The struggle to earn and retain clients for early-stage businesses is real. It is initially a tough road for startups and small businesses to grab the attention of customers, especially when there are similar existing solutions in the market. More than 90% of the startups failed in 2019. The research shows that 21.5% of startups fail in the first year, 30% in the second year, and 50% in the fifth year. There can be various reasons behind the failure of a B2B business, but essentially, most B2B startups and businesses fail because they cannot earn new clients. That’s where the role of sales and sales consultant comes into play.
A sales consultant is a professional advisor who helps companies manage their sales operations and achieve business goals. Professional B2B consultants or sales growth firms work closely with the B2B firms. Partnering with a sales consultant or growth firm comes with many benefits. Have a look at how a sales consultant can help a B2B business in four primary ways.
1. Process
It is hard to find sales efforts of successful organizations that include throwing random tactics and finding out what works. Unfortunately, most early-stage businesses make this mistake due to the lack of standard processes and operations. A sales consultant helps a B2B firm develop standard sales management processes, operations, and practices. A clear and data-driven approach to the sales process is a living guide that holds everything together. An organization can do that by creating a playbook for every process.
A playbook includes process workflows, standard operating procedures, and cultural values that shape a consistent response. It helps your team learn how to go through various situations. Your sales consultant can help your B2B firm create playbooks to develop standard processes for every operation. If you do not have a sales playbook for your B2B firm, you can use the Company Expert B2B sales playbook.
Sales Playbook
The Company Expert Sales Playbook provides an organization with the framework to create their own Sales Playbook. This Sales Playbook framework contains seven critical elements for success in selling professional services. In addition, it includes a collection of best practices and strategies for being successful as a salesperson with clients.
The sales playbook will help a B2B sales team manage different stages of the sales cycle, handle objections, understand potential clients, and achieve the right positioning and messaging. In addition, you can use this playbook to create a systematic approach to how to sell across your organization.
2. Technology
Technology is at the core of successful sales management. Every B2B sales team needs various sales tools for analytics, automation, enablement, prospecting, forecasting, and other sales operations. A professional sales consultant helps B2B firms find and leverage the right B2B tools for the organization. Sales tools help automate day-to-day processes, simplify the various aspects of sales, and increase efficiency in all aspects of the sales process.
Sales tools are divided into CRM sales automation, sales enablement, sales management tools, and various other categories. For example, CRM software manages all aspects of an organization’s relationships with customers.
Around 82% of the companies in a survey say they use their CRM systems for sales reporting and process automation. In addition, a Nucleus Research report finds that 65% of the companies using mobile CRM achieve their sales quotas.
Similarly, there are other sales tools to facilitate various sales processes.
Sales automation tools automate repetitive sales processes such as follow-ups, personalized communication, data entry, scheduling, etc.
Sale enablement tools provide sales representatives with materials, resources, processes, information, technology, and data to close sale deals effectively.
A sales consultant can help an organization find the right sales tools considering business needs and objectives, budget, and other factors. Your sales consultant guides your team on how to leverage tools and technologies that are right for your business and improve the efficiency of sales operations.
At Company Expert, we help our B2B clients with B2B Proprietary Stock Certificate Administration & Printing Software. It allows professional services firms to create, store, and print multiple software at a time. In addition, it administers, runs reports, and easily changes multiple stock certificates with a push of a button.
3. Sales Expertise
The role of a sales consultant is vital for early-stage businesses. Once a business has the right sales processes and tools, it needs a sales team to facilitate effective operations. Building a sales team is a big challenge for early-stage businesses. Expert sales professionals are not typically willing to join early-stage businesses. If a business is employing fresh sales talent, they require training.
A sales consulting firm provides a B2B business with its expertise in building a sales team. It helps B2B firms find the right human resources and provide the right training for the sales team. Top professional business consultants have experience in training the sales team. Not just assisting in hiring and training, a sales consultant provides expert advice that supports B2B professional service companies in all stages of growth.
At Company Expert, we have SCORE-certified business advisors. SCORE is a resource partner of the Small Business Administration that helps entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops, and educational resources. Our mentors have decades of experience in senior management responsibilities for multiple functions, including sales, marketing, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions. You can partner with our expert business advisors to streamline your sales operation.
4. Networking
The B2B industry is quite different from the B2C industry. Early-stage businesses need to connect with other businesses in the industry to find new clients and opportunities. A professional sales consultant builds a B2B company’s relationship with other firms by helping them participate in conferences and seminars, join online communities, and become a part of a professional services network. In addition, it helps connect potential B2B buyers with B2B sellers.
If you are looking to build a network for your B2B firm, you can become a member of the Company Expert B2B Professional Service Network. We manage the largest network of B2B professional service leaders globally, with over 100,000+ members. It allows an organization to find new clients and opportunities for professional development.
Is it a Good Idea to Invest in a Sales Consultant at the Early Stage of a Business?
A business can partner with a sales consultant or sales growth firm at any stage of the business. B2B businesses can utilize the business advisors’ skills, expertise, and knowledge to fuel growth. For example, if an early-stage business struggles to streamline sales operations and develop a consistent sales process, it is good to partner with a sales consultant.
If you are looking for a business advisor for professional service B2B firms, you can partner with Company Expert’s SCORE certified business advisors specialized in the professional services industry.
What is a Company Expert Growth Accelerator?
Company Expert Growth Accelerator System is an integrated set of proprietary processes, strategies, and frameworks that focuses on four key areas – Marketing, Sales, Planning, and Online Presence. It is designed to inject speed, alignment, and accelerated growth into the DNA of professional services firms.
We can develop a plan that optimizes your strategic options and outcomes, allows you to expand into new markets/solutions, drive growth and profitability, maximize the allocation of capital and resources, and reduce execution risk and expense. You can also explore our proprietary suite of solutions and technology designed to inject speed, knowledge, and accelerated growth into your B2B firm.
We have been in the business for the last 25 years and singularly focused on driving growth for B2B professional services firms. Get in touch with our experts to learn more about our solutions.