Outsourcing simplifies sales cycle

Many companies get into rescue mode in times of economic crisis, which can prove to be short sighted. Ultimately, the goal of every business is to reinforce their existing sales while growing, so focusing on the slowdown generally results only in a slowing down of sales. It may seem counter-intuitive to establish new growth initiatives during a major recession, but thinking ahead can lead to unprecedented success during and after the economic downturn.

These sorts of projects need not be overly expensive, nor do they need to be time-consuming, explains Louise Robinson, Managing Director of CG Consulting. The solution is making use of an outsourced, outbound lead generation company that will provide a complete sales lead generation solution.

“This type of solution offers companies a way to streamline their operations. Instead of having to hire, train and support a full team of people to generate leads, outsourcing to a specialist can achieve the same – or better – results at a fraction of the cost. And without the time wastage such initiatives invariably cause. Businesses can then concentrate on growing their operations at a much lower cost.”
Robinson adds that looking for new clients is the only way forward in today’s economy, and making the most of a lead generation campaign will help any company to obtain additional revenue. “Lead generation is the only reliable way to organise your sales campaign and set it up for success. Without the right leads, you will be left in the position of cold calling people at random based on haphazard lists, a practice which is likely to prove frustrating, both for you and for them. Before you launch your next big campaign, make sure you have this aspect of things covered and your results will improve immeasurably.”

Specialist lead generation companies are highly experienced in early stage sales cycle development. Developing a targeted list of prospects is an ongoing project that requires many man hours and much maintenance, so outsourcing makes good business sense. “Because this is all lead generation companies do, they are able to focus on ensuring that the data you obtain is accurate and qualified. They can uncover a wealth of information not only about the sales cycle, but also about the market for your offer. The resulting data can be used to fine-tune your marketing and sales strategy, because having the right information at your fingertips can optimise sales efforts immeasurably,” Robinson says. “In addition, a proven process of obtaining the data will provide confirmation of all of the information, and a good service provider will provide your business not only with leads, but with a full briefing of the relevant information that will increase the sales close rate.”

This type of service is particularly valuable for companies looking to break into new markets – both for new products and new geographic areas. The key to effective leads is putting sales teams in touch with receptive parties, something that is particularly difficult for companies to achieve on their own if they do not have experience in the area. Finding a service provider that can offer qualified leads makes life much easier for everyone involved.
“Many European and US-based companies looking to grow into Africa are unaware of the cultural and business differences they will encounter. By having the experience, the training, and the footprint on the continent, we are able to offer insight and guidance in addition to a database of names,” Robinson says. “By plugging into the vast number of highly qualified leads we are able to offer, an international company can alleviate the time and stress usually associated with setting up shop in a new region.”

These types of offerings will help create a much more efficient and well-organised business, where the bottom line is constantly being raised without undue investment on the part of the company. “You don’t want to sell life insurance to a college student or expensive property services to someone in a low income neighbourhood. By getting the right leads, and all the information needed to make the sale, we can offer companies many qualified prospects and hot leads, leaving them only with the task of making the sale to a receptive audience – without the hassle of trawling through outdated databases and sifting through and overload of information,” Robinson concludes.