Guide to SaaS Sales Outsourcing

Software as a Service (SaaS) has become a key business model for companies looking to use tech and services to offer B2B-focused solutions to users globally. However, making software more accessible to everyone does bring its own set of challenges, especially in sales.

SaaS sales outsourcing has become an increasingly popular strategy for companies looking to scale their growth without proportionally increasing their in-house sales teams.

This guide aims to illuminate the essence of SaaS sales outsourcing, its benefits, challenges, and best practices for companies considering this growth strategy.

A sales outsourcing company is a specialized third-party organization that excels in generating leads, qualifying prospects, and closing deals.

Outsourcing sales frees up your internal sales team to concentrate on other vital aspects of your business, such as product development or customer service.

Outsourced sales companies can provide a variety of services, including:

• Lead generation
• Prospecting
• Qualifying leads
• Cold outreach
• Negotiating deals
• Managing customer relationships

When a company decides to outsource sales, it hires professionals to do those tasks instead of having employees in-house do them.

When you outsource parts of your sales department, you pay a fixed monthly fee or some negotiated percentage of sales instead of an hourly rate to the third party.

An excellent outsourced sales company understands your business goals and has the experience to assist you in reaching those objectives. They are not brokers nor middlemen that only get a commission from transactions.

As mentioned above, outsourced sales companies can offer different services.

In this section, we'll examine what different companies offer in terms of services, which will help you determine who to partner with for what.

Lead generation agencies specialize exclusively in identifying potential customers for your business, a crucial step in the sales process. They focus on gathering information about prospects who have shown interest or could be interested in your products or services.

However, it's important to note that these agencies do not take the next step of setting appointments; their primary role is to fill the top of the sales funnel with qualified leads.

Through various strategies, including content marketing, email marketing campaigns, and digital advertising, they aim to attract and capture the interest of potential clients, thereby providing businesses with a list of leads that can be further nurtured and converted into sales opportunities by the in-house sales team.

On the other hand, appointment-setting companies focus solely on scheduling appointments for your sales team with qualified leads. They usually work closely with lead generation agencies to ensure a smooth transition from prospect identification to setting appointments.

Their primary goal is to save business time and resources by eliminating the need for their sales team to spend time cold calling and trying to schedule appointments.

Instead, the appointment-setting company takes care of this process, providing a list of confirmed appointments for your team to follow up with and close deals.

Telemarketing or cold-calling companies focus on direct phone outreach to potential customers. Unlike lead-generation agencies and appointment-setting companies, which focus on preparing leads for the sales process or scheduling meetings, telemarketing companies aim to engage with potential clients directly to pitch products or services.

This approach requires a deep understanding of the product and the ability to handle rejections and objections effectively. These companies often have teams of skilled communicators who specialize in initiating conversations, identifying customer needs, and trying to convert prospects into leads or direct sales over the phone.

However, their primary function is to make the initial contact through cold calling; they may not necessarily be involved in the follow-up process or in closing the sale.

Finally, inside sales outsourcing companies offer a comprehensive solution that encompasses various aspects of the sales process, including but not limited to lead generation, appointment setting, and closing sales. SalesPipe is one such company.

These firms employ a team of sales professionals who use a combination of email, phone calls, CRMs, and digital communication tools to engage with potential clients.

Unlike companies focused solely on one part of the sales process, like lead generation or cold calling, inside sales outsourcing firms provide a full-service approach.

They work as an extension of your sales team, employing strategies customized to your business goals and target market. Their expertise not only lies in initiating and nurturing leads but also in leveraging technology and sales analytics to optimize the sales process, making them a versatile partner for businesses looking to outsource their sales operations comprehensively.

To effectively hire and onboard an outsourced SDR, identify your sales goals and the specific qualifications required for the role. You want to make this either a seamless transition for a specific set of tasks or experiments or be aware that you're entering into a brainstorming partnership. This clarity will help you communicate your expectations to outsourcing agencies or platforms.

