Where To Outsource Online Sales For Your Business

When running a thriving company, there will be a lot of new responsibilities popping up unexpectedly. Because of your limited time and personnel resources, it may be hard for you to solve every single problem on your own.

Unfortunately…

Sales tasks are one of the duties that can only be postponed at the expense of your company’s future. You can either focus on landing new growth opportunities or spend your time developing new products and serving existing customers. So that’s when sales outsourcing becomes the one and only way out.

In this guide:

You’ll learn how and where to find the best sales outsourcing agencies for your business. But before we get to that, let’s first understand what sales outsourcing is and why it’s fundamental for growing your business.

Ready?

What is Sales Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is when a company hires an external party to handle internal tasks in different departments. This practice allows organizations to focus more on important duties and leave the outsourced responsibilities to the experts.

When it comes to sales:

Outsourcing is a strategy in which a business hires third-party to help it generate more sales opportunities and close better deals. An outsourced sales team is often the missing key for any company looking to develop a new sales plan, improve its performance, and reach its sales goals.

How Can Online Sales Outsourcing Help Your Business?

The ultimate goal for companies that outsource sales is to attract more prospects and convert them into clients. A business looking to hire external SDRs is clearly struggling to handle sales activities and needs assistance on many levels.

So how exactly can an outsourced sales firm help uncover untapped sales opportunities?

1. Increase Sales Team Productivity

An outsourced sales partner will provide you with a skilled team of professionals that can help you boost your sales results quickly. They’ll grant you access to a variety of specialists with long years of experience working with similar companies in your industry.

Within a few weeks or months of hiring the new agency, you’ll notice major improvements in your sales performance. You’ll be able to accelerate your sales cycle by generating more quality leads and converting them into long-lasting clients.

2. Save Time and Resources

Saving time and resources is another way outsourced sales can be beneficial for your company.

On one end:

Outsourcing sales means delegating all the time-consuming tasks to a third party — which is going to free up more time for your internal teams to focus on important aspects of the business. Your marketing and sales people can then concentrate on core business operations and high-touch activities.

On the other end:

Sales outsourcing is almost always a cheaper option with a better ROI for a lot of companies. By not recruiting full-time employees, your business can save tens of thousands of dollars each year that you would’ve spent on hiring and training costs, compensation, as well as office equipment.

3. Bring New Expertise and Provide Support

When hiring new employees, companies have to choose between two terrible alternatives: entry-level candidates with no expertise or experienced salespeople with higher salaries.

You may find yourself forced to sacrifice one thing over another just to make ends meet. So that’s when sales outsourcing becomes a magical solution that gives you the benefits from both sides.

By being aware of your internal sales weaknesses, you’ll be able to look for outsourcing companies that can fill the void and help you improve. You’ll get access to a sales team with demonstrated experience in your industry that’s also guaranteed to perform without draining your budget.

Better yet:

You’ll support your internal teams by putting them in direct contact with those outsourced professionals. As a result, your employees will pick up a wide variety of skills and techniques that will get you closer to your goals and take your sales performance to the next level.

4. Enhance Your Sales Process With New Tools and Technology

Hiring an outsourced sales partner is one of the best ways for overcoming experience restraints. It’s also an efficient strategy for outperforming your competition and keeping up with the technological changes in the sales and marketing world.

On top of their theoretical knowledge, outsourced SDRs have spent long years in the market using tools and software that are necessary for you to reach new heights with your sales results.

So…

That gives you access to cutting-edge technology that would have taken a long time for your in-house salespeople to master. For example, you’ll be able to conduct analysis and use artificial intelligence to make data-driven decisions based on relevant insights.

Where Can You Find the Perfect Sales Outsourcing Company to Work With?

The only way you can successfully outsource sales is by hiring an accomplished partner that you can trust. There are hundreds of sales outsourcing firms that you can choose from. But the abundance in choice only makes it harder for you to pick an agency that you can be satisfied with.

To make matters worse…

Making a quick, uneducated hiring decision might cost your business a lot in the mid to long term. Not only will spend thousands on a service that doesn’t help you thrive, but you’ll also leave the room open for your competition to outgrow you and dominate the market.

Now:

With a quick Google search, you can find many sales outsourcing services offered by different companies. You should also check business review sites such as clutch.co and get a list of the best outsourced sales partners that you can work with.

But on what basis should you pick an ideal partner to handle your sales duties?

1. Expertise

Experience is what will affect your sales performance the most — so it should be the first and most important thing to consider when hiring an outsourced sales agency.

Some critical questions to ask are:

• How many years of experience do your outsourced SDRs have?
• Have they worked with similar clients in your industry before?
• Do they possess the soft skills and technical knowledge necessary to help your business grow?
• Do they have any proven results or outstanding accomplishments with their previous clients?

Having years of experience in your industry is usually a positive sign that the sales outsourcing agency is qualified. However, that’s never enough for determining whether they are the right partner for you.

You also need to research the sales outsourcing company on Google and social media. Be sure to skim through their website and see if they have any social proof and relevant case studies that might interest you. 

