 1500 = $100</li>
  1113. </ul>
  1114. <p>It’s worth noting, however, that the AOV varies from business to business, as we’ve seen. What might be considered low for an online electronics store, for example, could be high for a local cosmetics store.</p>
  1115. <h2>How Lead Qualification Can Help Increase Average Order Value</h2>
  1116. <p>As we’ve learned, capturing and qualifying leads should be a step that precedes the sale. In other words, the warmer the lead (and consequently, the more prepared the salesperson), the greater the chances of turning that lead into a customer.<br />
  1117. Qualifying a lead is important because it makes the salesperson’s job easier. For a car dealership operating remotely, by phone, for instance, during a pandemic, qualification can make all the difference.</p>
  1118. <p>Imagine a lead, Marcia, who left her phone number for a salesperson to contact her. However, there was no qualification done.</p>
  1119. <p>So, the salesperson, Rodrigo, calls Marcia and, before even hearing what she&#8217;s looking for, starts pitching a brand-new sedan with airbags, AC, power locks and windows, and a huge trunk. But Marcia is actually looking for a used hatchback, doesn’t care about AC, and has no reason to want a giant trunk because she lives alone and doesn’t have kids.</p>
  1120. <p>The result of this call is that the salesperson wastes time offering a product the lead isn&#8217;t interested in. Worse, the lead becomes disappointed and might even give up on buying from that dealership.</p>
  1121. <p>All of this could have been avoided with prior qualification work. The dealership, when collecting the lead&#8217;s phone number, could have also asked for details about the desired car. That way, when contacting Marcia, Rodrigo could have gotten straight to the point.</p>
  1122. <p>A sale that takes the lead&#8217;s context into account undoubtedly has a greater potential for success. Consequently, this leads to:</p>
  1123. <ul>
  1124. <li>A shorter sales cycle</li>
  1125. <li>Lower CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)</li>
  1126. <li>Optimized negotiation time</li>
  1127. <li>Increased Average Order Value</li>
  1128. </ul>
  1129. <p>It&#8217;s all connected. And, in the end, it all depends on effective lead capturing and qualification, as well as a good approach from the sales team.<br />
  1130. Are you interested in learning <a href="https://protagnst.com/taxa-de-conversao-em-vendas/">how to calculate your sales conversion rate? Check out this article.</a></p>
  1131. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3705" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-5.jpg" alt="lead generation" width="1000" height="668" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-5-768x513.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Geracao-de-leads-5-705x471.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1132. <h2>Final Considerations</h2>
  1133. <p><strong>Lead generation</strong> is full of nuances, peculiarities, and, in many cases, challenges. If you’re a B2B company and are still struggling with lead generation through <a href="https://protagnst.com/para-que-serve-o-outbound-marketing/">Outbound Marketing</a>, don’t forget that we at Protagnst are experts in this area. Contact us by filling out the form below and see how we can help!<br />
  1134. [contact-form-7]</p>
  1135. ]]></content:encoded>
  1136. </item>
  1137. <item>
  1138. <title>What is pre-sales and how does it help in prospecting customers?</title>
  1139. <link>https://protagnst.com/what-is-pre-sales-and-how-does-it-help-in-prospecting-customers/</link>
  1140. <dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator>
  1141. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:54:13 +0000</pubDate>
  1142. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  1143. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  1144. <category><![CDATA[Outbound Marketing]]></category>
  1145. <category><![CDATA[Prospecting]]></category>
  1146. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=13986</guid>
  1147.  
  1148. <description><![CDATA[ASe você quer prospectar novos clientes vai precisar de muito empenho e uma boa dose de perseverança! Por isso, entender o que é pré-venda é algo fundamental para o seu sucesso. Não existe uma regra ou fórmula pronta, mas, muitas vezes, quando todo o esforço recai sobre o profissional de vendas, corre-se o risco de [&#8230;]]]></description>
  1149. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>ASe você quer <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">prospectar novos clientes</a> vai precisar de muito empenho e uma boa dose de perseverança! Por isso, entender <strong>o que é pré-venda</strong> é algo fundamental para o seu sucesso.</p>
  1150. <p>Não existe uma regra ou fórmula pronta, mas, muitas vezes, quando todo o esforço recai sobre o profissional de vendas, corre-se o risco de deixar passar algumas oportunidades. Afinal, ele precisa dividir o foco e negociar mesmo com os leads que ainda não estavam &#8220;maduros&#8221;.</p>
  1151. <p>Apesar disso, não se preocupe pois existem meios de evitar isso! Você sabe qual é o significado de pré-venda? Entende o que faz a área de pré-vendas de uma empresa? Por que deveria investir seu tempo e dinheiro estruturando uma área de pré-vendas?</p>
  1152. <p>Geralmente, existe um profissional, ou uma equipe inteira deles, focado especialmente em preparar potenciais clientes para o <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">representante de vendas (consultor comercial)</a>. Ele tem a função de receber os leads, estabelecer um contato prévio e deixar a negociação pronta para que o vendedor a conduza da melhor maneira.</p>
  1153. <p>A Protagnst é especialista nisso, e neste artigo vamos mostrar a você o que é pré-venda e como ela pode ajudar a <a href="https://protagnst.com/23-formas-de-fazer-up-sell-e-cross-sell-sem-enrolacao/">turbinar os seu negócios</a>.</p>
  1154. <p>Investir em pré-venda é uma estratégia especialmente interessante no mundo dos <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-b2b/">negócios entre empresas (B2B)</a>. Afinal, trata-se de um ambiente em que as transações envolvem maiores volumes financeiros. Assim, o resultado compensa o investimento na contratação de profissionais que se especializam em prospectar novos clientes.</p>
  1155. <p>O profissional de pré-venda é bastante comum nos grandes mercados mundiais, em especial nos Estados Unidos. Existe, inclusive, um nome específico para aquele que agrega todas as características e funções: trata-se do <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-sdr/"><em>Sales Development Representative</em> (SDR)</a>.</p>
  1156. <p>E, se você atua no segmento B2B, acredite, você vai querer um SDR trabalhando com você. No Marketing Outbound, o nome mais adequado é o <a href="https://protagnst.com/business-development-representative/">BDR (Business Development Representative)</a>, mas, tornou-se muito mais comum o termo SDR no Brasil, que acaba sendo utilizando tanto para a área de pré-vendas inbound quanto para o pré-vendas outbound.</p>
  1157. <p>Que entender o conceito de pré-venda e como atuam os profissionais da área? Então, vamos lá!</p>
  1158. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3236" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-2.jpg" alt="O que é pré-venda" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-2.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-2-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1159. <h2>O que é pré-venda? Qual o significado?</h2>
  1160. <p>Como o nome já sugere, o significado de pré-venda remete a uma área ou profissional que atua como apoio à área de vendas de uma empresa. Ela age qualificando leads, identificando as necessidades de cada cliente potencial e <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">deixando-os prospects prontos</a> para a equipe comercial agir e fechar uma negociação.</p>
  1161. <p>Afinal, o que significa pré-venda? O que faz a área de pré-vendas de uma empresa? Qual a sua representatividade? Qual o impacto de ter um pré-vendedor na minha empresa e de não tê-lo? Seria prudente que a área de pré vendas pudesse qualificar melhor as oportunidades? Quando utilizar dentro de um processo de geração de leads inbound? E se trabalharmos o <a href="https://protagnst.com/outbound-mkt/">marketing outbound</a>, como será feito essa geração e qualificação de oportunidades comerciais?</p>
  1162. <p>Neste artigo iremos passar pelos detalhes de uma área comercial de pré-vendas, que vai desde o planejamento comercial, até o momento da qualificação de leads.</p>
  1163. <p>Ela identifica os potenciais clientes, aqueles que aparecem como mais prováveis para avançar em uma negociação. Ele é o principal responsável pela <a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">prospecção de potenciais clientes</a>. Serve como uma etapa de qualificação dos clientes e entendimento de necessidades.</p>
  1164. <p>Nas vendas consultivas, essa etapa acaba sendo uma das principais etapas do processo comercial, pois define o que o cliente precisa, e é aí que analisamos, se o que a empresa oferece está de acordo com o que o lead precisa.</p>
  1165. <p>Uma boa área de pré venda também descarta e dequalifica leads, deixando apenas aqueles que tem maior potencial de fechamento comercial no funil.</p>
  1166. <p>Nos casos de ambientes de negócios B2B, ele avalia a situação da empresa com quem se quer negociar, estabelece um primeiro contato, identifica as necessidades dela, analisa como sua empresa pode resolver isso e, então, prepara o vendedor com esses dados.</p>
  1167. <p>Assim, pode-se dizer que o pré-venda é um setor meio. Sua função não é tentar avançar uma negociação ou persuadir o potencial cliente; ao contrário, a ideia é que ele seja mais um ouvinte, alguém capaz de entender a situação da empresa, para onde ela quer ir e como ajudá-la com isso.</p>
  1168. <p><a href="#form"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4296" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-banner-protagnst.jpg" alt="Quer ajuda com a pré-venda? Agende uma reunião agora" width="1000" height="250" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-banner-protagnst.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-banner-protagnst-300x75.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-banner-protagnst-768x192.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-banner-protagnst-705x176.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></p>
