The sales stack is designed to enhance the sales process and reduce friction. Today we’re seeing more options for sales stack technology but also deterioration of the sales rep at the same time.
Purchasing sales stack technology must be a long term endeavor with strategic decision-making to ensure that the investment is worthwhile.
Today we’ll look at the most essential sales stack components for any business.
In case you missed it, our last article offered a 5-step process for evaluating your current or upcoming sales stack decision.
The SaaS market has presented B2B businesses with a plethora of sales and marketing technology apps and platforms that promise to solve ‘the problem’ with your sales process and level the playing field.
The challenge is that while sales stack technologies increasingly offer niche solutions, they’re created by different developers, and the applications don’t integrate well across the sales process (Source: Blitzen, 2015).
What the Right Sales Stack Entails
A sales stack scales the sales process. This process is nothing more than a system that effectively and profitably guides a prospect through the entire decision journey using available resources to make that journey enjoyable for those prospects (Source: PersistIQ, 2015).
How Much Should it Cost?
The cost of your sales stack will depend on the size of your organization and complexity of your sales process. That said, Saleshacker.com explains that a sales stack should cost you approximately $500/month/sales rep (Source: Saleshacker, 2016).
The right mix of solutions should fit within this budget.
What Should my Sales Stack look like?
Regardless of the specialization, the modern sales person operates within an interconnected triangle as explained by Daniel Barber (Source: Saleshacker, 2016).
(Image Source: Saleshacker, 2016)
- Data: The integration needed to drive tailored interactions long term.
- CRM: A historic record of contact details and past interactions.
- Workflow: Technology that enables engagement and interactions.
What are the Top 5 Sales Stack Technologies?
#1 CRM system. 100% of respondents listed a CRM as an essential component to any sales process.
#2 Lead generation and profile insight tool like LinkedIn. 100% of respondents cited LinkedIn for their sales stack.
#3 Email cadence and data tool. Ranging from 53% to 80% of respondents. A system to consolidate all buyer insights is essential and buyer progression with cadence strategies can increase efficiency and free up selling time.
#4 Client interactions. Data exists in silos without client interactions and technology #4 must enable value added interactions through a variety of distribution channels. This is where Sales Enablement comes into play.
#5 Toss-up depending on circumstances. Power dialers for phone sellers offer a value add to operational effectiveness, but #5 may differ by your sales operations.
(List Source: Saleshacker, 2016)
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How to Pick the Best Technology
After your 5-step sales stack analysis, you want to critique the digital sales tools available by the following criteria:
1) Does it Address Multiple Challenges?
As sales stack technology matures, more capable vendors will encompass the benefits of niche solutions. A mobile content management software may also include on board analytics, sales route planning, and the ability to open and play digital content formats like multimedia that would have otherwise presented device limitations.
2) Does it Integrate with ALL Elements of your Sales Stack?
Remember the triangle. You want one ecosystem of integrated CRM, data, and workflow process. If it doesn’t offer full and comprehensive integration, it will lead to friction down the road- especially as digital sales aids become more common.
3) Will it Grow with your Business?
A future-proof mentality is synonymous with long term planning. Don’t just think about your problems today, think about your problems tomorrow. Can the current option give the comprehensive analytics you’ll need, does the content management scale well for the future, and will the CRM enable me to plan for the future?
4) Will it Provide Actionable Data?
Data and analytics are the storyboard for the buyer persona. Without data, you can’t squeeze out inefficiencies, you can’t optimize, and you can’t replicate best practices. The more comprehensive the analytics, the more valuable the solution.
Like tools for a tradesman, a sales stack does more than improve efficiency: it enables the sales rep to navigate the challenges of 21st century sales. Make sure your sales stack represents the needs of your sales team today and tomorrow.
Are you interested in overhauling your sales interactions (#4) with multi-channel, data rich, integrated, future proof sales enablement? Request a demo and let us show you what sales stack excellence can look like.