Here’s another quick tip for you:

You can check any third-party review website or business directories to see what others really think of the outsourced sales partner. You’ll find there honest feedback and accurate information that can help you decide whether an agency might be the right fit for you.

2. Pricing

The next thing to think about when outsourcing sales for your company is pricing. Can you afford the services that the outsourced sales agency is offering you?

Here’s the thing:

There are a lot of plans that you can go for when it comes to sales outsourcing. The price varies widely depending on the team you’re getting, the services you need, your industry, the length of the project, and where you are located.

If you find a sales partner that you like, you can always try to negotiate a fair price and meet each other halfway. You can start with a short-term contract and then increase your budget once you’re certain of their performance.

Now listen:

It’s important to note that a higher price doesn’t always reflect service quality. Some outsourced sales companies may charge high rates and still fail to deliver on the goals you set in your initial plan.

On the flip side, going for a cheap outsourcing service will likely be a waste of your time and money. That’s never the best investment for your company even if you’re on a limited budget.

3. Reliability

Can you maintain a positive relationship with this sales outsourcing firm?

Reliability is what guarantees perfect alignment between the external salespeople and your internal teams.

The outsourced sales team will collaborate with your in-house SDRs, so it’s critical to ensure that you’re working with a reputable agency that matches your values and work ethics. Culture fit is also essential for fostering a positive work atmosphere and keeping everyone happy.

Moreover…

You’ll have many questions and requests during your partnership with the sales outsourcing agency. And you may need to schedule a lot of meetings where you’ll interact with the outsourced SDRs. All of that requires flawless communication, trust, and a lot of transparency in how things will be done.

How to Outsource Company Sales to An Outsourcing Partner Online

After having learned how and where to find reliable sales partners to hire, you need to take a closer look at your sales performance to evaluate your needs and identify what should be outsourced.

Here’s the thing:

The outsourced sales partner you hire will provide you with a team based on your sales demands and expectations. You’ll get sales reps that are specifically trained to solve the problems you’re facing and help you execute new growth strategies.

The truth is…

Even with the best outsourced sales agencies out there, things may still not go according to plan. They may not be able to help you get the results you desire, or you may have a hard time working together. So you want to be careful when making a contract for sales outsourcing.

Here’s how you can outsource sales in four simple steps:

1. Evaluate Your Sales Needs

Before you even start thinking about outsourcing sales duties, you must list down all your needs and objectives.

Outsourced sales may not always be the ideal solution to all your problems. Besides, there are some disadvantages to outsourcing such as confidentiality risks and losing control over how things should be run.

Now:

The most common reason for businesses to hire an external sales agency is when internal teams are overwhelmed with the workload. That usually happens with sales departments looking to scale their operations, companies wishing to launch new products or services, and businesses trying to break into new markets.

This first step is also essential because it will help you answer most of the questions that will come to your mind later in the process. For instance, identifying your sales needs now gives you a better idea about which services you’ll use and how much you’re willing to spend.

2. Determine Sales Duties

As we’ve already mentioned, outsourced sales firms offer different products and services depending on the sales function they can help you with. SDRs handling outreach and customer onboarding will cost you more than a sales team that only does lead generation.

Now:

Some companies choose to outsource their sales process entirely, while others would prefer it if their in-house SDRs kept control over some key duties.

You’ve already identified your challenges and all the gaps that must be filled in your sales plan. So all you have to do now is match those needs to the services the sales partner is offering to you.

When choosing outsourcing services, you must think in terms of ROI instead of costs — especially when making deals with sales firms that have a proven track in your industry.

Lastly:

To maintain sales growth and minimize friction in the workplace, you need to discuss the new way of work with your in-house teams. Inform your SDRs about who does what and what you expect from them after you start outsourcing sales. Outsourcing can only succeed if you strive for perfect alignment between your marketing and sales teams.

3. Set a Deadline For Your Contract

Congratulations!

You now have specific goals in place to help you overcome your sales challenges. You identified potential sales partners that you can afford who have enough expertise in your industry. Most importantly, you made your final decision about hiring a reputable sales outsourcing firm that you can easily communicate with and rely on.

Here’s what comes next:

It’s smart to set a clear deadline for your outsourcing deal so you can better manage your expectations and protect your company from unexpected costs.

You should avoid signing long-term contracts with any agencies that you don’t fully trust. It’s always better to go for a flexible agreement that you can pull out from if things don’t go according to plan.

On the other end:

You also have to be patient and not expect overnight results from your outsourced SDRs. The sales agency will need some time to understand your product and ideal customers, then set up effective sales plans to target them.

4. Evaluate Your Sales Progress

This is one of the most essential steps in the sales outsourcing process.

By understanding your sales goals, you’ll easily be able to evaluate how well your sales outsourcing partner is doing. Tracking the right KPIs is vital for playing an active role in your partnership with the outsourcing firm.

Here’s the deal:

Before the work begins, be sure to identify the most important sales metrics that you want to track. For example, you should keep a close eye on the number of leads generated, the number of closed sales, and the sales cycle length.

From there:

You have to discuss with the sales outsourcing firm how reporting will be done so that you’re always updated with their progress. This will enable you to provide quick feedback, ask the right questions when needed, and implement quick adjustments to the sales process.