  1169. <h3>Como funciona a pré-venda no inbound marketing?</h3>
  1170. <p>Nos casos de <a href="https://protagnst.com/inbound-e-outbound/">inbound marketing</a>, o pré-vendedor faz a etapa de qualificação do lead e a reunião de entendimento do negócio. É ele o responsável por entender o momento de compra do cliente, e identificar quais leads vão ser repassados para o closer (vendedor).</p>
  1171. <p>A pré-venda de leads inbound serve para filtrar os leads que chegam do marketing. Esses leads muitas vezes não são tão qualificados, e por isso, existe um profissional, chamado SDR, que faz uma qualificação, podendo fazer uma reunião rápida, uma ligação ou mesmo perguntar por email.</p>
  1172. <p>É bem importante que esta etapa comercial seja levada a sério, pois ela é parte fundamental no processo de compras e vendas consultivas. Saber o que vender é fundamental para ter sucesso nas vendas.</p>
  1173. <p>Quando o processo de geração de leads gera leads indiretos, ou seja, leads potenciais, mas, que ainda não demonstraram real interesse em conhecer a solução mais a fundo, é papel do pré-vendedor identificar leads de empresas potenciais e fazer o processo ativo de prospecção.</p>
  1174. <p>Leads que participaram de webinars, baixaram materiais ou se inscreveram em cursos, são típicos leads que necessitam de mais tempo para a qualificação. Caso você tenha identificado empresas que tenham muito potencial de vendas, é importante avaliar se o profissional que se cadastrou na lista, realmente é o decisor.</p>
  1175. <p>Caso não seja, a área de pré-vendas pode entrar em contato para identificar quem é o tomador de decisão e entrar em contato para pedir o contato de quem decide.</p>
  1176. <h3>Como funciona a pré-venda no outbound marketing?</h3>
  1177. <p>Já no <a href="https://protagnst.com/para-que-serve-o-outbound-marketing/">outbound marketing</a>, o pré-vendedor faz a qualificação antes de iniciar o processo. Ele <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-perfil-de-cliente-ideal/">identifica qual é o perfil de cliente ideal</a>, e a partir desta análise, segmenta empresas e cargos de pessoas que sejam os tomadores de decisão. A estratégia pode ser bottom-up ou top-down, mas, o pré-vendedor, em essência, conecta o vendedor com esse potencial lead.</p>
  1178. <p>Como ele já foi qualificado anteriormente, normalmente é o próprio vendedor que faz a reunião, para aproveitar ainda mais a oportunidade.</p>
  1179. <p>Apesar disso, é muito importante que o profissional de pré-venda estabeleça o primeiro contato já com a pessoa capaz de tomar as decisões. Afinal, é essa pessoa que será depois encaminhada à equipe de vendas, e estar cercado do máximo de informações sobre ela é um ponto importante para o sucesso das negociações.</p>
  1180. <p>Portanto, o pré-vendedor outbound faz a identificação, entra em contato e marca as reuniões para o closer (consultor comercial) fazer. Esse processo de agendamentos de reunião é fundamental para adquirir principalmente clientes grandes e estratégicos.</p>
  1181. <p>Esse processo de criação de listas, normalmente é feito por um LDR (Lead Development Representative), que fica encarregado de criar as listas de prospecção. A etapa de entrar em contato faz parte da prospecção ativa de clientes.</p>
  1182. <p>Normalmente, o SDR outbound também é conhecido com <a href="https://protagnst.com/business-development-representative/">Busines Development Representative ou BDR</a>.</p>
  1183. <p>Para que você possa ter um comercial com crescimento escalável, é preciso que sua área de pré vendas seja eficiente e que realmente entenda o <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-perfil-de-cliente-ideal/">Ideal Customer Profile</a>. Por isso, trabalhar bem esses processos e definições em um <a href="https://protagnst.com/playbook-de-vendas/">playbook de vendas</a> é fundamental para o sucesso do negócio.</p>
  1184. <p><a href="#form">Gostaria de contar com a expertise da Protagnst para montar o seu processo de pré-vendas? Preencha este formulário, que um de nossos consultores vai entrar em contato.</a></p>
  1185. <h2>Como fazer pré-venda e quais as atribuições?</h2>
  1186. <p>Como dissemos, a função do pré-venda é <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-sao-leads/">qualificar os leads</a>, de modo a filtrar aqueles que realmente podem vir a fechar negócio com a empresa a qual representa.</p>
  1187. <p>Por isso, entre suas atribuições está fazer um levantamento minucioso do potencial cliente. Entender sua situação de momento, sua capacidade de investimento e enxergar as oportunidades.</p>
  1188. <p>Para fazer isso, uma de suas funções é, a partir dos leads que a equipe de marketing gerou, identificar os que têm poder de decisão dentro das empresas. Chegar até eles, compreender suas necessidades e avaliar se sua empresa têm condições de suprir as necessidades desse lead são passos fundamentais.</p>
  1189. <p>Também é importante conhecer o perfil pessoal do lead. Identificar seu estilo na hora de negociar, suas motivações e características ajuda muito no momento de o vendedor definir o melhor tipo de abordagem.</p>
  1190. <p>Além disso, estabelecer um relacionamento com bases factíveis facilitará o avanço do lead pelo funil de vendas. E isso permitirá ao profissional de pré-venda definir qual o melhor momento para encaminhar o lead que qualificou à equipe de vendas.</p>
  1191. <p>Quando este momento estiver maduro, caberá ao pré-venda alinhavar o encontro entre as duas partes. O profissional deverá pedir autorização ao potencial cliente para que o vendedor entre em contato e marque uma nova reunião de negócios.</p>
  1192. <p>É importante também destacar que o contato do pré-venda com o lead se faz com uma ligação de poucos minutos.</p>
  1193. <p>Pesquisas já demonstraram que contatos de até cinco minutos costumam ser mais efetivos do que aqueles que levam dez. Por isso, preparar-se bem para a primeira abordagem, sendo certeiro nas palavras e sabendo captar as informações com agilidade pode fazer toda a diferença.</p>
  1194. <p>Nos casos de um processo de <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">prospecção ativa</a>, o processo de pré-venda é responsável por abrir a porta para o vendedor ser apresentado na empresa. Como a empresa não está esperando o contato, é importante definir uma estratégia de quem é o tomador de decisão e definir quais são as dores ou problemas, que a sua empresa resolve.</p>
  1195. <p>É a partir desta análise, que criam-se fluxos de cadências de contatos com o objetivo de <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-call/">gerar uma reunião (call) potencial</a>. Quando o processo está bem desenhado, é possível fazer muitas reuniões comerciais. A grande dificuldade está em definir os benefícios e os problemas que sua empresa resolve. Nem sempre isso é muito claro.</p>
  1196. <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="#form">Quer aumentar suas vendas? A Protagnst é especialista no assunto! Entre em contato para agendarmos uma produtiva reunião de negócios.</a></p>
  1197. <h2>Vantagens</h2>
  1198. <p>Atuar com uma equipe de pré-venda traz uma série de vantagens. Ainda que eventualmente isso possa representar uma jornada de compras um pouco mais extensa e um custo um pouco maior, o retorno costuma compensar.</p>
  1199. <p>Isso porque o pré-venda oferece maior assertividade. A qualificação de leads permite que cheguem à equipe de vendas os potenciais clientes com reais chances de fechar uma negociação.</p>
  1200. <p>Além disso, separar uma equipe para qualificar os leads e gerar oportunidades permite que a equipe de vendas foque na sua função principal: vender. Ao receber clientes previamente preparados, e com o máximo de informação sobre eles, o profissional de vendas pode investir seu tempo em desenhar o melhor modelo ne negócio para os dois lados.</p>
  1201. <p>Ele pode focar nos fechamentos, em responder às objeções e em envolver outras pessoas no processo decisório.</p>
  1202. <p>Ao poupar o tempo do executivo comercial, a área de pré-vendas consegue identificar aqueles leads que são os melhores leads, fazendo com que <a href="https://protagnst.com/taxa-de-conversao-em-vendas/">a taxa de conversão em vendas</a> seja mais alta, já que a maior parte do tempo é dedicada com leads que realmente tem chances de fechar.</p>
  1203. <p>Diminui a necessidade de profissionais mais caros, reduz custo e otimiza o processo comercial, já que cada pessoa fica responsável por uma etapa e se torna especialista dentro do processo de vendas.</p>
  1204. <p>A seguir, listamos três grandes vantagens competitivas de quem investe em pré-venda.</p>
  1205. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3238" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-4.jpg" alt="O que é pré-venda" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-4.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-4-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1206. <h3>Redução no tempo de resposta</h3>
  1207. <p>Converter um lead é o desejo de toda empresa, mas isso não é uma tarefa das mais simples. Assim, quanto menos oportunidades se perder, melhor.</p>
  1208. <p>Diversas pesquisas mundo afora já demonstraram que potenciais clientes vão perdendo o interesse em uma nova negociação conforme o tempo vai passando. Por exemplo, se a equipe de marketing identificou um lead hoje, a chance de ele seguir pelo funil de vendas e converter em um negócio é maior se ele for rapidamente contatado.</p>
  1209. <p>E o que é a pré-venda se não uma forma eficiente de se fazer isso?</p>
  1210. <p>Quando você conta com os serviços de uma equipe de pré-vendas, e aí não importa se própria ou terceirizada, o ganho no tempo de resposta é bastante grande.</p>
  1211. <p>Primeiro, porque você abre uma primeira conexão com uma empresa que tem o desejo – ainda que não expresso – de contar com seus produtos e serviços. Segundo, porque se a abordagem for eficiente, você reforça esse desejo.</p>
  1212. <p>Em resumo, ao se optar por uma equipe de pré-vendas, fica mais fácil <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-call/">abordar rapidamente o lead</a>. De quebra, qualifica-se ele e o deixa pronto para o vendedor.</p>
  1213. <h3>Melhora na prospecção</h3>
