With the market growing only more competitive for new tech, reeling in clients and closing deals has become much more difficult in the software space. For sales reps looking for new ways to close deals with potential customers, they need to expand their tactics beyond discounts and incentives.
One key tactic a sales rep can use to close more deals are add-on services. By not just selling software but connecting them with a wider service network or integration professionals, you open them up to more customized solutions to perfectly address their pain points.
Here are some of the ways that sales reps can utilize access to services to close more deals, even during a pandemic.
By offering integration services, you lower the customer’s barrier to entry for new software
One of the biggest hurdles for any business or organization looking to buy a new technology is how they can integrate it into their current workflow.
For example, for educational technology, there are huge hurdles that schools have to overcome when adopting new tech, such as:
- Lack of hardware and guidance on how to use it
- Lack of training opportunities for new technology
- Anxiety around learning new technologies
Now, for a sales rep attempting to introduce a new interactive education platform, they may be able to demonstrate the value of the software itself, but they are still met with hesitancy over whether the teachers and staff will be able to properly utilize the new technology to its fullest potential.
When a sales rep has a product-only sales approach, this can be a difficult roadblock to overcome. However, suppose the sales rep has access to a platform where they can connect the school district with services that can help them install the new software and hardware, train their teachers on the new tech, and check in with them to see how the integrations are working. In that case, they can quickly remove these barriers to adoption and help usher hesitant buyers into integrating new software into their workflow.
This is also true for small businesses. Many small businesses may want to integrate a new payment platform into their business like Square, but they may find themselves wondering how they will ever find the time to install the system, upload their current financial data, and learn how to operate it, all while running their business.
A sales rep that can provide access to services in addition to products is able to remove these barriers with ease and not just offer a product that will improve their business, but team them up with a platform expert who can have them up and running quickly, keeping business disruptions to a minimum.
Sales reps are also able to provide “custom” solutions for customers by offering both products and services.
As any sales rep understands, closing sales is about solving problems. But not all problems can be simply solved with a product. In fact, for every dozen problems that a software solution may be able to solve, there are still other issues that arise surrounding adoption that the product itself can't solve.
Having access to service offerings like software training, data transfers, integration troubleshooting, and so on gives sales reps the power to “build” a solution that perfectly addresses all of a customer’s needs. And sales reps that solve the whole problem and not just part of the problem are the ones who rake in valuable referrals in addition to closing more deals.
Sales reps who utilize services build trust with clients
To be a successful sales rep, you have to go beyond the perception of someone "just trying to sell something". By not just offering a product but providing access to a network of additional services, you show your clients that you are solution-oriented, not just “sales” oriented.
Consumers are wary of traditional marketing tactics. They want to feel as though their individual needs are being met by the people most knowledgeable about their problems. By offering, say, a free consultation with a Square expert who can talk directly with a small business owner about how Square can seamlessly integrate into their specific workflow, suddenly it's more than a product; it's a holistic solution that is custom-fit to their exact situation.
This raises the perception away from just a "salesperson," and it becomes a team of people dedicated to solving problems for them. With service providers behind you, you are arming yourself with trustworthy experts who increase your customers' trust in both you and the product.
Adding services to products yields better outcomes
Referrals are everything in sales, so customer success beyond the point of purchase could not be more important in an era where every customer experience can become a public review.
However, for most sales reps, there is little they can do to ensure customer success once the software is in hand and the customer begins their integration journey.
That is, unless, as a sales rep, you can connect customers with service providers that can walk them through their software integrations from start to finish, ensuring successful integration and a happy customer. And happy customers tell their friends and business acquaintances about their experiences, passing on more referrals to you and allowing you to close more deals.
So, how can I integrate services into my sales tactics?
Now, if you're fully convinced of the benefits of integrating services into your sales process to close more deals, the trick is finding service providers with who you can partner with.
Thankfully, the rise of expert marketplaces are making it easier than ever for customers to connect with experts who can solve their most pressing issues, from software integration to employee training.
Suppose you want to ensure that your software is integrated properly and successfully for each customer. In that case, you can try an expert marketplace like Scope, where you can team up with integration experts for platforms like Square, Shippo, Plaid, and Nylas to ensure that customers have a seamless integration experience that upgrades their business with less hassle than it took to open the doors that morning.
So, if you want to close more sales and ensure a better customer experience beyond the point of sale, start looking into services as another fantastic tool in your sales tool belt.