Choose the Right Sales Software for Your Business: What You Need to Know

Advantages of sales management software

There are so many different types of sales software out there (more on this later) it can be hard to decide which one will work best for your team and keep them happy. But don't worry! We've compiled this list with the key features and capabilities to keep in mind:

• Automation: Sales software reduces the time spent on manual tasks, such as data entry and analysis, by automatically generating reports. In addition, it makes tracking customer information easier so companies can quickly identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling products.
• Advanced analytics and insights: Businesses can gain insights into customer buying patterns, trends in the market, competitive analysis, sales performance, and more.
• Strategic account management: Businesses can understand how their sales teams approach accounts and tailor their strategy to maximize sales. They might also track and manage their interactions with important customers (think account-based marketing), providing insights into how teams can continue to best serve them.
• Accurate forecasting: Sales software enables accurate forecasting by providing sales reps with real-time data on their individual sales pipelines, as well as forecasts for the entire company. Access to data allows reps to make more accurate projections of their sales, which might allow revenue leaders to better forecast the company's sales. Additionally, businesses can identify customer behavior and preferences trends to better anticipate customer demand and plan accordingly.
• More focus on sales: By having more focus on selling rather than mundane administrative tasks, companies will benefit from improved productivity of their employees.

At a minimum.

Effective sales software is often expensive. You tend to get what you pay for. However, if the investment results in increased revenue (with more operational efficiency and satisfied employees), you win and stay competitive.

Now, let's cover some disadvantages when considering sales software.

Disadvantages of sales management software

While sales software can be a great asset to any business, it also has some drawbacks to watch out for:

• High costs: Sales software can be expensive to buy and use (especially if you’re on a larger team). It’s important to ask questions about return on investment (ROI). For example, what features do I get, and which ones don't exist yet or need improvement to reach maximum potential in supporting broader objectives and goals?
• Learning curves for beginners: Some sales software can be difficult to use if you’re a beginner. This difficulty often stems from its complexity and advanced features — meaning you'll need some time before being able to use them effectively without help! That said, there are plenty of ways around this by investing early into education and onboarding to learn what works best with different types of people and how different technologies work together.
• More data = more management: Adding new solutions to your tech stack can lead to an increase in data, which can be difficult to manage. This is because every tool generates its own forms of data. As your company grows, having a system to manage this data becomes more important. This system should include a way to consolidate data from different sources, as well as a way to analyze and track it over time.

The natural next question: What are the various sales software platforms on the market, and which is the best for my needs?

Before choosing the “best-fit” sales software for your team, it’s critical to understand the common best practices.

Sales management best practices

While (non-sales) teams may disagree, one can argue that sales are every organization's lifeblood. Without sales, there are no customers, no revenue, and no company. Therefore a salesperson’s goal is to bring in new business — to generate long-term, sustainable (ideally, recurring) revenue. If you can maximize operational efficiency, you’ll likely see an increase in revenue.

But that’s not all. A more efficient process usually equates to happier, more engaged employees. After all, sales software is supposed to make their jobs easier.

Robust sales software is even more critical as sales roles expand and teams try to do more with what they have (or, more often, more with less).

For instance, the scope of responsibility for RevOps has dramatically increased over the past decade. Software for sales reps (automation, revenue intelligence, commission, etc.) can help to ease the burden associated with RevOps — and other sales-related functions.

Whatever the purpose of the sales software you seek, ensure it is a good fit for your team and your business. Here are some other best practices to follow when using sales software:

1. ‍Make sure you use the software correctly (as intended). Learn all of the features and how to use them. Ask about case studies and use cases. Select a vendor that offers training courses, onboarding, and support services to help you get started using their product.‍
2. Like the above, be sure to use the software to its full potential. There is likely a lot of untapped potential in the software that you aren’t taking advantage of.‍
3. Keep your data up to date. It is important to keep sales data synced and up-to-date when introducing new software solutions. This ensures that no information is missed or overlooked and that your sales team has the most accurate data.‍
4. Use the software to generate reports. The software should be able to help you track your progress against key performance indicators (KPIs) and see where you need improvement.‍
5. Regularly update your data backups. Ensure your data is backed up regularly in case of a computer crash or other disaster.