15 Sales Processes That Every Sales Team Should Automate

There has never been a better time to be in sales. Only a short time ago, salespeople had to spend more than half of their time on tedious tasks like taking notes, logging calls, and prioritizing leads. But sales force automation (SFA) technology and tools now enable reps to spend more time doing what they really want to do: selling to qualified leads!

Now, Companies invest more than ever in technology that radically improves sales productivity. TOPO research found that fast-growing sales development teams now have an average of five technologies in their sales stack. Tech is now a competitive requirement and companies must invest in sales productivity solutions. The only question is: which process should you automate first to increase sales productivity? The answer, of course, depends on what your company’s needs and pain points are. But here are 15 sales processes that can — and should — be automated:

Email Drafts

Inside sales reps usually send a lot of emails. Email templates can save reps a significant amount of time. Since we’re fans of personalizing sales emails, we at Revenue.io tend to use a combination of templates with personalized messaging. By using semi-personalized templates we’ve cut email time in half. Additionally, sales teams can put emails, calls, and other activities into a sales cadence to repeat proven strategies to connect with more prospects.

Dialing Leads

One of our SDRs, Sam Stone once dialed all his leads manually. Talk about carpal tunnel syndrome! With the right tools, you can dial leads directly from your CRM with one click. According to the Bridge Group, automated dialing technology can help reps dial 40% more leads daily.

Lead Prioritization

When reps sit down in the morning, deciding who to dial first can exhaust a lot of mental energy. Solutions can help prioritize leads in real time based on various factors. If your marketers are using a marketing automation solution, a simple way to begin automatically prioritizing leads is by sorting Salesforce lists by lead score.

Voicemails

The average sales rep spends 25 hours a month just leaving voicemail messages. However, with voicemail automation tools like voicemail drop, leaving a perfectly recorded voicemail can be as simple as clicking a button. This can save reps hours! A team of 20 reps could save up to 500 hours using voicemail automation software.

Taking Notes

Taking notes after calls can dent reps’ selling time. Yet, it’s vital to keep an accurate record of call outcomes. Some tools can save reps lots of time by automatically logging call outcomes (dispositions) in Salesforce. This can help managers to gain a deeper view of how reps are performing as well as the quality of certain lead lists. Some tools can either automatically log dispositions or enable reps to quickly select dispositions from a list after calls.

Call Logging

Call logging should not be optional when it comes to sales calls. With the right sales force automation tool, every outbound and inbound call can automatically be logged in your CRM, saving reps the hassle of manually logging calls.

Schedule Appointments

Tools like Salesforce Inbox or Calendly make it easy to schedule appointments by offering a variety of times that you are available. Once a prospect clicks on an available time the appointment is scheduled.

Match Leads with Reps

With advanced call routing features, companies can automatically route inbound callers to the right sales rep or department. This free reps from answering unrelated phone calls and gives them back time spent transferring inbound callers to the right place. Intelligent routing engined can match callers with the best available rep based on time of day, reps’ skills, and other factors.

Dialing from Local Numbers

Local Presence is a feature that enables reps to automatically dial leads from a number where the area code matches that of the lead. This can dramatically lift call connection rates and enable reps to spend more time talking to key decision-makers. Studies have shown a 400% increase in call connections using Local Presence.

List Building

Building lists was once an arduous process. But now, solutions like Data.com and Datanyze make it easy to search for relevant leads by various factors, including company size, funding, technologies used, industry, and more. It’s never been easier for outbound SDRs to target the right contacts at the right companies!

Create Follow-Up Tasks in Salesforce

In B2B sales, many calls require follow-up tasks. Sometimes, it’s contacting a lead’s supervisor, and other times, it’s sending a product deck. Without logging necessary follow-up tasks in your CRM, important tasks might slip through the cracks (and deals will be lost as a result). Using a tool to log tasks automatically can not only save reps time but also help managers ensure that deals are moved forward.

Select Relevant Content

The right content can help close deals quickly. However, sales reps don’t always know which content is most relevant. Luckily, this process can be automated. Some tools learn which content/messaging works with specific situations and then push proven content to salespeople at the moment they need it most. Tools can be used to match content based on a variety of factors, including industry, persona, stage, location, and more.

Deliver Call Scripts/Talking Points

A sales acceleration system can provide reps with intelligent call scripts or talking points with inbound calls directly related to the lead’s referral source. For example, if a lead calls after clicking on an ad for app hosting, reps could be provided with a list of current app hosting packages and promotions.

Creating Tailored Slide Presentations

In B2B sales, there’s not always a one-size-fits-all sales presentation. But putting together tailored slide decks can be incredibly time-consuming. One way to save time and drive results is to use a tool that automatically assembles slides proven for specific sales situations.

Providing Reps with Contextual Prospect Data

If a telephony platform integrates with your CRM, call tracking and marketing automation platforms, it’s possible to automatically provide reps with a wealth of contextual sales data that can help them close deals. This data can include a lead’s marketing referral source, buying history, past communication, social media feeds, company news, and more.

Interested in learning how sales acceleration technology can help your inside sales team close more revenue? Check out our Guide to the ROI of Sales Acceleration.