Is this the right sales outsourcing provider for our company?
If you’ve ever investigated outsourcing some or all of your sales function, chances are, you’ve asked yourself this exact question. And rightly so. Trusting a new, and unknown, team with one of your most critical functionalities can be more than a little nerve wracking.
But because there is no app that lets you swipe left or right until you find the right sales partner, we’ve put together a list of 10 key considerations to help you find your perfect match.
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The Top Ten Factors to Consider
Ready to get started? Before you start talking budget or scope of work, ask yourself these critical questions and take note of how your potential outsourced sales provider stacks up!
Remember, not every provider will meet every qualification – distinguishing your must-haves from your nice-to-haves will help you make the right decision for a long-term (and successful) partnership.
- Do they have enough experience?
A potential sales partner might seem good on paper, but if they don’t have experience in your specific field or industry, it could spell disaster…at least in the beginning. Because while some things can be learned, specific nuances and concepts will be completely foreign to a team with no relevant experience, and that may end up costing you even more (precious) time getting the team up and running.
- What is the DNA of their SDRs?
There is a clear and stark difference between sales development reps with history and experience and those new to the game. And all too often it’s the latter which make up the majority of an outsourced provider’s team. Finding a team of professionals can be the difference between a sales pipeline full of good leads and one that’s struggling to stay full.
A good test to determine how experienced a sales team really is? Ask your potential provider if their team has quotas, what those quotas are, and how often they meet or exceed their quotas.
- Can they grow and scale with you?
The goal of outsourcing your sales is to help you grow…and fast. If a provider can’t scale their partnership with you up or down as needed, it might be a good idea to look elsewhere – and avoid the hassle of having to find another provider six months down the line.
- Do they take a consultative approach to service and support?
Ever try to fit a square peg in a round hole? It doesn’t work. And sometimes, working with an outsourced provider can feel a little like that. Your needs aren’t the same as the next company’s. The right sales partner won’t try to squeeze you into a cut-and-dry box, instead they’ll take a consultative approach to find the right kind of service to meet your specific goals.
- Do they provide ancillary services?
While it’s great to have sales outsourcing provider that is REALLY good at sales, it’s even better if they can be REALLY good at marketing or event support too. These ancillary services support your sales efforts and might just be the extra push that turns a completely cold call into a slightly warmer one.
Some examples of ancillary services include:
- Marketing Support
- Event Support
- Lead Qualification
- Data Management Services
- Do they have a global presence?
New markets = new potential revenue. And if your potential vendor already has a global presence (or even better a specific local presence) that will only serve to benefit and accelerate your market penetration efforts.
- Do they have access to multiple data sources?
A single data source will severely limit the number of contacts to reach out to and engage with. Think of it like this: more data sources means more contacts, which means a better probability of new leads in your sales funnel. And who doesn’t want that?
- Do they provide a dedicated customer success layer with their offering?
Unless you are ok with managing all the day-to-day activity and operations, finding a sales outsourcing partner with a dedicated customer success layer will be essential.
- Do they have a dedicated training and development team?
While not a make-or-break qualification, a provider with a dedicated training and development team means you aren’t saddled with the task of training the teams yourself. While some education about your company and product will always be needed, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether the SDRs you’re working with have the sales skills you need.
Plus, you’ll never have to worry about the team falling behind on a new software or critical skill they should be developing.
- Can you see yourself working with them long-term?
Regardless of (and more importantly than) anything else, if you just don’t gel with a provider, they may not be the right fit for you.
Looking for your own sales outsourcing partner for your organization? Schedule a call to find out if Inside Sales Solutions checks all your boxes.
Considering Outsourced Sales Development?
Don't make your decision until you read our guide to creating a successful partnership for growth.