Then, you want to:

• Research and select a reputable outsourcing partner: Look for agencies with a strong track record in your industry and check their references. (SalesPipe is one!

• Clearly define the role and expectations: Provide a detailed job description, including the skills and experience needed and the sales targets the SDR should achieve for the agency.

• Conduct thorough interviews: Even if an agency pre-selects candidates, insist on interviewing them to assess their fit with your company culture and their understanding of your product or service. You always want to ensure you'll work well together, and agencies are typically open to setting up this interview.

• Comprehensive onboarding process: Once hired, ensure an easy, specific structured onboarding process. This should only include the aspects of the role you need them to cover and the team members they will be in touch with. If they don't need to do product demos but need to write copy, provide them with the correct resources, and don't overwhelm them. Train them in your CRM set-up. Most outsourced SDRs are familiar with several CRMs and other sales tech, but companies usually have different set-ups. Show them your sales process and where they fit. Establish a schedule for regular check-ins and feedback.

• Use technology to bridge gaps: Utilize communication and project management tools to collaborate closely with your outsourced SDR. Here at SalesPipe, we're partial to Slack, Meet or Zoom, and Loom tools.

On the other hand, the transition from hiring to onboarding an in-house SDR is a lot more complicated, and a critical phase for any organization aiming to bolster its sales team.

Once a candidate has been carefully selected through a rigorous hiring process, the onboarding phase sets the stage for their success within the company. This involves a structured training program that covers product knowledge, sales tools and software proficiency, company policies, and sales strategies.

Beyond these technical skills, fostering a sense of belonging and aligning the new hire with the company's culture and values are equally important. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions during the initial months further support a smooth integration into the team, ensuring the SDR can effectively contribute to the company's sales objectives.

The onboarding process should also include a comprehensive introduction to the company's target market, ideal customer profile, and sales methodology. This will provide the SDR with a clear understanding of the company's goals and objectives, enabling them to communicate the value proposition to potential customers effectively. Additionally, providing access to existing sales collateral and resources can accelerate their learning curve and increase their confidence in engaging with prospects.

Furthermore, the onboarding process should include shadowing opportunities with experienced sales reps to observe best practices and gain hands-on experience. This can also serve as a mentorship opportunity, allowing the new hire to ask questions and receive guidance from more seasoned team members.

Apart from this, forming relationships internally with team members and externally with clients, partners, or industry influencers should also be part of the onboarding process. And of course, ongoing support and development opportunities so that SDRs feel included and supported in their growth.

Is the process of identifying and qualifying potential customers for your startup. This can be done through various methods, such as cold calling, cold emailing, and social selling.

Outsourced SDRs can:

• Identify and qualify leads: Outsourced sales teams can help you identify and qualify leads that are a good fit for your products or services. This can save you time and money, as you won't be wasting resources on leads who are not interested in what you have to offer.
  
  
• Nurture leads: They can help you to nurture leads and move them through your sales pipeline. This can involve sending targeted emails, scheduling appointments, and providing support.
  
  
• Close deals: Outsourced sales teams can help you to close deals and generate revenue. They have the experience and expertise to negotiate contracts and close deals that would be difficult for in-house sales teams to close.

Lead qualification is a crucial process in the sales process. It involves evaluating and determining potential customers or leads' interest, fit, and readiness. By thoroughly qualifying leads, businesses can effectively identify and prioritize the prospects most likely to convert into paying customers.

The main goal of lead qualification is to boost sales by zeroing in on leads most likely to close a deal. This focused strategy helps sales teams manage their time and resources better, making sales more efficient and effective.

Outsourcing sales teams can be a game-changer for startups. They work with data to qualify leads and offer that extra expertise. With an outsourced sales team, startups get access to specialized know-how, giving them a leg up in lead qualification.

Outbound prospecting is a proactive sales strategy employed by companies, where their sales development representatives actively reach out to potential customers or clients. This approach establishes contact with prospects who have not yet indicated direct interest in the company's offerings.

