Don't Let a Long Sales Cycle Hurt Your Material Handling / Supply Chain Company's Revenue

How long does it typically take your material handling or supply chain company to convert a sales lead into a buyer? While some leads will convert during the initial conversation, most require nurturing. Statistics show, in fact, that it takes sales reps an average of five to seven touch points to generate interest, enough to enter the sales funnel. If your material handling or supply chain company suffers from a long sales cycle, you can expect lower sales revenue. The good news is that there are ways to expedite and shorten your material handling / supply chain company's sales cycle.

Communicate with the Decision-Makers

A key difference between B2C and B2B sales is that the latter relies heavily on reaching the decision-makers. B2C companies can sell their products or services to any consumer. B2B companies, on the other hand, must focus on selling to the decision-makers. If you're only communicating with maintenance or the warehouse, distribution center workers, you can expect a longer sales cycle…and persons who are only gathering information and quotes.

Schedule a Time for a Follow-Up Call

During your initial conversation with a sales lead or prospect, go ahead and schedule a follow-up call. In other words, ask the prospect when he or she would like to talk again. However, be sure you have a reason to continue the conversation. And, be sure to gain the prospects agreement. Because sales leads are often busying running their own department, plant or business (CEO, President), they may or may not answer the next time you call them. By scheduling a date and time for a follow-up call, you'll have a better shot at reaching the prospect. An even better shot if you send a confirmation email with a schedule reminder. All these detailed steps will help condense the long sales cycle.

Harvest High-Quality Leads

The quality of your material handling / supply chain company's leads will affect the length of its sales cycle. Not surprisingly, low-quality leads typically result in a longer sales cycle than high-quality leads. Fresh leads, for example, are more likely to convert -- and convert in less time -- than stale leads. Additionally, leads in your B2B company's target market are more likely to convert than leads outside your B2B company's target market.

That’s why we keep encouraging our Project Reports. We provide you with high quality sales leads…meaning there’s an identified project that’s in the planning stages, approved and groundbreaking, or in progress. You get a description of the project along with the names, email, phone numbers and titles of those working on the project.

This speeds up the sales process as the project report sales leads will go directly into the sales cycle, or sales funnel. Evaluate the project reports for yourself. Open a free account, take a look what’s in there and give it a try. They are all current leads.

Segment Your Leads

In addition to harvesting high-quality leads, you can achieve a shorter sales cycle by segmenting your leads. Segmentation involves grouping leads according to various criteria. After creating these groups or "segments" of leads, you can then create a customized approach to communicating and nurturing them through your company's sales funnel. With a customized approach, you'll be able to convert them more quickly, thus shortening your material handling / supply chain company's sales cycle.