Everyone has months that are up and down due to holidays, vacations, changes at work, you name it. But there are a few constant hurdle's that pop up making it difficult to hit monthly quotta's, causing frustration and stress in the office. Below I will share some common obstacles or roadblocks that inside sales professionals must be prepared to handle if they are going to be successful within the sales industry.
- Problem: When prospects tell you that they are happy with their current solution/supplier, your first instinct might be to say,“Thanks for your time” and hang up. It can be frustrating for a BDR to hear this from prospects when all they need to hear is a little information that could change their mind.
Solution: Asking them if they know that your product is cheaper, faster, newer, etc. could spark your prospect’s interest. And if they don’t want to listen at that moment on the phone, following up with an email with some key information can make all the difference in the prospect’s attitude. Also, finding out when they may re-evaluate their existing solution will give you a better idea of when to resume prospecting that organization. - Problem: This may not seem like a nuisance, but having to dial numbers without an auto-dialer is sometimes annoying. It ends up being extremely time consuming if you are making fifty/sixty outbound dials every day. This time could be used more efficiently elsewhere. Solution: An auto-dialer helps lessen the amount of time spent lazily typing in wrong numbers. It can help you improve your call number for the day and allows you to focus on more important things that require your attention.
- Problem: Lists are always a roadblock, whether it is because there are not enough contacts, too few companies, or full of bad data. Research is part of being a business development rep, but having to try different emails and phone numbers for contacts or searching for the proper contact information is frustrating and can lower employee morale when repeatedly running into the same problem. Solution: Having your lists cleansed before giving them to BDRs helps them focus on their tasks rather than having to fix false information, but it is almost impossible to have a perfect list, as people switch positions, companies, and phone numbers often.
- Problem: Sounding too scripted can deter potential customers from listening to you explain why you are calling them. No one wants to listen to a robot when they have a million things on their mind. This can be difficult for BDRs because we want to give some product information but not too much while speaking. Solution: Practice, plain and simple.
- Problem: Getting someone who is interested back on the phone can be tough. That can be one of the most frustrating things about this job; knowing you have a good fit, but you can’t seem to get back in touch. Solution: No contacting them more often or trying to get an assistant on the phone can be helpful. An assistant might be able to contact the prospect through a different means. Eventually when they respond, there will be success, but you have to be patient yet persistent.
Again, these are just a few of the more common hurdles business development and inside sales professionals must be prepared to overcome in order to be successful. Does your sales organization have similar roadblocks? Can you think of ways to resolve them within your own sales team?
