A common mistake that B2B companies make is to vehemently avoid sales as a lead-gen channel until exhausting all other options. There’s a mythology in the tech community that suggests a friction between sales and SaaS – in reality, compared to their B2C counterparts, B2B startups can engage sales strategies in a very meaningful, organic way.
The following are 4 tried and tested ways for B2B startups to leverage sales as a reliable growth lever.
Content as a lead magnet
Content is king, as they say, and it’s by far the most consistent lead generation tool. Although hit-or-miss in driving direct signups, well thought out content (eBooks, Webinars, guides, etc.) with email download links drive high conversion rates and are a prospectors dream.
Add live chat
Although primarily used as a customer support tool, live chat has quickly shown it’s chops as a powerful lead gen tool. A target that engages on a live chat tool is already a warm lead, and your sales team can begin the conversation without any latency.
Synergize with Marketing/Growth
The biggest change that a tech startup has to make compared to traditional companies in integrating sales, is how deeply it has to integrate with a startup’s marketing efforts. Although traditionally 2 separate divisions, a sales team is ideal for capturing the more upmarket leads coming down the marketing funnel.
Focus on “Hyper-Niche”
One of the biggest advantages of SaaS startups is their ability to scale, allowing them to sell to virtually anyone, anywhere, and keep a small sales cycle. As a result, traditional strategies that big box sales teams might avoid can shine in a startup environment.
Focusing on a tiny niche is feasible for SaaS companies because they aren’t geographically or logistically hamstrung, allowing them to benefit from “big fish in a small pond” syndrome.
