Behind the Scenes at Wild Fig, Part I: The Importance of Having a Well-Defined Sales Process

A company’s sales process is at the front end of any business and, depending on the quality of that process, can spell the difference between success and failure. A well-defined sales process helps companies improve their performance, enhance customer relations, and drive consistent revenue. 

Recently, I sat down with Kari, our founder and chief creative officer, to learn more about our sales process here at Wild Fig Marketing. 

Mindy: Hello, Kari! Thanks for taking the time to give our readers an inside look at our sales process and how it helps us run a successful business! 

Kari: Thanks! I’m excited to share what’s working for us and offer some recommendations to help other business owners improve their own processes. 

Mindy: Great! Let’s get started…

Q. How is Wild Fig’s sales process structured? 

Kari: We start by scheduling a discovery call with our prospective client and gather all the information we need. We see what their goals are and what they’re trying to achieve. If we think we can help them and we think they’re a good fit for our business, we give them a few recommendations on the call. Then we build a detailed proposal in HubSpot and send it over to them to sign. 

Once they sign, HubSpot sends them a payment link for whatever we’ve proposed. All of this information is saved in their HubSpot contact record for everyone to refer to down the road, as needed. Then, once our prospect comes on board, we move them into our onboarding process.

Q. How do our marketing efforts currently align with our sales process?

Kari: Every piece of content we produce includes a single CTA. We provide scheduling links based on what we’re promoting. That way, when someone schedules an appointment, we know where the lead came from and what kind of service they’re interested in. HubSpot gives us a lot of insight!

Q. How do we currently generate leads, and how are they qualified before being passed on to sales?

Kari: Currently, we’re generating leads based on some LinkedIn posts we’re promoting, as well as through email marketing campaigns, postcard campaigns, bulk-mail campaigns, the StoryBrand Guide database, and referrals from happy customers. 

When we market to groups like this, we typically vet them ahead of time through LinkedIn or a list broker. We look at the size of their business, location, revenue, industry, etc., and determine if we think they would be a good fit for our services. If we think they would be, we send them material for whatever campaign seems most appropriate. 

If leads are inbound, we look at where they came from. Did they view a piece of content on our website before they clicked on it? If it’s not apparent before our initial call, I ask prospects what they’d like to discuss on the call so I’m prepared.

Q. What communication channels or feedback loops exist between marketing and sales?

Kari: If a question comes up consistently in sales calls, we talk with our content writers about crafting a piece of content that addresses that question. Then we add it to our sales toolbox for future use.

Q. What marketing tools are we using to support the sales process, and are they effectively integrated with our CRM?

Kari: We do all of our marketing via HubSpot so everything is tracked and integrated. On our dashboard, we can view new website visitors, how many repeat visitors have interacted with us, which emails they’ve opened, which links they’ve clicked on, which lead magnets they’ve downloaded, etc. From HubSpot, we’re able to schedule our social media posts and send out our email campaigns. HubSpot is tied to our calendars and our Gmail accounts and keeps a history of all email correspondences—something we’ve found immensely helpful. Our website is even built on the HubSpot platform!

Now we’re also using LinkedIn Sales Navigator. This allows us to access additional information through HubSpot that we would otherwise have to go to LinkedIn to gather. We can even send messages to LinkedIn prospects via HubSpot! 

Q. What types of content are most effective in moving prospects through the sales funnel?

Kari: I would say there are three primary types of content. The first one is case studies. Case studies show prospects what we’re capable of doing and how other business owners have utilized our services to accomplish their goals. This approach is a lot more effective than simply saying, “We’re amazing. Here’s a list of what we can do...” We also like to showcase our work by sharing blogs we’ve written for clients, lead magnets we’ve created, etc. Testimonials are incredibly effective as well!

Learn more ways to fill your sales funnel in this blog!

Q. What key performance indicators (KPIs) do we track to measure the effectiveness of our sales process?

The main KPIs we track are engagement rate, conversion rate — or the percentage of prospects who convert — and the amount of time it takes to convert a prospect into a buyer.

Q. How often should a company revisit and update its sales process, and what should trigger a review?

Kari: Companies should revisit their sales process at least twice a year. Triggers to watch for include if your sales cycle seems to be getting longer or if you’re getting a lot more “no’s.” Really, anything that deviates from your usual trends should throw up a red flag and cause you to review your sales process. 

When reviewing this process, put yourself in your prospect’s shoes. What information do they want to see? Also, think about what information you can provide for prospects before the first meeting to help close them faster. And make sure you are following up, and prospects aren’t slipping through the cracks! Another good thing to consider is what processes could be automated to make everything smoother for your prospect and your salesperson.

Q. How do you think a well-defined sales process impacts business success?

Kari: A well-defined sales process helps you close more prospects and close them faster and makes a better experience for everyone. Put time and research into that process so you’re setting those first couple of meetings up for success. Strive to convey that it’s a partnership and a long-term relationship, not just a one-off transactional relationship. 

Treat your prospects like they’re already your customers. When you create content, ask yourself: Is this something we would want to receive? Be authentic to your brand, your company, and who you are throughout the entire process.

Mindy: Thank you for joining us today, Kari! We appreciate you taking the time to give us a glimpse of Wild Fig’s sales process and how it leads to more conversions and helps you grow your business!

Is your sales process inconsistent or ineffective? Schedule a free 30-minute exploratory session with Kari to learn how we can help!