  1214. <p>Prospectar novos clientes é uma das tarefas mais difíceis num processo de vendas. E isso ocorre especialmente nas relações B2B, onde o mercado é mais restrito.</p>
  1215. <p>Sempre que se atua com uma equipe de pré-venda, a prospecção torna-se mais fácil. Afinal, os profissionais focam exclusivamente nesse processo. Assim, têm experiência com prospecção e sabem ser mais assertivos.</p>
  1216. <p>Além disso, a meta do profissional de pré-vendas é entregar o máximo possível de leads qualificados. Dito de outra forma, sua empresa terá a todo momento novos potenciais clientes com quem negociar.</p>
  1217. <p>Por outro lado, se a tarefa de prospecção fica também a cargo do próprio vendedor, muita coisa acaba ficando pelo caminho.</p>
  1218. <p>Um vendedor que prospectou e qualificou um cliente tende a avançar na negociação com ele – o que é ótimo, diga-se de passagem. Mas, para fazer isso, ele fica com menos tempo para prospectar novos.</p>
  1219. <p>Há ainda outro efeito colateral. Se o profissional de vendas conseguiu qualificar uma quantidade de leads que considera suficiente, há maiores chances de ele deixar de tentar qualificar novos.</p>
  1220. <p><a href="#form"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4297" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Protagnst.png" alt="Agende já uma reunião" width="800" height="150" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Protagnst.png 800w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Protagnst-300x56.png 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Protagnst-768x144.png 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Protagnst-705x132.png 705w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></a></p>
  1221. <h3>Agilidade no processo de vendas</h3>
  1222. <p>As vendas se tornam mais ágeis e tendem a acontecer com mais frequência quando se trabalha com pré-venda.</p>
  1223. <p>Isso porque, como já citamos, o profissional responsável por fechar um acordo entrará em contato com leads já qualificados, aqueles que efetivamente têm interesse em avançar com uma negociação.</p>
  1224. <p>Assim, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">o vendedor já sabe</a> previamente o que o potencial cliente precisa e já tem como apresentar uma oferta dentro desses moldes. Dito de outra forma, já se avançou por várias etapas do funil de vendas.</p>
  1225. <p>Por outro lado, quando não há uma etapa de pré-venda, muitos vendedores acabam gastando horas mantendo contato com leads frios, ou seja, que não possuem interesse real em realizar negócio. Perde-se tempo e, muitas vezes, entusiasmo.</p>
  1226. <p>Nessa situação, há grande risco de duas falhas no processo: o &#8220;descarte&#8221; de leads ou a realização de negócios muito aquém do que prometem.</p>
  1227. <p>Esses riscos existem porque, se um vendedor é responsável também por qualificar o potencial cliente, ele pode fazer isso se moldando já pela forma mais rápida de fechar uma venda – mesmo que isso represente um negócio menos rentável do que poderia se a relação fosse melhor trabalhada. Assim, perde-se valor de venda.</p>
  1228. <p>De quebra, quando um vendedor atua também para <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-sao-leads/">qualificar os leads</a>, corre o risco de ele desistir mais fácil de um potencial cliente – uma eventual resistência no começo pode fazer com que ele decida tentar o próximo. E isso é péssimo.</p>
  1229. <h3>Maior profissionalização e qualidade em todos os processos de vendas</h3>
  1230. <p>Pense conosco: por que empresas de qualquer segmento, quando anunciam vagas, estabelecem os pré-requisitos do profissional que deverá ocupá-las? E, dentre esses requisitos, em geral a experiência na área é exigida?</p>
  1231. <p>A resposta é bastante simples. Ainda que muitas vezes pessoas sem experiência na função possam dar bons retornos, a chance de a escolha ser mais assertiva é maior entre aqueles que se dedicam a tal cargo – seja através de treinamento ou estudo específico, seja através de experiência prévia.</p>
  1232. <p>É preciso considerar o mesmo quando se quer ter uma equipe de vendas coesa. Afinal, as etapas num funil de vendas são distintas, e por isso faz mais sentido ter equipes especializadas em cada uma delas.</p>
  1233. <p>Ao trabalhar com funções diferentes para cada processo, a empresa passa a se profissionalizar e a dividir responsabilidades. O foco do profissional de pré-vendas passa a ser o agendamento de reuniões qualificadas.</p>
  1234. <p>Ele trabalha muito com <a href="https://protagnst.com/prospeccao-de-clientes/">prospeção de clientes B2B</a> com foco nas empresas do porte, segmento e nos cargos que mais fazem sentido prospectar.</p>
  1235. <p>Quando você tira essa responsabilidade do vendedor tradicional, ele passa a ficar especialista em um nicho e em fechar vendas. Isso torna seu proceso melhor e você passa a ter vários especialistas na equipe.</p>
  1236. <h2>Quando montar uma equipe de pré-vendas?</h2>
  1237. <p>Apesar de melhorar a prospecção de clientes e aumentar a possibilidade de se fechar negócios, nem sempre montar uma equipe de pré-vendas é vantajoso. Como tudo o que envolve gestão, é preciso avaliar o custo-benefício.</p>
  1238. <p>Considere que optar por uma equipe de pré-vendas representará de cara um investimento maior em profissionais e na estrutura básica para que eles trabalhem.</p>
  1239. <p>Por outro lado, profissionais que atuam em pré-venda costumam ser aqueles em início de carreira na área de vendas – e, por isso mesmo, com remuneração menor do que a de vendedores sênior. Assim, é preciso pesar: vale mais a pena pagar por eles, ou manter a prospecção também entre as atribuições do vendedor?</p>
  1240. <p>Lembre-se do que já abordamos nesse artigo: sempre que atua também na busca de novos clientes, um vendedor está dividindo suas atenções. Ou seja, são menos horas vendendo efetivamente – o que tem potencial para representar menos receita entrando na empresa.</p>
  1241. <p>Avalie também o ticket médio dos negócios envolvendo sua empresa. Se ele for baixo – ou seja, se o retorno das vendas não envolver grandes somas –, talvez não faça sentido ter um profissional de pré-venda. Nesse caso, pode ser mais vantajoso apenas qualificar as etapas do funil de vendas.</p>
  1242. <p>Na mesma linha, ambientes B2B são mais propícios para se trabalhar com pré-venda. Os leads são mais restritos, portanto requerem melhor aproveitamento. Além disso, as vendas envolvem montantes elevados e isso acaba compensando a contratação de uma equipe específica para prospecção.</p>
  1243. <p>Uma opção ainda mais rentável é contratar uma empresa para fazer o trabalho de pré-venda, como a Protagnst. Assim, ganha-se em tempo e se garante o auxílio de profissionais que se dedicam justamente a essa função.</p>
  1244. <p><a href="#form">Preencha esse formulário e veja como podemos ajudar!</a></p>
  1245. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3239" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-5.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-5.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-5-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1246. <h2>Terceirização de pré-vendas</h2>
  1247. <p>Muitas vezes, a melhor maneira de fazer sua empresa dar um salto nos negócios é através da terceirização de pré-vendas.</p>
  1248. <p>Essa estratégia é bastante comum em negócios voltados à busca do consumidor final (B2C), sobretudo com a contratação de equipes de call center. Mas você irá se surpreender em como a diversificação de seu programa de vendas pode ser benéfica nos negócios entre empresas (B2B), que é o nosso foco aqui.</p>
  1249. <p>Aliás, contar com esse tipo de estratégia é especialmente benéfico quando se trata de vendas complexas.</p>
  1250. <p>Pense, por exemplo, em negócios que envolvem a venda de novas tecnologias. Sua empresa criou soluções tecnológicas que são capazes de acelerar processos que aquele seu potencial cliente, durante décadas, fez de maneira mais prosaica.</p>
  1251. <p>Certamente isso irá resolver uma dor que ele tem, mas até ele entender e se convencer de que sua solução é a melhor escolha, irá demandar uma boa dose de negociação. Em outras palavras, sua permanência no funil de vendas tende a ser maior.</p>
  1252. <p>Nesses casos, manter a atenção e o engajamento sempre é uma tarefa mais difícil. E se você diversifica as formas de manter o interesse do potencial cliente em alerta, as chances de isso acontecer são maiores.</p>
  1253. <p>Sempre que você terceiriza a parte inicial do negócio, a prospecção de leads – que é o que faz um profissional de pré-vendas –, você libera sua equipe especializada em vendas para atuar diretamente no foco da negociação.</p>
  1254. <p>Usando um jargão do futebol, você coloca seus profissionais técnicos de vendas diretamente na cara do gol. Tudo o que eles precisam fazer é aproveitar a oportunidade que já foi criada pelo profissional de pré-venda terceirizado e concluir o negócio.</p>
  1255. <h2>Perfil de um pré-vendedor</h2>
  1256. <p>O pré-vendedor é um profissional que tem de entrar em contato com um grande número de leads todos os dias. Além disso, precisa se cercar do máximo de informações sobre essas pessoas e empresas e captar as necessidades delas. Tudo isso em um curto período de tempo.</p>
  1257. <p>Assim, o perfil que se espera de um profissional da área é de alguém organizado, comunicativo, que saiba ter uma abordagem consultiva e que não tenha problemas em trabalhar visando alta produtividade.</p>
  1258. <p>Ele é responsável por um grande número de atividades diárias e precisa ter muita consistência, foco e disciplina para atingir excelentes resultados.</p>
  1259. <p>É essencial que esse profissional de pré-vendas tenha resiliência e saiba lidar com rejeição e objeções. É fundamental ter força de vontade e querer bater metas, já que boa parte da remuneração deste profissional é variável e depende de resultados reais.</p>
  1260. <p>Se você está procurando por uma empresa que consiga definir o seu perfil comportamental e suas virtudes, você deveria conhecer a <a href="https://escoladeinovacaohumana.com.br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Escola de Inovação Humana</a>, nossa parceira, que entende como você está, quais são suas fortalezas e o que você precisa se atentar no que tange o <a href="https://escoladeinovacaohumana.com.br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">comportamento humano</a>.</p>
  1261. <h3>Organização</h3>
