The word “sales” is so widely used that it’s easy to suppose you know exactly what it means. However, “sales” encompasses a lot more than you might think. So, what even is sales? Well, that’s what we’ll dive into in this article.
What is Sales – A Quick Definition
In basic terms, a sale is a transaction between two or more parties that involves the exchange of products or services for money. But there’s a lot more going on behind this – like looking for leads, setting up a sales funnel, negotiating, handling objections, and closing the deal.
As the saying goes, without sales, you don’t have a business; you have an expensive hobby. So, it’s important to understand what sales as a process entails.
Before we dive too deep into it, we’ll take a closer look at the two main types of sales: B2B sales and B2C.
B2B vs B2C Sales
Yes, there are more types of sales going around, but you could make the argument that most of them probably fall within the categories of B2B sales or B2C. Let’s take a look at what each one of them means:
B2B Sales
B2B sales stands for the process of a business selling directly to other businesses. Hence, the name b2b sales = business to business. The products or services sold in B2B sales can vary a lot. For example, they can range from the outsourcing of services to a business sending out bulk orders for a product they sell.
Another key aspect of B2B is the general cost of sales, which tends to be a lot bigger due to its nature.
B2C Sales
Now, B2C sales, on the other hand, stands for business-to-consumer. It’s the kind of sales you encounter every time you buy something directly from a retailer.
Core Differences
Let’s look at the core differences between them:
Target Audience:
- B2C sales: Targets individual consumers or households.
- B2B sales: Targets other businesses and organizations.
Purchase Volume:
- B2C sales: smaller transaction volumes, as individual consumers typically buy in smaller quantities. However, sometimes this might vary, for example, in estate sales.
- B2B sales: larger transaction volumes, often bulk purchases or long-term contracts due to business needs. A good example of this is enterprise car sales!
Relationships:
- B2C sales: focuses on building a brand-customer relationship for repeat business. Individual interactions are important for loyalty.
- B2B sales: emphasizes long-term partnerships and relationships. Building trust and delivering on promises is crucial for sustained business transactions, like what happens in enterprise sales, for example.
Types of Product:
- B2C sales: generally simpler and designed for personal use. The emphasis is on ease of use and appeal to individual preferences.
- B2B sales: more complex. Usually tailored to meet the specific needs and requirements of a business.
Inside vs Outside Sales
Now, let’s take a look at another way of classifying sales. This one mainly focuses on the way the sales process goes down, either inside or outside.
Inside Sales
Inside sales are sales that are conducted remotely, either over the phone, email, or other online communication channels. Usually, inside sales reps contact leads that are advanced in the sales funnel (we’ll get to this very soon!) in hopes of closing the deal.
Outside Sales
Outside sales refers to selling in different locations. From trade shows and conventions to door-to-door or field sales meetings, outside sales need sales reps who can be flexible and who can mold their pitch to the environment they’re currently in.
Understanding the Sales Funnel
Now that you understand the main types of sales and their differences, we can go over a crucial aspect of the sales process: the sales funnel.
Think of a sales funnel as a visual representation of the customer journey. It’s called a funnel because it gets narrow as potential customers go through its stages. So… why do they matter? First off, they provide orders. Moreover, through visualizing the funnel, you’ll be able to easily spot bottlenecks or places where leads are leaving, allowing you to redirect efforts in areas that actually need it.
This is key knowledge, especially if paired with robust CRM software that provides an interactive sales funnel view, like the one found in HighLevel.
Creating a Sales Funnel
To get started, the first thing you need to do is come up with a target. You need to deeply consider who your target customer is and how they might find your products/services.
Once you know who you’re targeting, it’s time to bring them to your funnel. You need to create a lead magnet, an enticing offer that makes potential leads take that first step into your sales funnel.
Now that your leads are in the funnel, you need to convince them to actually do business with you. There are a myriad of strategies for achieving this goal. More than likely, this will come through leveraging marketing automation tools that send out content that is relevant and makes the lead consider your business.
Finally, once your lead is convinced your products/services are worth their time, you need to create a simple and effective conversion process.
Build & Optimize your Funnel with HighLevel
Yes, this is a lot of work! Thankfully, you can leverage the power of automation and CRM software to make it easier for you.
With HighLevel, you can create and optimize your funnels with the pipeline tool, that lets you track leads from the very first interaction, while also automating workflows that trigger when a lead goes from one stage to the other, keeping you and your leads connected throughout the funnel.
Ready to take your funnels to the next level? We’re currently offering a 14-day FREE trial, act now by clicking here!
