Operating a successful business requires several skills and tools. If that business is sales-based, as many are, it also requires a good sales strategy. If your business already has employees dedicated to making sales, half of your battle is complete. However, you still have no way to know if those sales are being maximized or completed efficiently. In some cases, your employees may deliberately waste time. Alternatively, they may try their best, but scheduling conflicts and other issues may cause them to waste time unintentionally. That is why organizing your sales teams is essential.
One of the best ways to organize sales teams is with sales management software. Often, such software is included as part of a customer relationship management (CRM) system. CRM systems can also include software to manage marketing and customer service. Selecting the best sales management or CRM software system can help you improve sales, efficiency, and employee morale.
What is Sales Management?
You may think sales management is the process of tracking any services or goods sold by your company. That is partially true. However, sales management also encompasses all aspects of operations related to those sales. Important parts of the sales management process include:
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Tracking Sales Team Member Hiring
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Coordinating Tasks for Sales Team Members
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Monitoring Team Members to Ensure Quality of Operations
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Tracking and Scheduling Training of New Sales Personnel
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Organizing and Tracking Client Correspondence Before, During, and After Sales
There are so many aspects of sales management that keeping track manually is often difficult, if not impossible. That is particularly true within larger companies with multiple sales teams or members. Yet, management is necessary. It keeps team members on track and helps sales teams promote businesses without team member conflicts, missed steps, or miscommunication.
What is Field Sales Management?
Field sales is also called outside sales. Often, sales teams work from within companies. For example, sales team members might work in offices and call potential clients on the phone. However, many companies have outside sales teams as well. Such teams must visit past, current, and potential clients in-person. They are essential for maintaining client relations and building new client relationships. Yet, field work makes sales management even more difficult. When team members are working in entirely different locales but still need to coordinate their efforts with each other and the main office, a system of organization is necessary.
What Types of Sales Management Software Are Available?
Sales management software comes in many forms. One of the most popular types is software-as-a-service (SaaS). A vendor provides access to the SaaS and is responsible for maintaining the software. Companies who utilize the service are given access to it for a set period. Typically, SaaS vendors charge monthly fees for the use of their software services.
Another option is on-premise software. On-premise software is installed directly on computers in corporate offices or other business locations. Companies that produce on-premise software typically charge a single initial purchase fee. However, on-premise software sometimes requires complex hardware and setup processes. That is why it often has a high cost. Also, companies that utilize such software must either have in-house experts to deal with software glitches or wait for the software companies to provide maintenance when problems arise.
A third type of software is cloud-hosted sales management software. It does not require maintenance fees, installation, or lengthy maintenance processes. Often, basic cloud-hosted software is available for free. However, many companies offering such software also offer varied membership types. Memberships with higher fees include access to more features than basic memberships.
Sales management software also varies in terms of how it is designed. For example, certain software brands create their software with emphasis on allowing team members and managers to easily collaborate. Such programs include features like real-time calendar access for all team members. Other sales software is designed for analytic processes. Such software provides multiple ways to organize and sort sales data. That allows managers to quickly view various sales trends and statistics.
What Are Some Top Brands of Sales Management Software?
When selecting sales management software, it is best to compare several options. There are many different software programs available. All sales management software has potential benefits and drawbacks. Comparing features is necessary for companies to select software that works best for their employees and their company needs. Here are some quick facts about some top sales management software brands:
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Monday is a complete CRM service that includes excellent sales tracking software. It provides templates for easy management of customer data, as well as lead tracking. Sales data, calendars, action automation, and workflow organization are all integrated into Monday's cloud-based software.
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Thryv is designed specifically to help small business owners manage their businesses. Its sales management software includes easy appointment and schedule management. Customer communications and relationships are also easily tracked. Additionally, Thryv provides simple document storage and sharing options to allow coordination of and editing by multiple team members.
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Pipedrive is designed for use by medium and small businesses. Its all-in-one sales software provides lead management, email access, and easy report viewing. The software also automates various administrative tasks to help sales agents save time.
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Keap is a cloud-based one-stop sales software service for all businesses sizes. Users can access emails, sales data, and calendar options easily. The software also includes a full invoicing system, automation options for certain processes, and multiple payment collection options.
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HubSpot is a company that produces many different tools for successful business operations. Users can integrate its sales software with over 1,000 other tools, as needed. The sales software itself provides tools to allow users to make new client connections and strengthen existing connections. It also provides the ability to create and schedule emails for automated client follow-ups.
How Much Does Sales Management Software Cost?
When choosing a sales management software brand, a final consideration is cost. The amount you must pay typically depends on the size of your company and the features you want. For example, Monday offers free basic access to its software, but only two users may access it. HubSpot also offers a free option, but the features of it are not as extensive as those offered with paid membership. If you have a small business, expect to pay approximately $12 to $50 per month for the cloud-based software you need or pay a much higher flat fee for on-premise software. As a large business owner, you may pay as little as $100 monthly or over $3000. The software and membership level you choose determines how much you must pay. Therefore, you must compare features between companies and membership levels carefully before making a selection.