  1262. <p>É o tipo de característica que, em geral, se busca em todo tipo de profissional, mas ela é especialmente necessária para um pré-vendedor.</p>
  1263. <p>Isso porque ele trabalha com alta demanda de contatos todos os dias. Sem contar que sua função é, em suma, estabelecer pontes. Por isso, ele precisa saber se organizar para estabelecer um contato com os leads, captar o máximo de informações possíveis e, depois, repassá-las ao vendedor.</p>
  1264. <h3>Comunicação</h3>
  1265. <p>Quem atua na área de vendas sabe que ter boa comunicação é fundamental em qualquer tratativa. Além da saber se expressar, o profissional precisa ter uma linguagem persuasiva, capaz de encantar o cliente.</p>
  1266. <p>Na área de pré-venda, apesar de o foco e o intuito serem um pouco diferentes – ou, pelo menos, estarem em timings diferentes –, ser comunicativo é essencial.</p>
  1267. <p>Ainda que o interesse não seja efetivamente vender naquele momento, é importante conseguir captar a atenção do lead. Afinal, o pré-venda precisa passar rapidamente sua mensagem e, principalmente, conseguir informações que serão úteis ao vendedor.</p>
  1268. <p>A boa comunicação precisa acontecer em todos os canais. É importante que o pré-vendedor (SDR), faça uma boa comunicação escrita, oral e consiga interpretar qual o momento de cada lead para não forçar um contato no momento errado.</p>
  1269. <h3>Consultor</h3>
  1270. <p>Essa característica precisa se desenvolver no sentido de &#8220;consultar&#8221;, &#8220;saber ouvir&#8221;.</p>
  1271. <p>Como dissemos, qualificar um lead passa por mostrar a ele que sua empresa tem condições de resolver as necessidades que se apresentarem – e você só saberá exatamente quais são se souber ouvir o potencial cliente.</p>
  1272. <p>Além disso, mostrar que se está disposto a ajudar, e não simplesmente em vender algum produto ou serviço a qualquer custo, é uma maneira eficiente e empática de se desenvolver uma relação de negócios.</p>
  1273. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/vendas-consultivas/">Vendas consultivas são focadas na necessidade do cliente</a>. Menos eu e mais você. Ou seja, é preciso entender o que o seu cliente quer e oferecer o que ele realmente precisa.</p>
  1274. <p><a href="#form">Já pensou em poder contar com uma empresa que é especialista em pré-vendas? Terceirize essa área conosco agora mesmo!</a></p>
  1275. <h3>Produtividade</h3>
  1276. <p>O pré-vendas precisa saber que terá de ser bastante produtivo ao longo de seu dia – e isso tanto em termos quantitativos, quanto qualitativos.</p>
  1277. <p>Um bom profissional da área precisa entrar em contato com um grande número de leads. Mais do que isso, conseguir com que a maior parte deles se proponha a iniciar uma negociação com um vendedor.</p>
  1278. <p>Para ser produtivo no sentido mais amplo da palavra, o profissional de pré-venda precisa ter alto poder de concentração.</p>
  1279. <h3>Saber seguir processos</h3>
  1280. <p>Todo processo de pré-venda que se preze segue etapas. O Sales Development Representative precisa seguir essses processos e saber, que quanto mais pontos de contato tiver com o lead, maiores serão as chances de marcar uma reunião qualificada.</p>
  1281. <p>Ter um profissional, que sabe seguir os processos é fundamental para ter resultados excelentes.</p>
  1282. <h3>Boa argumentação e saber lidar com objeções</h3>
  1283. <p>Muitos pré-vendedores vão receber muitos nãos e muitas objeções. Parte da venda está em convencer leads que aparentemente não tem interesse, em leads potenciais.</p>
  1284. <p>Isso se dá cortonando objeções e trabalhando um processo de entendimento do negócio do cliente e do negócio que a empresa está inserida. Ter um bom poder de argumentação é o mínimo que a área de pré vendas precisa ter para se destacar.</p>
  1285. <p><a href="#form"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-4295 size-full" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Business-Development-Representative-Protagnst.png" alt="Gostaria de contar com uma equipe própria ou terceirizada de BDRs? Conte com a Protagnst nesse desafio." width="1000" height="250" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Business-Development-Representative-Protagnst.png 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Business-Development-Representative-Protagnst-300x75.png 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Business-Development-Representative-Protagnst-768x192.png 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CTA-Business-Development-Representative-Protagnst-705x176.png 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></p>
  1286. <h2>O que evitar?</h2>
  1287. <p>Assim como preferir profissionais de pré-venda com as características acima ajuda na busca por melhores resultados, é preciso saber o que não se deve fazer na hora de preparar uma equipe.</p>
  1288. <p>Um dos pontos mais importantes é nunca atropelar os processos. Tenha em mente que fazer pré-venda é um exercício que exige método e estratégia. É isso que dará resultados melhores.</p>
  1289. <p>Assim, a primeira coisa a se evitar é a pressa. É preciso treinar adequadamente a equipe. Ela precisa conhecer amplamente o produto ou serviço que irá oferecer, conhecer bem a empresa para a qual trabalha, entender os processos e ficar a par das metas.</p>
  1290. <p>Um bom treinamento inclui também deixar claro que o pré-venda não tem que querer prospectar tudo ou a todos. Ele precisa delimitar sua área de atuação e focar nela. Assim, evite atuar na pré-venda de maneira generalista.</p>
  1291. <p>Por fim, essa dica vale para todos: evite falar demais. Como citamos em mais de um momento neste artigo, a função do pré-venda é ter um caráter consultivo. Mais do que falar, ele precisa ouvir o lead. Afinal, o que se quer aqui é que o pré-venda identifique todas as necessidades do potencial cliente para que, depois, o representante de vendas ofereças as melhores oportunidades.</p>
  1292. <h2>Cargos</h2>
  1293. <p>Apesar de chamado genericamente de pré-venda ou analista de pré-venda, o profissional que atua na área pode ter diferentes funções dentro de uma equipe que se dedica a esse trabalho. Assim, nem sempre ele é responsável por todas as atribuições que apresentamos até aqui. A meta final, contudo, é a mesma.</p>
  1294. <p>A seguir, listamos três diferentes cargos que um analista de pré-venda pode desempenhar:</p>
  1295. <ul>
  1296. <li><a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-sdr/"><em>Sales Development Representative</em> (SDR)</a>: É o profissional mais conhecido no meio. Ele é o analista de pré-vendas em sua acepção mais ampla. Sua função é entrar em contato com os leads, estabelecer uma relação inicial e encaminhá-los para o representante de vendas. Marcar reuniões com leads qualificados;</li>
  1297. <li><em>Lead Development Representative</em> (LDR): Ao contrário do SDR, este profissional de pré-venda não entra em contato com os leads. Sua função é preliminar, ou seja, ele pesquisa os leads e avalia se realmente podem gerar conversão. A partir disso, encaminha-os para os SDR. Em muitos casos ele trabalha listas de prospects e passa isso para profissionais que farão o contato. Quando se tem muito volume, acaba sendo uma profissão importante;</li>
  1298. <li><a href="https://protagnst.com/business-development-representative/"><em>Business Development Representative</em> (BDR)</a>: Em geral, leads são identificados pela <a href="https://protagnst.com/inbound-e-outbound/">equipe de marketing</a>. Mas, no caso do BDR, é o próprio analista que faz a busca por leads. Ao identificá-los, ele os encaminha para o representante de vendas. A sua principal função é ir atrás do perfil de cliente ideal e fazer agendamentos de reuniões com empresas, que tenham potencial de comprar a solução da empresa. No Brasil, usa-se muito SDR para mencionar funções de BDR, mas, a essência acaba sendo a mesma.</li>
  1299. </ul>
  1300. <p><a href="#form">A Protagnst é especialista em inside sales, terceriziação de pré-vendas e pode ajudar a aumentar os leads da sua empresa. Preencha nosso formulário e agende uma reunião!</a></p>
  1301. <h2>Como mensurar as pré-vendas?</h2>
  1302. <p>Assim como o setor de vendas propriamente dito, a área de pré-vendas também precisa trabalhar com metas. E, mais do que isso, saber extrair o máximo de informações sobre elas – inclusive quando não se atinge.</p>
  1303. <p>Ter controle de produtividade, taxa de conversão e como se chegou a isso é fundamental para que se possa trabalhar melhor as estratégias de pré-venda.</p>
  1304. <p>Uma métrica importante a se levar em conta é aquela que se refere ao número de leads com quem se manteve contato.</p>
  1305. <p>À primeira vista, isso pode simplesmente parecer uma forma de verificar se o profissional de pré-venda de fato entrou em contato com o máximo de potenciais clientes possíveis. O foco, porém, não é esse.</p>
  1306. <p>Ao se saber a quantidade de leads com que se fez contato e quantos lá na frente resultaram em vendas, a empresa consegue calcular de forma mais eficiente seu potencial de receita e estabelecer as metas de cada profissional de pré-venda.</p>
  1307. <p>Outra forma importante de mensuração é a taxa de agendamentos – ou seja, quantos dos leads contatados foram qualificados, ou fizeram reunião comercial.</p>
  1308. <p>Mas, talvez, a métrica mais importante a se considerar diz respeito à taxa de conversão. Ao se avaliar quantos leads do pré-venda resultaram em fechamento de negócios, as empresas têm um desenho melhor se o processo vem sendo bem executado.</p>
  1309. <p>Alta taxa de conversão significa que a estratégia traçada está correta, mas números ruins ou aquém do que se esperava ajudam a empresa e repensar sua maneira de atuar nas vendas.</p>
  1310. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3237" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-3.jpg" alt="O que é pré-venda" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-3.jpg 1000w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/O-que-e-pre-venda-3-705x470.jpg 705w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></p>
  1311. <h2>Pré-venda e pós-venda</h2>
  1312. <p>Até aqui a gente explicou para você o que significa pré-venda de um produto ou serviço e como essa estratégia pode alavancar as suas receitas.</p>
  1313. <p>Ainda que não seja o foco deste artigo, é importante você ter em mente que uma boa estratégia de negócios também passa por dedicar especial atenção ao pós-venda. Aliás, demonstrar que sua empresa se importa com isso é uma ótima maneira de agregar novos clientes.</p>
