There is no denying the fact that sales and products go hand in hand. You need a sales team to sell your products, and the sales team requires the product team to make a product that they can sell. But if you want to create a product organization structure that is dynamic and responsive, you need to foster the relationship between Product Management and sales.
The sales team has tools and information to finalize the deals, while product management is responsible for getting real-world feedback. Product Management also gives the sales team exposure to high-level prospects, which they can’t get alone without the support of the product team. If you want to strengthen the relationship between Product Management and the sales team, here are some tactics to follow.
Help Sell Your Products
You might have seen that a customer buys your product only if it has some specific features or any special feature in it. Many times a lead will ask for something your product doesn’t have the power to do because the leads are either stalling or don’t say no directly. You can get rid of the “if only” problem with the given method:-
- Have the back of an effective sales team – Your customer encounters a problem, and you have the solution to that problem in the form of your product. If your product doesn’t have a solution to their problem, your sales team has not shown them either the abilities of the product, or they are not selling the product to the right people. It is not about only wanting the customers, but about wanting the “right” customers.
Sales Call
Nothing can beat the happiness of when a customer values your product proposition and messages you personally. Salespeople love to have Product Management by their side so that in case they get stuck, they will get the guidance of the right person, i.e., a Product Manager. It will make the customer feel more valued. This is the reason product management consulting firms tend to have expert Product Managers in their group.
But if you start attending too many sales calls, you might face the issues. First, the sales team or customers might see you as a “demo monkey” who does things to impress customers. The second thing is you might be short on time to do your actual work. Not to mention that traveling from one place to another is time-consuming, and you don’t want to spend much of your time traveling to perform important work-related activities.
You can think of arranging your own sales calls. Doing it solo can add value to your experiences and can enable sales that can further lead to better returns.
Sales Reviews
Sales reviews help the salesperson to feel important. It enables us to understand the roadblocks of the sales team. Furthermore, it offers advice on the details of the product features and characteristics that might prove helpful to closing the deal. These aspects reinforce the product and sales team to work toward common goals. Moreover, meetings also clarify a big picture in front of you of what things can impact your roadmap priorities or hamper the operations of your organization.
Sales Tool
If you are a Product Manager, it’s your responsibility to provide the sales team with various sales tools that they need to meet their goals. It could be ROI calculators, frequently asked questions, videos, or case studies. You should be able to deliver quality requirements and guidance to your sales team and developers. Always ensure that your sales team has the right tools and right data.
Always Be Educating
The integrating role of a Product Manager is to always impart knowledge to the sales team. Keep in mind to make product training more about finding the information and less about transferring the knowledge. You can explain the buyer’s journey and market your product. Explain the events that compel the buyer to make the purchase, make a list of tools enabling sales and distribute it, and organize the links that can be found on your sales portal. Show the customers how they can benefit from your product and make the best use of it. Do not let go of any opportunity that can highlight a customer’s success. It will motivate your team to work best towards the product.
Be Responsive
Maintaining a good rapport with the sales team requires you to communicate with them at regular intervals. If you delay, you may face a deal getting out of your hands. Reply or respond to the calls and emails from the sales team promptly. It will help close the deal with the best amount. All in all, spend some quality time with the sales team in your organization, and your organization will face higher returns.
To Sum It Up
The above-mentioned were some of the methods to foster the alliance between the product and sales team. Hope it will help your organization reach the zenith.