By leveraging the expertise of outsourced Sales Development Representative (SDR) teams in outbound prospecting, startups can gain a significant advantage in their sales process.

With the ability to stay several steps ahead of the competition, outsourced SDR teams bring invaluable insights and industry knowledge that contribute to the overall success of the sales process.

Outsourced sales teams excel at connecting with prospects through personalized communication and specific outreach strategies. They use advanced analytics and sales intelligence tools to identify potential leads' needs and interests, tailoring their approach to meet each prospect's specific demands.

This involves a mix of email campaigns, social media interactions, and direct phone calls, all designed to build relationships and trust with prospects.

They can maintain a consistent and relevant dialogue, allowing outsourced sales professionals to ensure potential customers feel valued and understood, significantly increasing the likelihood of converting leads into sales.

One of the most crucial aspects of successful sales is consistent follow-up. Outsourced sales teams specialize in this area, ensuring no potential lead falls through the cracks.

After all, unlike in-house employees they are focusing their energy 100% on their sales originations. They understand the importance of staying on top of customer interactions and utilizing CRMs and automation tools to track all communication and appointments.

Regular follow-ups also enable outsourced sales professionals to identify any emerging issues or concerns from prospects and address them promptly, further strengthening the relationship between customer and company. This level of attentiveness massively increases the chances of closing a sale, enhancing the overall customer experience.

In turn, this leads to increased customer loyalty and future business opportunities.

Appointment-setting is a crucial and strategic phase in the sales process. This task involves skilled sales development representatives (SDRs) diligently scheduling meetings or calls between potential customers and the account executives (AEs) or sales managers.

The purpose? To explore discussions about the company's products or services and determine whether there is a perfect match for the customer's needs, to go further down the sales funnel and go with a product demo.

Beyond just setting appointments, the primary objective of this intricate process is to engage prospects further, establish trust, and provide social proof. Through effective appointment-setting, businesses can foster and build long-lasting relationships with potential customers, ultimately leading to successful conversions.

Through effective appointment-setting, businesses can foster and build long-lasting relationships with potential customers, ultimately leading to successful conversions.

Many startups recognize the importance of this critical function and turn to outsourced sales teams. These external experts specialize in appointment-setting and provide valuable assistance, ensuring a seamless and efficient process for startups navigating their growth journey.

We mentioned it above regarding follow-ups, but an essential function of outsourced sales teams is establishing a constant feedback loop between the market and your business. They provide invaluable insights into customer reactions, objections, and suggestions for your offering.

This feedback is crucial for refining your product, service, and sales strategies. By understanding market needs directly from the source, you can make informed decisions that result in better product-market fit and increased sales efficiency.

Additionally, this feedback loop allows for continuous improvement, ensuring that your business stays ahead of the competition.

Long-term SDR employment is generally challenging to maintain and will definitely cost you a lot of money. For a measurement, an in-house SDR's typical duration is only 18 months, according to Hubspot.

Why?

Assume you have invested time and resources into building up a hiring procedure. You made the best choice in your hire. Onboarding and training them has cost you time and money once again. You waited the normal six months to see how they affected your pipeline.

Only for your representative to leave after five months.

It can turn out to be a complete waste of your money, with no guarantee that it will pay off.

Also, if you check the numbers for internal costs, you'll realize how expensive in-house teams are.

An in-house SDR team typically costs between $6,000 and $10,000 per SDR monthly to hire.

This does not include the price of the subscriptions for the tools and software they need to be effective and productive. Some programs, such as LinkedIn Sales Navigator, have an extra $100 monthly fee.

Training SDRs requires time and can take one to three months or longer. Months may pass after the trial term is done before they can provide you with the ROI you want.

Alternatively, outsourced SDRs will provide a supportive force for your sales team. You will have someone to contact in case of a problem, and you can even get a new SDR if needed.

Instead of bearing the bulk of the costs upfront without guaranteeing it will be worthwhile, you simply pay a monthly charge.