  1314. <p>A razão é bastante simples. Profissionais de pré-venda em muitos casos prospectam novos leads entre aquelas pessoas que nem sequer sabiam da existência de sua empresa. Ainda que se tenha identificado que eles possuem um problema que sua empresa pode solucionar, para aquele lead o seu negócio é uma completa novidade.</p>
  1315. <p>Ocorre que nos negócios entre empresas os valores envolvidos nas negociações são consideráveis. E em tempos de controle total de gastos, qual a chance de uma empresa arriscar boa parte de seus recursos negociando com outra sem ter a garantia de que haverá um retorno?</p>
  1316. <p>É por isso que pensar em pré-venda e pós-venda de maneira conjunta é tão importante. Ao assegurar àquele potencial cliente que sua solução engloba não só a promessa de resolver uma de suas dores, mas também o acompanhamento disso, você está sinalizando a ele que o que oferece é uma solução completa.</p>
  1317. <h2>Considerações finais</h2>
  1318. <p>Vender mais – e melhor – é o desejo de toda a empresa. Manter uma quantidade de clientes fieis é básico para garantir a estabilidade de qualquer negócio, mas somente o crescimento das vendas assegura a expansão. Por isso, <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-e-prospeccao/">prospectar novos clientes</a> é o que sempre se busca.</p>
  1319. <p>Identificar leads e chegar até eles é função da equipe de marketing, mas, como se sabe, esse é apenas o começo de uma jornada de compra. Conduzir o cliente por ela e fazê-lo avançar pelo funil de vendas é uma tarefa que exige método, dedicação e, no melhor dos mundos, trabalho integrado.</p>
  1320. <p>Um profissional que ajuda muito nessa jornada é o de pré-venda. Como mostramos, sua função é estabelecer pontes. De maneira estratégica, ele conecta os leads que o marketing gerou ao representante de vendas. De modo efetivo, por sua vez, ele coloca em contato o potencial cliente com o responsável em efetivar a venda na sua empresa.</p>
  1321. <p><a name="form"></a> <a name="contratar"></a>Bons analistas de pré-venda, ou SDRs, são pró-ativos, bem treinados, atuam com método e, sobretudo, têm perfil consultivo. Em resumo, eles conhecem bem a empresa para a qual trabalham e captam o máximo de informações sobre aquela com quem se busca efetivar um negócio.</p>
  1322. <h2>Contratar empresa de terceirização de pré-vendas</h2>
  1323. <p>Agora que você já sabe <strong>o que é pré-venda</strong>, que tal investir em uma equipe especializada no assunto? A Protagnst é especialista na geração de leads, captação e ampliação de negócios com clientes corporativos. Preencha o formulário abaixo para montarmos, juntos, a melhor estratégia para o seu negócio!</p>
  1324. <p>[contact-form-7]</p>
  1325. ]]></content:encoded>
  1326. </item>
  1327. <item>
  1328. <title>Sales Compensation: Salaries, Commissions and Benefits</title>
  1329. <link>https://protagnst.com/sales-compensation-salaries-commissions-and-benefits/</link>
  1330. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stela Protagnst]]></dc:creator>
  1331. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:49:18 +0000</pubDate>
  1332. <category><![CDATA[B2B Sales Consulting]]></category>
  1333. <category><![CDATA[Business Administration]]></category>
  1334. <category><![CDATA[Inside Sales]]></category>
  1335. <category><![CDATA[Sales Strategy]]></category>
  1336. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://protagnst.com/?p=13979</guid>
  1337.  
  1338. <description><![CDATA[In the fast-paced world of sales, compensation plays a crucial role not only in motivating employees but also in attracting and retaining top talent. Have you ever stopped to think about how salaries, commissions, and benefits intertwine to create a compensation package that can transform a team&#8217;s performance? In this article, we&#8217;ll delve into this [&#8230;]]]></description>
  1339. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the fast-paced world of sales, compensation plays a crucial role not only in motivating employees but also in attracting and retaining top talent. Have you ever stopped to think about how salaries, commissions, and benefits intertwine to create a compensation package that can transform a team&#8217;s performance? In this article, we&#8217;ll delve into this topic and uncover the nuances of sales compensation.</p>
  1340. <p><!--INTROEND--></p>
  1341. <h2>Understanding Sales Compensation</h2>
  1342. <p>If you work or want to work in sales, understanding <strong>compensation</strong> is essential. The concept may seem simple, but it&#8217;s a complex subject. Let&#8217;s break down what it really means and why it matters to you.</p>
  1343. <h3>1. Defining Sales Compensation</h3>
  1344. <p>First, let&#8217;s define it. Sales compensation refers to the <i>total rewards</i> – both financial and non-financial – a salesperson receives for their work. This includes salaries, commissions, bonuses, and benefits. It&#8217;s more than just a paycheck; it&#8217;s how companies motivate their teams and reward performance.</p>
  1345. <p>There are different types of compensation. You can have a fixed salary, which is a guaranteed amount every month, or a variable salary, which depends on performance. Many companies use a combination of the two. This creates an interesting dynamic in the work environment.</p>
  1346. <h3>2. The Importance of the Compensation Package</h3>
  1347. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13935" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/comissoes-em-vendas.webp" alt="sales commissions" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/comissoes-em-vendas.webp 1200w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/comissoes-em-vendas-300x200.webp 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/comissoes-em-vendas-1030x687.webp 1030w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/comissoes-em-vendas-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
  1348. <p>Why is having a good compensation package so important? It&#8217;s simple: it attracts and retains talent. When salespeople feel they are being fairly compensated, they tend to be more motivated and productive. This translates into better results for the company.</p>
  1349. <ul>
  1350. <li><strong>Talent Attraction:</strong> Qualified professionals seek out companies that offer fair compensation.</li>
  1351. <li><strong>Retention:</strong> A good compensation plan reduces employee turnover.</li>
  1352. <li><strong>Motivation:</strong> Motivated salespeople work harder and generate better results.</li>
  1353. </ul>
  1354. <h3>3. How Compensation Impacts Performance</h3>
  1355. <p>The connection between compensation and performance is direct. A good compensation plan can inspire you to reach your goals. After all, who wouldn&#8217;t be motivated to crush their targets when a reward is at stake?</p>
  1356. <blockquote><p>&#8220;Motivation is fueled by fair and transparent compensation.&#8221; &#8211; Sales Expert</p></blockquote>
  1357. <p>Studies show that well-compensated teams increase their sales. This is proof that a well-structured compensation package makes a difference.</p>
  1358. <p>If you&#8217;re interested in learning about sales tools, check out this <a href="https://protagnst.com/instantly-ai/">article about Instantly</a>.</p>
  1359. <h3>4. The Difference Between Fixed and Variable Salaries</h3>
  1360. <p>Let&#8217;s break down the differences. A <strong>fixed salary</strong> is stable and predictable. You know exactly how much you will receive every month. On the other hand, a <strong>variable salary</strong> can fluctuate based on your performance. This means that if you sell more, you earn more.</p>
  1361. <p>What do you prefer? Security or the potential to earn more? This is a question many <a href="https://protagnst.com/o-que-faz-um-consultor-de-vendas/">sales professionals</a> ask themselves. The answer may depend on your profile and your financial needs.</p>
  1362. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  1363. <h3>5. Analyzing the Sales Market</h3>
  1364. <p>The dynamics of the sales market are constantly changing. Analyzing these shifts is crucial. Industry trends indicate that companies that offer flexible compensation packages are more successful. You can see this reflected in performance statistics.</p>
  1365. <p>Let&#8217;s look at some relevant data. Below is a chart showing how a well-structured compensation package influences sales performance.</p>
  1366. <table>
  1367. <tbody>
  1368. <tr>
  1369. <th>Compensation Model</th>
  1370. <th>Performance Impact (%)</th>
  1371. </tr>
  1372. <tr>
  1373. <td>Fixed Salary</td>
  1374. <td>60%</td>
  1375. </tr>
  1376. <tr>
  1377. <td>Variable Salary</td>
  1378. <td>80%</td>
  1379. </tr>
  1380. <tr>
  1381. <td>Mixed Package</td>
  1382. <td>90%</td>
  1383. </tr>
  1384. </tbody>
  1385. </table>
  1386. <p>A mixed package combines security with incentives, resulting in higher performance. This data demonstrates the power of compensation in the world of sales.</p>
  1387. <h3>Interim Conclusion</h3>
  1388. <p>As you can see, sales compensation is a multifaceted topic. From its definition to the importance of a well-structured package, every aspect plays a critical role. We hope this information has been helpful and that you now have a better understanding of this subject.</p>
  1389. <p>If you&#8217;re thinking about improving your sales strategy or want to learn more about compensation, <code>contact us</code>. Our team is ready to assist you!</p>
  1390. <h2>Types of Compensation: Salary, Commissions, and Bonuses</h2>
  1391. <p>When it comes to compensation, just like every profession has its characteristics, each payment model also has its advantages and disadvantages. In this post, you&#8217;ll learn all about <b>fixed salaries</b>, <b>commissions</b>, and <b>bonuses</b>. Let&#8217;s explore how these payment methods affect both workers and companies.</p>
  1392. <p>One tool that&#8217;s very helpful for selling, <a href="https://protagnst.com/apollo-io/">especially for B2B sales, is Apollo.io</a>.</p>
  1393. <h3>Fixed Salary: Advantages and Disadvantages</h3>
  1394. <p>A <b>fixed salary</b> is the amount you receive monthly, regardless of your performance. This stability can be comforting, right? You can plan your finances more effectively. However, this security can also lead to decreased productivity.</p>
