In a CRM you are trying to do the impossible, to build a system that directs its users to fill in complete information where the exact definition of "complete" changes from deal to deal. If the Sales Process is homogenous, it's easy, or where the AE is working a full stack, it's easy too... but if there is a Marketing Team to SDR to AE to Customer Success handoff it's important to prioritize specific information and learn how to "manage to" or "build to" a resolution.
With that in mind, here is a layout of the most important items to communicate from team to team, and the best way to ensure that each team gets what they need to be the most successful.
Marketing to SDR's
For all you Marketing Leaders out there... how are you going to ensure that the SDR's know how to continue the conversation the business has already started? Additionally, how do you know what level of engagement they had and if/when they go back into your long term nurture why are they there? How should the SDR work and prioritize that lead?
Lead Score - As you build and develop your MAP (Marketing Automation Platform) the scoring of leads and specific handoffs will be very important. Display this mapped field from your MAP on the Lead/Contact layout to ensure the users can prioritize the hottest leads and contacts appropriately.
Marketing Engagement - Depending on your MAP tool, this could be an i-Frame showing all the touches that your Marketing Team has made to the Sales Person. This will allow them to mention specific articles/interests that drove them to score-up. This could also be Campaign Memberships or automatically dropping leads into a Cadencing software based on their converting Campaign (mix of integrations/automations of the MAP, Cadencing tool, and Salesforce).
Recycled and Disqualified Reasons - Shouldn't be a surprise, but these matter. When an SDR/AE says that a lead is no longer a focus, get their summarized feedback to drive targeted campaigns in the MAP. Require these picklist fields when the Lead/Contact Status is "Recycled" or "Nurtured" and "Disqualified." This feedback will tell you if there is a problem with your messaging, timing, cadencing, data quality, etc... So don't skip out on it!
SDR's to AE's
The goal with this step is to ensure that your teams are aligned with what success looks like. Because AE's and SDR's often work in two separate spaces (Leads vs Contacts) and are incentivized under different strategy structures, it is vital to put extra attention on this step specifically.
Meeting Feedback - If possible have SDR's join the calls with the AE's as a method of training them (for future AE roles) and to align what they are looking for as qualifying. But, you will want to see the % of meetings that are qualified, no show, and what the underlying reasons are for when they are under-qualifying the prospect before the AE meeting. You can use Events or Opportunities to capture these metrics (personally I like Opportunities), but it's vital you can report on the quality of those meetings being set.
Loss Reasons - On the Opportunity, require that the AE give a required summarized (picklist) and optional detailed response (Long Text) as to why the deal was lost. Some companies also require a Won Reason, but like the "Competitor" field, if you just build a validation rule it won't get you what you need. This is a great "Manage To" example as you'll want to have deal strategy calls with your team and review these notes to see patterns across your organization.
Target Account List - If you are running an ABM campaign with the SDR and AE working together to engage large target Accounts, use Salesforce Snapshots to view the progress of an account set in a given time period (quarter for instance). Have clear definitions of status values, and opportunity creation and ensure the SDR's are working on the Accounts that matter most to the AE's.
AE's to Customer Success
This is by far the most overlooked of the handoffs as you already have the dollars in hand. The invoice is sent, now the company needs to produce. All the Sales Person wants to do is collect their paycheck, but it's vital to the success of the client that the Success Team knows exactly where the client wants to see success.
Hand-off Call with Customer Success/Implementation - Ensuring (ideally before paperwork is signed) that Success is in line with the promises of the Sales Person is incredibly important. By providing a way for Success to manage or pushback on previously set expectations you will decrease churn rate and improve your implementations 10x.
Closed Won Reasons - Depending on the company, this can be a wide variety of Text and Picklist Fields. Here are some examples:
Primary Motivation to Buy
Detailed Previously Agreed Upon Expectations of Success
Future Account Growth (where will we farm this account)
No matter what your company does and which types of handoffs you have (and you definitely have them), don't take communication for granted. If users aren't incentivized to make that communication, they won't do it. All the items listed above have a "build" component to them, but they must be "managed" to which means the work doesn't stop once Salesforce is built out. At The Sales Nerd, we work to ensure that you and your team have everything you need for success, including change management. Reach out if you
Σχόλια