Outsourcing your sales process is more cost-efficient and immediately connects you with specialized experts. This avoids training your new hires and waiting for them to get comfortable with their tasks.

For new SDRs, this means it is usually around three more months before you start seeing results.

By outsourcing, you avoid this entire step.

External SDRs tend to be experienced masters of their craft. They can be ready to go in two weeks or less, as they only need to learn some key factors before they're ready.

And, of course, you will see results a lot quicker.

Working with a sales outsourcing company should have many benefits, including flexibility and the capacity to swiftly modify the efforts and resources in response to changing market conditions.

If things don't go as planned, you don't want to be tied to a particular business. And if you want to scale up, you don't want this partner to be a constraint.

The partner should be able to scale down fast if the market (or your cash condition) necessitates it and promptly offer additional resources if things go well.

Let's face it – your internal team will usually get assigned additional tasks.

This means everyday tasks such as qualifying leads or prospecting to build an early-stage pipeline fall by the wayside.

It is no one's fault; it is merely how it plays out most of the time.

Outsourcing brings you people that focus on those exact tasks and nothing else. This frees up your internal team and ensures those tasks are completed. Thus, your internal team can focus on product development, improvement, and closing deals instead of on the time-consuming tasks related to early pipeline development.

After all, it is highly unlikely that your outsourced experts will be pulled into additional work.

Finding and hiring sales reps can be challenging. The process also costs a lot of money, considering the recruitment costs and the time spent.

An outsourced sales team means your talent pool has increased significantly. You are no longer limited to hiring within your city, state, or country. No more checking on the budget for hiring someone across the country and helping them relocate.

Outsourced sales teams have the best of the best and can connect your company with talented people.

You can access a team of experts with years of sales development experience when you select an outsourced SDR team. These SDRs can better handle the intense pressure of early sales since they have concentrated their careers.

Additionally, they may share their knowledge, best practices, and lessons gained to assist you in developing a successful and efficient sales process.

Trying to close deals while prospecting can decrease salespeople's efficiency. This affects your entire sales cycle and slows it down significantly. By outsourcing early pipeline tasks, you accelerate it. After all, early pipeline and late pipeline are very different stages.

Both have different purposes and require a different mindset.

Help your internal AEs focus on closing deals by hiring an external sales development team.

Your internal sales team will gain from the information and insights your outsourced SDRs can share about each new lead with a good, open-ended partnership. You can arrive at a sale faster if you have such information to guide vital sales conversations.

Did you realize that when you hire an outsourced sales business, you receive more than just a team of individuals? You also gain access to their sales technology.

This means you do not need to add more people to your technology stack if you do not wish to, and you do not have to work with untrained SDRs. Outsourced SDRs are familiar with several types of CRMs and sales tech and can always adapt.

Further, with such a broad range of expertise, your outsourced sales team will be able to support the implementation of a full technology stack to meet your unique requirements as well as aid in helping you maximize the value of your present systems.

When working with a specialized sales outsourcing partner, your company can swiftly redirect sales strategies to respond to market changes or customer demands. This flexibility is particularly advantageous for executing short-term projects or pilot programs within a tight timeframe.

Whether you're looking to test a new market in 3 months, drive a specific sales initiative over 6 months, or develop a strategic sales campaign over 12 months, outsourcing provides the agility needed to pivot quickly and efficiently.

And all this without the long-term commitment of hiring permanent staff or the time-consuming, costly hiring, training, and onboarding process. Thus, you conserve resources and respond faster to emerging opportunities or challenges in the market.

Unlike typical business process outsourcing, software sales outsourcing entails more analytical and knowledge-based tasks. One goal of sales outsourcing is to obtain access to difficult or expensive competencies to source locally.

Industry knowledge allows the sales outsourcing company to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. They understand your target market's pain points, motivations, and buying patterns, enabling them to tailor their sales messages and solutions to address specific customer needs.