  1395. <ul>
  1396. <li><b>Advantages:</b>
  1397. <ul>
  1398. <li>Financial predictability.</li>
  1399. <li>Not dependent on individual performance.</li>
  1400. </ul>
  1401. </li>
  1402. <li><b>Disadvantages:</b>
  1403. <ul>
  1404. <li>Can lead to a lack of motivation.</li>
  1405. <li>Doesn&#8217;t reward extra effort.</li>
  1406. </ul>
  1407. </li>
  1408. </ul>
  1409. <h3>Commissions: How They Work and Different Types</h3>
  1410. <p><b>Commissions</b> are a form of variable pay tied to individual performance. Typically, they are a percentage of sales made. Have you ever considered what commission rate would be fair and motivate your team? There are various types of commission structures, such as:</p>
  1411. <ol>
  1412. <li>Fixed commission: a set amount per sale.</li>
  1413. <li>Variable commission: a percentage that changes based on achieved targets.</li>
  1414. <li>Tiered commissions: increasing as sales volume grows.</li>
  1415. </ol>
  1416. <blockquote><p>&#8220;Well-structured commissions can be a huge performance driver.&#8221; &#8211; Sales Consultant</p></blockquote>
  1417. <h3>Bonuses: How They Work and Their Importance</h3>
  1418. <p><b>Bonuses</b> are additional financial rewards, usually paid at the end of the year or upon reaching specific goals. Many companies use bonuses as a retention tool. Can you imagine the impact a bonus can have on employee motivation?</p>
  1419. <ul>
  1420. <li><b>Benefits:</b>
  1421. <ul>
  1422. <li>Encourage exceeding goals.</li>
  1423. <li>Reinforce teamwork.</li>
  1424. </ul>
  1425. </li>
  1426. <li><b>Challenges:</b>
  1427. <ul>
  1428. <li>Can create negative competition.</li>
  1429. <li>Require clear planning.</li>
  1430. </ul>
  1431. </li>
  1432. </ul>
  1433. <h3>Impact of Commissions on Salesperson Performance</h3>
  1434. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/comissao-de-vendas/">Sales commissions</a> can be a great motivator. However, if not well-planned, they can have the opposite effect. The pressure for excessive sales can lead to compromised customer service, for example. It&#8217;s essential to strike a balance between motivation and a positive customer experience.</p>
  1435. <p>Which model do you think works best? There&#8217;s a fine line between motivation and pressure.</p>
  1436. <p><a href="https://protagnst.com/desvendando-o-snovio-guia-completo/">Do you know about Snovio?</a> Learn how this prospecting tool works.</p>
  1437. <h3>Strategies for Setting Fair Commissions</h3>
  1438. <p>Setting fair commissions is a challenge. You must consider the market, employee experience, and company objectives. Some strategies include:</p>
  1439. <ul>
  1440. <li>Market Analysis: Find out the <b>typical commission percentages</b> in your area.</li>
  1441. <li>Team Feedback: Understand what motivates your salespeople.</li>
  1442. <li>Flexibility: Adjust commissions as needed while maintaining fairness.</li>
  1443. </ul>
  1444. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  1445. <h3>Market Data</h3>
  1446. <p>To help you understand current practices, here’s a table showing some relevant data:</p>
  1447. <table>
  1448. <tbody>
  1449. <tr>
  1450. <th>Commission Type</th>
  1451. <th>Typical Percentage</th>
  1452. <th>Bonus Frequency</th>
  1453. <th>Productivity Correlations</th>
  1454. </tr>
  1455. <tr>
  1456. <td>Fixed Commission</td>
  1457. <td>5% to 10%</td>
  1458. <td>Annually</td>
  1459. <td>Increase sales by 30%</td>
  1460. </tr>
  1461. <tr>
  1462. <td>Variable Commission</td>
  1463. <td>10% to 20%</td>
  1464. <td>Quarterly</td>
  1465. <td>Increase sales by 25%</td>
  1466. </tr>
  1467. <tr>
  1468. <td>Tiered Commission</td>
  1469. <td>20% or More</td>
  1470. <td>Monthly</td>
  1471. <td>Increase sales by 50%</td>
  1472. </tr>
  1473. </tbody>
  1474. </table>
  1475. <p>Understanding this data and the dynamics of different compensation types can be beneficial for both companies and salespeople. What will you implement in your strategy?</p>
  1476. <h2>Benefits and Perks that Add Value to a Compensation Package</h2>
  1477. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13937" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-variavel.webp" alt="variable compensation" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-variavel.webp 1200w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-variavel-300x200.webp 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-variavel-1030x687.webp 1030w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-variavel-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
  1478. <p>Have you ever considered what truly makes a job attractive? Beyond salaries and commissions, benefits play a crucial role in the decision to accept a job offer. When searching for talent, the benefits you offer can be the deciding factor that attracts the best professionals.</p>
  1479. <h3>1. Common Types of Benefits</h3>
  1480. <p>Benefits vary from company to company. Here are some of the most common types you might encounter:</p>
  1481. <ul>
  1482. <li><b>Health insurance:</b> Essential for most employees, this covers medical expenses and hospitalization.</li>
  1483. <li><b>Meal and food vouchers:</b> Contribute to daily well-being and help with monthly budgets.</li>
  1484. <li><b>Transportation:</b> Can be offered as a transportation voucher or reimbursement.</li>
  1485. <li><b>Flexible hours:</b> Allow employees to manage their time better.</li>
  1486. <li><b>Home office:</b> An increasingly popular option, especially after the pandemic.</li>
  1487. </ul>
  1488. <h3>2. The Importance of Benefits in Attracting Talent</h3>
  1489. <p>Have you ever wondered what candidates value in a job offer? Benefits might be more important than you think. They not only help retain talent but also attract new employees. A recent survey showed that a significant percentage of professionals prefer jobs that offer a comprehensive benefits package, even if it means a slightly lower salary.</p>
  1490. <blockquote><p>&#8220;A good benefits package can be a deciding factor in a candidate&#8217;s choice.&#8221; &#8211; Human Resources Expert</p></blockquote>
  1491. <h3>3. Flexible Benefits and How They Are Perceived</h3>
  1492. <p>Flexible benefits allow employees to choose packages that meet their needs. It may seem like a risky strategy, but many companies are embracing this approach. Flexibility is seen as a sign of trust and respect.</p>
  1493. <p>For example, one employee may prefer better health insurance, while another might value food vouchers more. What matters is that each individual feels their needs are met. In the modern work era, this type of customization is increasingly essential.</p>
  1494. <h3>4. Cost Analysis and Return on Investment in Benefits</h3>
  1495. <p>Every investment comes with the expectation of a return, right? The same applies to benefits. Conducting a cost analysis and checking the return on investment can help determine which benefits truly impact employee satisfaction and productivity.</p>
  1496. <p>For example, investing in a quality health insurance plan can reduce absenteeism and boost team morale. Sometimes less is more. Offering fewer benefits, but of high quality, can be more advantageous.</p>
  1497. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  1498. <h3>5. How to Integrate Benefits into the Compensation Structure</h3>
  1499. <p>Integrating benefits into the compensation structure can be challenging. It requires strategic planning to ensure that benefits are part of the company culture.</p>
  1500. <p>Some helpful tips include:</p>
  1501. <ul>
  1502. <li><b>Clear communication:</b> Employees should understand what benefits are available and how to access them.</li>
  1503. <li><b>Continuous feedback:</b> Ask employees what they truly value.</li>
  1504. <li><b>Periodic evaluation:</b> Review benefit packages frequently, ensuring they are tailored to the team&#8217;s needs.</li>
  1505. </ul>
  1506. <h3>Important Statistics</h3>
  1507. <p>Below is a chart with data on the benefits most valued by employees:</p>
  1508. <table>
  1509. <tbody>
  1510. <tr>
  1511. <th>Benefit</th>
  1512. <th>Appreciation Percentage (%)</th>
  1513. </tr>
  1514. <tr>
  1515. <td>Health Insurance</td>
  1516. <td>85%</td>
  1517. </tr>
  1518. <tr>
  1519. <td>Meal Voucher</td>
  1520. <td>60%</td>
  1521. </tr>
  1522. <tr>
  1523. <td>Transportation</td>
  1524. <td>50%</td>
  1525. </tr>
  1526. <tr>
  1527. <td>Flexible Hours</td>
  1528. <td>70%</td>
  1529. </tr>
  1530. <tr>
  1531. <td>Home Office</td>
  1532. <td>65%</td>
  1533. </tr>
  1534. </tbody>
  1535. </table>
  1536. <p>This information can help you understand what your target audience is looking for. Leveraging these trends can optimize your benefits package and improve satisfaction and retention rates.</p>
  1537. <h2>The Influence of Experience and Industry on Compensation</h2>
  1538. <p><strong>Compensation</strong> within the sales sector is often a complex topic. Considering the variables that affect it, especially professional experience and industry, it becomes even more intricate. Have you ever wondered how your career path impacts your earnings? Or why salespeople in different industries have such varying salaries? In this article, we&#8217;ll explore these aspects in detail.</p>
  1539. <h3>How Professional Experience Affects Compensation</h3>
  1540. <p>Your <strong>professional experience</strong> is one of the main keys to unlocking better salaries. Entry-level salespeople often earn less, while seasoned professionals with years of experience can command a significant increase. Why?</p>
  1541. <ul>
  1542. <li>Experience brings <i>enhanced skills</i>.</li>
  1543. <li>Experienced professionals have greater market knowledge.</li>
  1544. <li>Over time, they build a valuable network of contacts.</li>
  1545. </ul>
  1546. <p>For example, a junior salesperson might start with a salary of $3,000, while a senior salesperson could easily earn $10,000, depending on the industry. Do you see the difference?</p>
  1547. <h3>Compensation Variations Across Industries</h3>
  1548. <p>Financial returns in a sales career are not equal for everyone. Industries make a big difference. Let’s look at some examples:</p>
  1549. <table>
  1550. <tbody>
  1551. <tr>
