Salesforce can be a powerful tool—if it’s used in the right way.
However, when your sales team doesn’t have the know-how to make it work for them, it’s nothing more than a roadblock to productivity. Your team is wasting their valuable time trying to figure out why Salesforce is even in the equation, you’re frustrated because they’re not able to get the most out of Salesforce, and nobody’s happy.
How do you change this?
The best way to ensure that your team is using Salesforce properly is to give them the information they need to do so. Here are some quick and easy tips to help your sales team understand how to effectively use Salesforce.
Tip #1: Improve Customer Information Visibility
If your reps are still carrying a binder or notebook stuffed with paper and post-its, it’s time to drag them into the 21st century. Salesforce CRM enables you and your reps to get a 360-degree view of all the information you need to ensure that your customers are getting the service they need when they need it. No more digging around in search of a business card to find the number you need— with few clicks, you’ll have the number you need at your fingertips, whether you’re in the office or on the road.
Tip #2: Simplify Lead Capture
Salesforce offers users the capability of capturing information automatically from people who visit your website to create easily qualified leads with a simple Web-to-Lead form. Pair that with the CardLasso application, which automatically transcribes business cards into leads, and your team will be surprised by the amount of time they’re saving. Better yet, Salesforce CRM’s analytics function will enable you and your team to track the performance of your lead sources, so you’ll know what’s actually producing qualified leads and what can be jettisoned.
Tip #3: Tap Into Mobile Access
Your sales team is most effective when they have the capability to work away from the office. Enter Salesforce CRM’s mobile app, Salesforce1. This app enables your team to have the power of Salesforce behind them anywhere, anytime. (Need a hand learning the ropes? A dedicated Salesforce Administrator can help get the team up to speed in no time, with availability to answer questions as they arise.) With the mobile app, your sales team can not only find the information they need when they need it, but they can also quickly log phone calls and visits, process orders and update customer cases, and forward valuable content to customers without making a trip to the office or recording difficult-to-read notes in the moment and transcribing them later.
Tip #4: Create a Dashboard for Quick Information
Salesforce CRM offer reps the opportunity to create a customized dashboard that will share their progress in graph form. Your reps can set their goals, and the dashboard will instantly relate their progress toward these goals, using a red, green, or yellow threshold. Your team will be better incentivized when they see how close they are to achieving their goals, or how hard they need to work to get where they want to be. A Salesforce Administrator will assist your team in creating their individual dashboards, ensuring that the information that’s pertinent to them is front and center.
Tip #5: Utilize Email Templates
If your reps are spending too much time composing emails to their customers, Salesforce CRM’s email templates will be a lifesaver. Not only are they convenient, but they’re consistent, enabling reps to send a variety of communiques to contacts, such as Introductory Sales Call, Welcome Customer, and even Thank You For Your Business. Bonus? They’re customizable, and they can be sent to several contacts simultaneously. Your rep will be spending more time selling and less time wordsmithing, and you’ll all be happier at the end of the day.
Ready to get your team up to speed with Salesforce? StarrData’s team of Outsource Salesforce Administrators are ready to help. Click here for a free consultation, and get access to experienced, certified Salesforce Administrators whose focus is your success.