How does Salesforce help sales?

Salesforce is a popular tool used by sales teams to manage their sales activities. Let's explore how the platform can help your teams, the sales methods it supports, and how it compares to other tools. 

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How Salesforce helps sales teams

‍All customer information in one place: Salesforce lets sales teams keep all customer information in one easy-to-manage spot. In Salesforce, you can easily find everything about a customer, like contact details and past interactions, to help make sales more personal. 

Managing leads and sales opportunities: Salesforce tracks potential customers (leads) from start to finish. Salesforce helps identify which leads are likely to buy so sales teams can prioritize them. 

Predicting sales and creating reports: Salesforce has detailed sales reports and forecasts. Custom dashboards can help sales teams understand trends in customer behavior and markets. Salesforce's reporting tools also enable sales managers to assess the performance of their team and course correct.

Automating routine tasks: Salesforce can automate many tasks like sending emails or setting reminders. This lets sales reps spend more time selling and less on paperwork.

Working together with less friction: With tools like Chatter, team members can chat, share ideas, and stay updated on sales deals.

Salesforce works well with other tools: Salesforce can be connected to many business tools, like inventory management systems, dealer management systems, and more.

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Sales methods supported by Salesforce

Salesforce supports many different sales methods. Our list is not exhaustive. Instead, we’ve shared some examples to show you how the platform can support your sales method of choice. 

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SPIN Selling

By keeping detailed records of customer talks, Salesforce helps understand their situation and needs, which is vital in SPIN selling, a sales methodology developed by Neil Rackham, based on deep research and analysis of sales calls. The acronym SPIN stands for four types of questions that salespeople should ask their clients:

• Situation Questions: These questions gather facts and background information about the customer's situation. They often involve understanding the customer's context, environment, and existing challenges.
• Problem Questions: These questions delve deeper into the customer's specific problems, difficulties, and dissatisfactions that they are currently facing. By identifying these problems, a salesperson can better understand how to offer solutions.
• Implication Questions: These questions explore the effects of the customer's problems and challenges. They help the customer realize the urgency and impact of their issues, making them more likely to seek a solution.
• Need-payoff Questions: These questions focus on the value or usefulness of finding a solution. They help the customer understand the benefits of solving their problems and the positive outcomes that could result from taking action.

Salesforce facilitates SPIN Selling by allowing sales reps to keep detailed records of customer interactions.

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Solution Selling

Solution Selling is a sales methodology that emphasizes solving client problems using a company's products or services. Unlike traditional sales approaches that focus primarily on the features and benefits of a product, 

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Solution Selling identifies and addresses a customer's pain points, needs, or challenges. It then proposes a solution that specifically addresses those issues. This sales method often involves a consultative sales style, where the salesperson acts more as an advisor or consultant than a traditional seller. Salesforce helps your sales reps track customer problems and the solutions you offer, which are the keys to solution selling.

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Value-Based Selling

Value-Based Selling is a sales method showing customers how a product or service can be valuable. It's about explaining how it can solve their problems, make things easier, increase their revenue, or save money. The main idea is to connect the benefits of a product with what the customer needs or wants.

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Account-Based Marketing

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a focused approach in marketing and sales where businesses concentrate on targeting and engaging specific high-value accounts rather than trying to reach a broad audience. In ABM, each targeted account is treated as a market of one, with customized marketing and sales strategies developed to engage and convert that particular account.

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The idea behind ABM is to focus resources on a select group of essential prospects or customers. These accounts are typically high-value or have significant strategic importance to the business. The strategies used in ABM are highly personalized, aiming to meet each account's unique needs and pain points. Salesforce supports ABM by targeting specific customers and customizing sales efforts for them.

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Salesforce vs. other tools

Salesforce organizes customer information, helps manage potential customers, predicts future sales. It also automates routine tasks and makes it easier for teams to work together.

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Here are a few things that make Salesforce stand out for sales teams:

• Customizable: Salesforce can be changed to fit a sales team's needs better than other tools, which may not be as flexible.
• Many Additional Tools: Salesforce has many extra applications and connections, offering more options than most other tools.
• Suitable for Any Size Business: Salesforce is good for small and large businesses, while some tools are better for just one or the other.
• Better Analysis and Reports: Salesforce usually offers more detailed insights into sales and customer behavior than other tools.

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Book a free consultation

Salesforce can be adjusted to fit different ways of selling. It might take some time to get used to and cost more if you extensively customize it. But our team can help you customize where it matters, and avoid it where it doesn't make sense to reduce complexity and cost.

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Want to know more? Book a free call with us today.