  1552. <th>Industry</th>
  1553. <th>Average Salary ($)</th>
  1554. </tr>
  1555. <tr>
  1556. <td>Technology</td>
  1557. <td>$12,000</td>
  1558. </tr>
  1559. <tr>
  1560. <td>Food and Beverage</td>
  1561. <td>$7,000</td>
  1562. </tr>
  1563. <tr>
  1564. <td>Retail</td>
  1565. <td>$4,500</td>
  1566. </tr>
  1567. <tr>
  1568. <td>Healthcare</td>
  1569. <td>$9,000</td>
  1570. </tr>
  1571. </tbody>
  1572. </table>
  1573. <p>As you can see, average salaries vary. Tech professionals tend to be better compensated, reflecting the demand and experience required in this field. This translates into different challenges and also varying financial rewards.</p>
  1574. <h3>Case Studies from Different Industries</h3>
  1575. <p>Studying specific industries offers us a broader perspective. For example, in the tech sector, companies like <i>Google</i> and <i>Facebook</i> pay competitive salaries. On the other hand, the food industry might not offer the same perks. The need for compensation adjustments often arises.</p>
  1576. <h3>Strategies for Experience-Based Compensation Adjustments</h3>
  1577. <p>Understanding how to adjust compensation is crucial for several reasons:</p>
  1578. <ul>
  1579. <li>Talent Retention: You don&#8217;t want to lose a good salesperson, do you?</li>
  1580. <li>Motivation: A raise can mean more engagement and performance.</li>
  1581. <li>Competitiveness: If you&#8217;re in a competitive market, you need to offer attractive salaries.</li>
  1582. </ul>
  1583. <p>An effective strategy is to conduct <strong>market analysis</strong>. This can inform you about what percentage increase might be suitable for employees who demonstrate continuous growth.</p>
  1584. <h3>Compensation Trends in Different Sales Sectors</h3>
  1585. <p>Currently, there&#8217;s a growing <strong>trend</strong> of offering flexible compensation packages. This includes bonuses, commissions, and even perks like health insurance and retirement plans. These are some of the practices that have been attracting more salespeople to companies.</p>
  1586. <blockquote><p>&#8220;Understanding your market is essential to offer competitive salaries.&#8221; &#8211; Market Analyst</p></blockquote>
  1587. <p>In short, <strong>sales compensation</strong> is not an exact formula. The position, company, and experience all influence your compensation. Are you happy with your salary? Are you in the right industry for your skill set? Think about it!</p>
  1588. <h2>Building an Attractive Compensation Package</h2>
  1589. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13936" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-em-vendas.webp" alt="sales compensation" width="1200" height="801" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-em-vendas.webp 1200w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-em-vendas-300x200.webp 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-em-vendas-1030x688.webp 1030w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/remuneracao-em-vendas-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
  1590. <p>When it comes to <strong>compensation</strong> within a company, many crucial factors are at play. Every employee wants to know how their hard work and dedication will be recognized. Therefore, an <b>attractive compensation package</b> can be the key to retaining top talent, especially in sales teams. Let&#8217;s explore how you can build an effective plan that satisfies your team and ensures positive results.</p>
  1591. <h3>1. Strategies for Developing an Effective Compensation Plan</h3>
  1592. <p>Start by clearly defining what your company wants to achieve with its compensation package. This might include:</p>
  1593. <ul>
  1594. <li><b>Performance recognition:</b> How can you reward employees who exceed their targets?</li>
  1595. <li><b>Encouraging teamwork:</b> What forms of compensation can reinforce collaboration?</li>
  1596. <li><b>Attracting talent:</b> What does your package offer that others don&#8217;t?</li>
  1597. </ul>
  1598. <p>Consider various strategies such as <i>base salaries</i>, <i>commissions</i>, <i>performance bonuses</i>, and even benefits like <b>health insurance</b> and <b>profit sharing</b>. It&#8217;s important to ensure a fair balance between salaries and financial incentives, avoiding frustration among employees.</p>
  1599. <h3>2. Engaging the Team in Package Creation</h3>
  1600. <p>A compensation package should not be solely decided by managers. <strong>Engaging your team in this process</strong> can lead to a more effective plan. Hold meetings to gather feedback. Ask:</p>
  1601. <ul>
  1602. <li>What would you like to see in the compensation package?</li>
  1603. <li>What benefits do you consider valuable?</li>
  1604. </ul>
  1605. <p>What might happen? You could adjust what you initially had in mind to incorporate real suggestions from your team. This builds trust. As one expert says:</p>
  1606. <blockquote><p>&#8220;Clear communication about compensation can boost trust within the team.&#8221; &#8211; HR Consultant</p></blockquote>
  1607. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  1608. <h3>3. How to Communicate Compensation Benefits to Your Team</h3>
  1609. <p>Communication is key! It&#8217;s pointless to have a great package if no one understands the benefits. Create a dedicated time, whether a meeting or a workshop, where everyone can learn about and discuss the compensation package. You can use:<br />
  1610. &#8211; Slides presenting each component of the package<br />
  1611. &#8211; Visual materials to explain performance parameters<br />
  1612. &#8211; One-on-one meetings to answer individual questions</p>
  1613. <p>This helps keep everyone on the same page and promotes transparency. The result? Increased engagement and team satisfaction.</p>
  1614. <h3>4. Measuring Satisfaction with the Package</h3>
  1615. <p>After implementing the package, it&#8217;s time to gauge employee satisfaction. This can be done through:</p>
  1616. <ul>
  1617. <li><b>Climate surveys:</b> Where employees indicate their satisfaction with different aspects of the package.</li>
  1618. <li><b>Anonymous feedback:</b> Allowing employees to share their opinions honestly without fear of repercussions.</li>
  1619. </ul>
  1620. <p>The data collected can reveal areas that need adjustments. Always be attentive to what your team is saying.</p>
  1621. <h3>5. Updates and Renewals in the Compensation Package</h3>
  1622. <p>The market and employee needs are constantly evolving. Therefore, revisiting your compensation package periodically is vital. Some <i>tips</i>:<br />
  1623. &#8211; Hold annual meetings for updates<br />
  1624. &#8211; Be aware of market trends and salary adjustments<br />
  1625. &#8211; Adapt to new team demands, such as flexible benefits</p>
  1626. <p>Utilizing feedback and satisfaction indicators will help you continuously improve your package, ensuring your company remains competitive and your employees stay motivated.</p>
  1627. <p><strong>In short:</strong> Creating a compensation package that truly attracts and retains top salespeople is critical to a company&#8217;s success. Don&#8217;t underestimate the importance of a solid compensation plan. Develop, communicate, and revise it to ensure it meets everyone&#8217;s expectations.</p>
  1628. <h2>Challenges of Sales Compensation and How to Overcome Them</h2>
  1629. <p>Have you ever considered the challenges companies face when it comes to <strong>sales compensation</strong>? In such a competitive market, finding a model that works is a complex task. Let&#8217;s explore the main challenges, their solutions, and some good practices that can make all the difference. Remember, how you compensate your sales team can directly impact your company&#8217;s bottom line.</p>
  1630. <h3>Identifying Common Challenges in Compensation Models</h3>
  1631. <p>One of the first steps is to <strong>identify common challenges</strong>. These challenges can arise from different factors. Here are some of the most frequent:</p>
  1632. <ul>
  1633. <li><b>Difficulty motivating the team:</b> Often, the commission model isn&#8217;t enough to engage salespeople.</li>
  1634. <li><b>Perceived unfairness:</b> If employees feel they&#8217;re not fairly rewarded, morale can plummet.</li>
  1635. <li><b>Lack of clarity:</b> Salespeople need to understand how commissions are calculated and what their targets are.</li>
  1636. <li><b>Inflexibility:</b> Fixed models may not adapt to market changes or team performance fluctuations.</li>
  1637. </ul>
  1638. <p>Recognizing these challenges is the first step to overcoming them. Can you see how these issues might affect your team?</p>
  1639. <h3>Solutions for Motivation Problems</h3>
  1640. <p>A demotivated team can hinder results. Implementing solutions that boost motivation is crucial. Some suggestions include:</p>
  1641. <ol>
  1642. <li><b>Constant feedback:</b> Provide regular performance reviews. What went well? What needs improvement?</li>
  1643. <li><b>Ongoing training:</b> Offer opportunities for development. Well-trained salespeople tend to perform better.</li>
  1644. <li><b>Recognition:</b> Appreciation for individual and collective efforts can boost morale.</li>
  1645. <li><b>Participation in decisions:</b> When employees feel they are part of the process, they are more likely to be engaged.</li>
  1646. </ol>
  1647. <p>Implementing these solutions can result in a more motivated team willing to achieve challenging goals.</p>
  1648. <h3>Influence of External Factors on Compensation</h3>
  1649. <p>Did you know that external factors can also impact compensation? <strong>Economic conditions</strong>, <strong>competition</strong>, and even <strong>market trends</strong> can affect how you compensate your team. It&#8217;s crucial to pay attention to:</p>
  1650. <ul>
  1651. <li><b>Labor Market:</b> A shortage of talent can lead to adjustments in compensation.</li>
  1652. <li><b>Customer Expectations:</b> Changes in customer desires require adaptations in sales strategies.</li>
  1653. <li><b>Industry Performance:</b> Understanding how your industry is performing can help determine bonuses and commissions.</li>
  1654. </ul>
  1655. <h3>How to Deal with Team Dissatisfaction</h3>
  1656. <p>Dissatisfaction is a sensitive challenge. If noticed, it&#8217;s crucial to act quickly. Some approaches include:</p>
  1657. <ul>