This understanding cultivates more meaningful customer engagements and enhances the ability to build strong relationships, ultimately leading to increased sales success.

Additionally, industry knowledge empowers the outsourcing company to conduct meticulous competitor analysis.

They are well-informed about key competitors, their offerings, and their competitive advantages. This knowledge enables the outsourcing company to differentiate your product or service, highlight its unique value proposition, and position it strategically in the market.

References from past clients can provide invaluable insights into the company's operational efficiency, commitment to achieving sales targets, and the quality of the sales force they provide. Furthermore, a strong reputation in the industry often indicates a company's adherence to high professional standards and ability to adapt to changing market dynamics.

This research is critical not just for ensuring the credibility of the sales outsourcing company, but also for mitigating risks associated with entrusting an external team with a core business function. Companies with an excellent reputation are more likely to foster a collaborative partnership, driving sales growth and contributing positively to the overall business strategy.

Therefore, it is sensitive to investigate a sales outsourcing company's reputation and references before selecting a partner who aligns with one's business goals and values.

This gives the sales outsourcing company a structured approach to drive successful outcomes. By refining their methods over time, a reliable outsourcing partner optimizes their approach for efficiency and effectiveness. They understand the critical steps in the sales journey, such as lead generation and deal closure, and have established methodologies to navigate each stage seamlessly.

A well-defined process brings clarity and consistency to the sales outsourcing company. It allows them to set clear goals, track progress, and measure results. Executing sales activities systematically and strategically maximizes the chances of success. The scalability of a proven methodology is also advantageous, as the outsourcing company can adapt the process to handle varying sales volumes and changing business needs.

Also, a proven process and methodology enhance collaboration and communication between the outsourcing company and internal teams. It establishes a common framework and language for discussing sales strategies, progress, and challenges. This alignment enables seamless integration of efforts, enabling effective coordination between the outsourcing company and the business.

Cultivating a culture of feedback and open dialogue is crucial for the success of any partnership, particularly when it involves managing remote sales teams. In addition to setting up standardized reporting systems and clear KPIs, it's vital to establish routine check-ins and open lines of communication.

These regular interactions provide an opportunity for more personalized feedback, enabling both parties to address any concerns or adjust strategies as needed. Utilize tools and platforms that facilitate easy and efficient communication to ensure no detail is overlooked and every team member is aligned with the project's goals and expectations.

Establishing clear communication channels and protocols for handling any potential issues or conflicts, including planning to address communication breakdowns, misunderstandings, or other challenges that could impact the partnership, is also essential.

Lastly, it's crucial to be transparent about how the project is going, the metrics we're examining, and any bumps in the road we might encounter. This helps build trust and strengthens our partnership. Plus, it lets us be more proactive in solving problems and adjusting strategies when necessary.

Today, selling involves more than just cold calling and cold emailing. Sales outsourcing heavily relies on having a solid IT infrastructure. Your outsourced sales team's systems, hardware, and software must be dependable and ensure adequate oversight of their operations.

Compatibility and integration with your existing systems and infrastructure are essential. Seamless integration with your CRM, marketing automation tools, and other relevant software ensures smooth data flow and efficient operations, minimizing disruptions and facilitating collaboration between internal teams and the outsourcing company.

Whether you experience an increase in sales volume or need to adapt to evolving market dynamics, a flexible tech stack allows the outsourcing company to adjust its operations accordingly. This scalability ensures that the technology can support your business requirements regarding performance and capacity.

Lastly, the tech stack should be user-friendly and intuitive for both your internal teams and the outsourcing company's sales representatives. A well-designed interface reduces the learning curve and enables efficient onboarding and training. This ensures that the outsourcing company can quickly adapt and effectively utilize the technology to drive sales outcomes.

Data privacy is critical when selecting an outsourcing sales company for your business.

