What is Inbound Sales? Definition, Processes, and Best Practices

Starting the blog by saying, “Sales jobs are getting tougher daily due to the hypercompetitive business landscape.” Each

Starting the blog by saying, “Sales jobs are getting tougher daily due to the hypercompetitive business landscape.” Each one is battling to close just one single lead. However, how about changing your approach and shifting to inbound sales?   

Well! That would certainly work!  

You’ve come to the right place if you’re wondering what precisely inbound sales are. In this article, we’ll figure out the concept of inbound sales, including the definition, processes, and best practices that will skyrocket your B2B lead generation game.   

Let’s get started.   

What is Inbound Sales?  

Inbound sales is typically a customer-centric method that attracts potential customers through personalized content, social media marketing, SEO, etc., that arouses their interest. In inbound sales, the clients come to you, unlike outbound sales, wherein you reach out to clients. They know more about your brand, and the salespeople continue nurturing the leads later.   

Nearly 49% say they would become repeat buyers after a personalized shopping experience. This sales methodology gives clients a reason to buy from you before they hear about your company. To add it up, some inbound sales come from searching queries, reading your company’s articles, and more.   

What’s the Process of Inbound Sales?  

The steps of the inbound sales process are like those of the standard sales process. There are mainly three steps involved, as given below:  

Attract

The first and foremost process in inbound sales is attracting the right audience with the right content. Every piece of content can help to drive the lead’s interest in your products or services. Start finding out your audience’s interests and curate and tailor content accordingly. Understand their pain points, needs, and challenges. This way, your business can establish itself as a trusted authority, increasing the chances of organic traffic.  

Engage   

Your job does not end by simply identifying the lead. Making efforts to nurture the tips to the fullest can drive tangible outcomes. This starts with personalized content that aligns with the prospect’s interests. Also, send timely follow-ups and share case studies and testimonials that educate the audience more. In this step, you can also reach out to them through video content or any relevant form that helps them make a well-informed decision.   

Delight   

In inbound sales methodology, the journey continues after the sale. It is essential to delight the customers post-sale for a long-term relationship with customers. By gaining customers’ trust, taking feedback, and prioritizing customer satisfaction, loyal customers can be turned into referrals.   

Best Practices for Inbound Sales   

Here are some inbound sales best practices you can incorporate to take the B2B lead generation game to the next level.   

SEO   

SEO should be an essential part of your inbound sales methodology. As marketers know, SEO ranks your website higher in search engines for high-volume keywords. A prospect searching for your product/service will type in a query in the search engine and consider the website that makes it to the list on the first page.   

Use the Right Tools 

AI and technology can help improve your overall workflow, better understand prospects’ needs, and engage with your inbound leads. Make sure to use CRM software to keep track of all the potential clients. These tools can also help keep track of your emails and communication, so you avoid falling under the duplicity of content or emails.   

Train & Educate Your Employees   

Effective implementation of inbound sales methodology needs a highly skilled and knowledgeable sales team equipped with training. Invest in training your employees to develop skills, empower the salespeople to make the right decisions, enhance customer experience, and improve the buyer’s journey.  

Set Goals and Track Your Success 

Set clear and measurable goals for your sales efforts. This includes average sales cycle length and lead conversion rates. Keep track of the key metrics to analyze the effectiveness of your inbound sales strategy. Work on the areas of improvement and further boost your business.   

Utilize Social Media Platforms  

Social media is an ideal source of connection with a large audience. Organizations can build fruitful relationships with potential clients and drive them into the sales funnel by maintaining an active presence on social media, posting updates, sharing valuable content, and engaging in meaningful communications.   

Wrapping it Up   

Inbound sales are a significant paradigm shift in the sales arena. Businesses can drive more qualified leads by effectively attracting and engaging prospects. Inbound sales are about customers coming to you. Adding personalization in emails, messages, or videos can grab their attention and ultimately lead to conversions. 

Adopt the inbound sales best practices mentioned above and get ready to watch b2b lead generation success coming your way!   

 

Also Read:

What are Outbound Sales? How To Boost Your Process?

 

About Jason Hoffman

I am the Director of Sales and Marketing at Wisdomplexus, capturing market share with E-mail marketing, Blogs and Social media promotion. I spend major part of my day geeking out on all the latest technology trends like artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, cloud computing, 5G and many more. You can read my opinion in regards to these technologies via blogs on our website.