  1658. <li><b>Open meetings:</b> Establish a communication channel where everyone can voice their concerns.</li>
  1659. <li><b>Model adjustments:</b> Reassess and modify the compensation plan as needed.</li>
  1660. <li><b>Team involvement:</b> Including employees in the solution can increase commitment.</li>
  1661. </ul>
  1662. <blockquote><p>&#8220;Recognizing and addressing compensation challenges is essential for maintaining high team morale.&#8221; &#8211; Talent Management Specialist</p></blockquote>
  1663. <h3>Best Practices for Compensation Model Adjustments and Reviews</h3>
  1664. <p>Finally, you need to implement best practices to make your adjustments effective. Consider the following:</p>
  1665. <ul>
  1666. <li><b>Regular Analysis:</b> Review the compensation model periodically, evaluating its impact on results.</li>
  1667. <li><b>Team Participation:</b> Allow employees to contribute feedback on the current model.</li>
  1668. <li><b>Transparency:</b> Maintain open communication about how decisions are made. This helps build trust.</li>
  1669. </ul>
  1670. <p>You don&#8217;t have to face these challenges alone. There are methods and strategies that can help your team thrive. Are you ready to take the next step?</p>
  1671. <h2>FAQs About Sales Compensation</h2>
  1672. <h3>Curious about Sales Salaries?</h3>
  1673. <p>Did you know that sales compensation can vary <strong>greatly</strong> depending on the industry and experience level? Some sales professions may offer high base salaries, while others rely heavily on commissions. Generally, sales is an area where direct performance is closely tied to pay, meaning your salary can fluctuate.</p>
  1674. <p>For example, tech salespeople often earn higher salaries than those in retail. This reflects the type of product and the complexity of the sale. What do you think? Does this seem fair or not?</p>
  1675. <h3>Beyond Commissions, What Else Matters?</h3>
  1676. <p>While commissions are a significant part of compensation, other factors also matter. Benefits like:</p>
  1677. <ul>
  1678. <li><b>Health insurance</b></li>
  1679. <li><b>Food vouchers</b></li>
  1680. <li><b>Profit sharing</b></li>
  1681. <li><b>Training and development opportunities </b></li>
  1682. </ul>
  1683. <p>These benefits can make a huge difference in your job satisfaction and personal life. Have you considered how this might impact your choices when seeking a new position?</p>
  1684. <h3>How Can Salespeople Negotiate Their Commissions?</h3>
  1685. <p>Negotiating commissions can be challenging but is entirely possible. A good strategy is to understand what the market offers and what value you bring to the company. Use sales data and results to back up your arguments.</p>
  1686. <p>You can initiate the negotiation by requesting a formal conversation. Present your performance and accomplishments, highlighting how hard you&#8217;ve worked to achieve your targets. Keep the conversation friendly; the goal is to build a relationship based on trust and transparency. &#8220;Transparency in commissions can transform trust within the team.&#8221; &#8211; Sales Coach. This phrase can serve as a motto for your negotiations.</p>
  1687. <h3>Which Industries Offer the Best Compensation?</h3>
  1688. <p>Industries like technology, finance, and pharmaceuticals often have the <strong>best compensation</strong>. The complexity of the products and the high demand for skilled salespeople make these areas very lucrative.</p>
  1689. <p>On the other hand, industries like retail and services may have lower commission margins. However, in saturated industries like clothing, frequent sales can increase your total income. Which of these sectors do you see yourself most aligned with?</p>
  1690. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13938" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salarios-em-vendas.webp" alt="salaries in sales" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salarios-em-vendas.webp 1200w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salarios-em-vendas-300x200.webp 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salarios-em-vendas-1030x687.webp 1030w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salarios-em-vendas-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
  1691. <h3>Is it Possible to Live Solely on Commissions?</h3>
  1692. <p>Living solely on commissions is a reality for many salespeople. It&#8217;s not easy, but it&#8217;s possible. The key is to build a stable client base and have an active sales pipeline. Some people prefer to <strong>work on commission</strong> because it can lead to higher earnings.</p>
  1693. <p>However, this can be risky. Without sales, you might find yourself without income. It&#8217;s crucial to have a solid strategy and a well-established financial plan. Would you take the risk, or do you prefer a fixed salary?</p>
  1694. <h3>How Does the Economy Impact Sales Compensation?</h3>
  1695. <p>The economy does indeed influence sales compensation. During recessions, many sectors experience declining sales, which can lead to lower salaries and reduced commissions. But in a growing economy, sales can boom!</p>
  1696. <p>Therefore, if you work in a vulnerable industry, it&#8217;s wise to keep a financial cushion. Ask yourself: <em>Am I prepared for lean periods?</em></p>
  1697. <h3>What&#8217;s the Importance of a Good Sales Manager?</h3>
  1698. <p>The quality of sales management is crucial for the team&#8217;s success, and consequently, their compensation. A good manager will motivate, train, and bridge the gap between the team and upper management. This creates a healthy environment for everyone.</p>
  1699. <p>Effective leadership can boost team morale and, in turn, sales. How would you feel in an environment where trust and transparency are valued?</p>
  1700. <p>Understanding the most frequently asked questions about <strong>sales compensation</strong> can help both managers and salespeople make informed and effective decisions. So don&#8217;t hesitate to seek out information and delve deeper into this topic!</p>
  1701. <h2>Conclusion and Next Steps for Your Sales Career</h2>
  1702. <p>As we conclude our journey exploring <b>sales compensation</b>, it&#8217;s vital to reflect on the lessons learned. Let&#8217;s recap the main points we&#8217;ve covered. You might be wondering: what&#8217;s the real importance of a good compensation plan? Let&#8217;s explore this together.</p>
  1703. <h3>Recap: Why Good Compensation Matters</h3>
  1704. <p>Compensation is more than just a salary. It reflects the value of the work you do. <b>Good compensation</b> can motivate you to achieve better results. You&#8217;re more likely to put in extra effort when you feel your work is recognized and rewarded. Additionally, a fair package helps attract top talent to your team, which is crucial in a competitive market.</p>
  1705. <p>A strong compensation model might include:</p>
  1706. <ul>
  1707. <li><b>Base salary:</b> Provides a foundation of financial security.</li>
  1708. <li><b>Commissions:</b> Reward individual performance and incentivize exceeding targets.</li>
  1709. <li><b>Bonuses:</b> Offer additional rewards for outstanding achievements.</li>
  1710. <li><b>Benefits:</b> Can include health insurance, meal allowances, and even wellness programs.</li>
  1711. </ul>
  1712. <h3>Final Thoughts on Sales Performance</h3>
  1713. <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-13933" src="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/blog2Fcovers2F1728740682136_beneficios-em-vendas.webp" alt="benefits in sales" width="1200" height="800" srcset="https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/blog2Fcovers2F1728740682136_beneficios-em-vendas.webp 1200w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/blog2Fcovers2F1728740682136_beneficios-em-vendas-300x200.webp 300w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/blog2Fcovers2F1728740682136_beneficios-em-vendas-1030x687.webp 1030w, https://protagnst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/blog2Fcovers2F1728740682136_beneficios-em-vendas-768x512.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /></p>
  1714. <p>Sales performance is an equation with multiple factors. By adjusting compensation, you can witness real changes in outcomes. <b>Statistics show</b> that companies that restructure their compensation plans often see a significant boost in sales.</p>
  1715. <p>But have you ever stopped to think: why is my performance not as high as it could be? The answer might lie in how you&#8217;re being compensated. A solid support system and a well-designed incentive structure are crucial. A good compensation package and proper support can make all the difference in sales outcomes. &#8211; <i>Sales Coach</i></p>
  1716. <h3>How Protagnst Can Help Your Sales Team</h3>
  1717. <p><b>Protagnst</b> offers consulting services that can transform your sales strategy. Assessing your compensation package is one of the first steps. Our experts can help your team find the perfect balance between motivation and results. If you want your team to excel, don&#8217;t underestimate the importance of expert guidance.</p>
  1718. <h3>Schedule a Consultation to Evaluate Your Compensation Package</h3>
  1719. <p>What are you waiting for? Scheduling a consultation is the first step to understanding what adjustments can be made to your compensation strategy. It&#8217;s a valuable opportunity to analyze data and statistics about the impact of compensation on your results. Don&#8217;t wait until tomorrow!</p>
  1720. <p><b>If you&#8217;re ready to transform your business strategy, contact Protagnst!</b> Our consulting services are led by professionals who understand your business and can help you reach new heights.</p>
  1721. <h3 id="form">Transform Your Sales Strategy Today!</h3>
  1722. <p>A powerful company is built on exceptional sales. Exceptional sales come from motivated and well-compensated teams. Now is your turn to take action! <i>Want to learn more about how Protagnst can help you?</i> <a href="#form">Fill out our form and schedule a meeting!</a></p>
  1723. <p>In short, a well-structured compensation plan is key to a motivated sales team and optimized performance. Invest in a consultation and see your sales strategy take off.</p>
  1724. <p>Protagnst is here to help. Schedule your consultation today!</p>
  1725. <p>[contact-form-7]</p>
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