Here's why it matters:

• Protecting sensitive information: When you engage an outsourcing partner for sales activities, they gain access to sensitive customer data, including personal and financial information. Ensuring data privacy is essential to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of this information. It helps prevent unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure of customer data, reducing the risk of data breaches and preserving your customers' trust.

• Compliance with regulations: Data privacy regulations, such as the GDPR and CCPA, have strict requirements for collecting, processing, and storing personal data. Choosing an outsourcing company compliant with these regulations is vital to avoid legal consequences and financial penalties. A reputable outsourcing partner will have robust data protection measures to ensure compliance with data privacy laws.

• Maintaining reputation and customer trust: Mishandling customer data can damage your business's reputation and erode customer trust. A data breach or misuse of sensitive information can lead to a loss of customer confidence, negative publicity, and potential legal repercussions. By selecting an outsourcing sales company prioritizing data privacy, you demonstrate your commitment to protecting customer information, enhancing your brand reputation, and building customer trust.

• Data security measures: An outsourcing sales company emphasizing data privacy will have strong data security measures in place. These measures include encryption protocols, access controls, firewalls, and regular security audits. These measures help safeguard customer data from unauthorized access, cyber threats, and other security risks, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the information.

A successful, long-term partnership with your outsourcing partner depends on your company culture. At the end of the day, you want to collaborate with individuals who share your beliefs and ideas and are working toward the same objective.

Here's why it matters:

• Align of values and goals: Choosing an outsourcing partner with similar values and goals fosters a sense of shared purpose. This alignment ensures that the outsourcing company's sales approach aligns with your company's vision, strengthening communication, building trust, and promoting collaboration between your internal teams and the outsourcing company.

• Collaborative relationship: This creates an open and effective communication environment, allowing both parties to work together towards shared objectives. This collaboration establishes rapport, understanding, and trust, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the outsourced sales efforts and fostering a unified approach toward achieving sales targets.

• Adaptability and flexibility: Culture fit ensures that the outsourcing company can adapt and align with your business's working style, processes, and preferences. Compatibility in work culture eases the integration of the outsourcing company into your operations. This adaptability and flexibility enable a smoother transition, allowing the outsourcing company to seamlessly work as an extension of your sales team and adjust their approach based on your business's unique requirements.

• Employee engagement and motivation: When their culture aligns with yours, their sales representatives are more likely to feel connected to your company's values and mission. This alignment positively impacts their performance, commitment, and dedication to driving successful sales outcomes on your behalf.

• We are experts in the SaaS space: SalesPipe has a team of experienced sales professionals specializing in the SaaS space. They understand the unique challenges and opportunities of selling SaaS products and services, and we can help you reach your target market and close more deals.
  
  
• We are results-oriented: We have a proven track record of helping startups increase their sales. We will work with you to set clear goals, track your progress, and provide regular performance updates.

• We are flexible: SalesPipe is flexible and can adapt to your specific needs. We can provide you with a team of SDRs or BDRs, or work with your existing sales team to help you scale your sales operations.
  
  
• We are easy to work with: Our CEO will be your point of contact throughout the process. We are responsive to your needs, and always willing to go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals.
  
  

Overall, SalesPipe is a great option for startups looking to outsource their sales operations.

Here are some additional benefits of working with SalesPipe:

• You will have access to a team of experienced sales professionals who can help you close deals.

• You can focus on your core business activities, such as product development or customer service.

• You will be able to scale your sales operations as your business grows.

• You will be able to save money on sales costs, such as the cost of hiring and training new sales reps

Choosing an outsourcing partner for sales operations should not be taken lightly. High-quality salespeople have the power to take a business to the next level, and having the right SDRs can revolutionize a business's success and profits.

There are many factors to consider when selecting a sales outsourcing company, including their availability, cost, scalability, and extra services provided. Furthermore, it is essential to understand existing policies, roles, expectations of hiring managers, and recognition of potential talent.

Companies should also consider SalesPipe to ensure they make the best decision for their business's future growth. We are designed to match you with top-quality SDRs based on industry criteria!

Get in touch with us now!