In our latest blog post on CRM, we focused on the importance of sales operations within a company for organizational growth and competitiveness—not just the productivity of salespeople. Today, we return to the topic of productivity and explore strategies to improve it while simultaneously increasing sales. This is an increasingly challenging task given the current historical context. Why? Competition is fierce, and customers are more informed than ever. But there is a way to boost sales! Below, we’ll explain how to do it in just a few steps.
Increase sales: winning strategies
The most complex problems have simple solutions (Oscar Wilde).
Being close to the customer, understanding them, and meeting their needs while always placing their requirements at the center. This is the goal of CRM and sales managers today who, thanks to new productivity tools, can support the sales force. Significant assistance in this regard comes from sales automation technologies, which enable the sales team to engage, attract, and retain customers, thereby increasing sales.
This is where digitalization comes into play, a process capable of automating sales through real productivity tools that optimize the sales process. But is automating processes enough for the sales team today? The answer is no!
This is because we live in an era where increasing the sales team’s results requires adopting omnichannel and data-driven models and strategies that prioritize the constant effort of sales agents. Below, we outline 5 actions to help boost sales within your organization.
Increase sales: cross-selling
Customer analysis (habits, needs, requirements, etc.) is the starting point of any respectable sales process. Standing out and doing so strategically is something that pays off significantly in today’s market.
In particular, cross-selling is a highly effective method to increase sales. Its strength lies in identifying products that meet additional and complementary needs not addressed by the primary product being sold.
Let’s take a concrete example: a customer purchasing a computer, which is not an impulse buy but a considered purchase due to its cost, might also be interested in buying a product that protects the computer from potential damage or a service contract that provides support in case of issues with the computer. In this scenario, the sale could be facilitated simply by offering the customer the complementary product.
Increase sales: turning customers into brand ambassadors
Those in the business know well that customers are divided into categories, particularly new and returning customers. Continuously seeking new customers while neglecting existing ones is not good practice. In fact, gaining long-term customer loyalty happens especially in the post-sale phase, when the customer faces a choice: to return to the company where they found economic benefits, kindness, and impeccable customer service, or to try a competitor who, though unfamiliar, presents a more enticing offer with advantages for those who choose to align with their brand. So, what can be done to increase retention?
- Measure the satisfaction of existing customers, e.g., through surveys;
- personally contact the customer, making them feel unique;
- offer them a personalized gift (such as a loyalty card or similar);
- reward those who have already made a purchase by giving them the opportunity to gain an advantage for promoting the brand to other potential customers;
Increase sales: freebies and special offers
One of the most popular ways to increase sales is by offering special deals and freebies to customers. This approach boosts loyalty among existing customers while attracting new ones to the brand.
The choice of which product to offer as a freebie is made after analyzing the best-selling products and those that have not been as successful. In this regard, Salesforce CRM proves invaluable, thanks to its ability to generate reliable statistics, enabling better decision-making.
Increase sales: price increase strategy
A risky suggestion? Perhaps, but with the right strategy focused on transparency and communication, this approach can be both feasible and profitable. Here’s what to do before increasing the price of a product or service:
Notify customers by providing explanations and offering them the chance to purchase or renew their contract before the price increase.
Offer additional benefits, such as free support or discounted shipping, so the price increase, in the customer’s mind, is justified by a more comprehensive service or an expanded range of products.
A prime example is Amazon, which recently announced an increase in the annual PRIME subscription price, explaining its reasons directly to customers through an email.
Increase sales: improving sales team management
Digital transformation is an opportunity. There is no better statement for today, where, thanks to digital tools, the sales network can engage customers more directly in the purchasing process, making the offer more attractive and increasing sales. But how exactly?
- Regularly monitoring the performance of the sales department with a view to continuous improvement.
- Setting goals, deadlines, and analyzing past sales, all with the help of a revolutionary tool like CRM.
In conclusion
Well, we have seen that increasing sales in a company requires more than a “magic wand”—it calls for a comprehensive strategic vision capable of embracing the change.
The human brain is an inexhaustible source of possibilities. Improving to grow should be the goal of many companies today that choose to embark on this new journey. Supporting this transformation are tools like marketing automation and CRM, considered the most valuable resource for any company, essential to ensure that change not only happens but is sustained over time.
See you next time!
