Modern sales reps have more communication channels available to them than ever before. SMS messages, email, social media, even video all provide a conduit to engage with contacts. However even today, the phone still prevails as the most effective sales communication tool.

The phone is still the only communication method through which sales reps can directly interact with leads, prospects, or contacts in a truly conversational manner. The key differentiating factor that makes phone conversations so effective is that they allow both the sales reps and prospect to both utilize and hear verbal communication elements like tonality, pace, pitch, and inflection in real-time. Furthermore, phone conversations facilitate instantaneous communication and sharing of ideas.

Phone call participants leave a call, regardless of its length, with a conclusion. Message exchanges via SMS, email, social, or chat cannot accomplish the same. In fact, message exchanges usually take place in order to generate a conversation over the phone.

The power of sales call tracking

So, we know the phone is valuable, but it also has faced a singular disadvantage, until now. Digital communication channels benefit from tracking. Cookies, integrations, and analytics tools allow sales and marketing to understand exactly how someone got to the point of engagement and what influenced them to do so. It also enables reporting, so teams can both increase the number of conversations, as well as improve the quality of them.

A phone call that takes place when a prospect simply sees a number has previously had no instantaneous, automatic, or reliable method of obtaining the true source of the phone call. Sales call tracking is the solution.

Sales call tracking grants the most valuable sales communication channel the same amount of measurability as the digital channels.

What sales call tracking does

Sales call tracking provisions unique phone numbers for specific sources, whether it be a web page, email, social profile, or even a business card, pamphlet, or signage. When the number is dialed, call tracking systems associate the prospect with that specific number, and therefore the campaign. In short, it allows sales and marketing teams to track and measure the effectiveness of sales materials.

More advanced call tracking systems add even more advantages. They can recognize the source of the call and use call routing to direct callers to a specific department, team, or person. For example, a call placed from a certain product’s webpage can be routed to reps who have an in-depth understanding of the product. Or, someone who dials the number from a flyer given out at a particular event can be routed to the only sales rep who attended it.

This provides several advantages. The first is that sales teams provide maximum value to their prospects because they direct them to the most knowledgeable and familiar sales reps. The seconds is that it allows for analysis of nearly every piece of marketing collateral to ensure the greatest possible ROI.

Sales call tracking grants the most valuable sales communication channel the same amount of measurability as the digital channels.