Outsourcing can be a loaded word for many companies. For many, there’s an implicit suggestion of inferior quality, and visions of teams in cramped rooms plugging away at their computers. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In this blog, we’ll touch on five of the most common sales outsourcing misconceptions, and discuss why outsourced sales likely isn’t what you think.
1. It's Only A Mechanism For Cutting Costs
This is not true, although many firms do realize cost efficiencies from outsourcing, mostly because most organizations operate highly financially inefficient inside sales teams. But cost-cutting should not be your primary impetus to outsource, and you should never go for the cheapest vendor. When outsourcing, you’re deciding to entrust experts with one of the most important components of your organizational success, because these experts know more than you do about sales operations and success. It’s no different than enlisting the help of a tax attorney to help out with your taxes, or going to a mechanic to fix your car.
By thinking about outsourcing as a cost-cutting strategy, you can make the mistake of choosing a low-cost sales outsourcing agency that takes a “dial for dollars” approach instead of injecting strategy and structure within your sales program. You need to frame this as an investment, and to drive a productive ROI, you need to work with the highest quality firms. Especially when it comes to your business and sales success, you have to be willing to spend a little bit more sometimes to get the best return. Too many firms view outsourcing their sales as a cost or a burden they take on when it really should be considered an investment in the success of their sales program.
2. I'll Lose Control Of My Sales Program
We’re not going to lie, this can happen. It depends on the partner you’ve chosen. If they operate out of a black box and provide you with a written update every week or two, you’re probably forfeiting control, and that can be scary. At FullFunnel, we’ve found that communication is key, and our clients have to have full visibility into our operations at any given time. That is a reason why you must do significant research into choosing an outsourcing partner. It’s because you want a team that will help enhance your sales program, not operate independently of it.
Many companies will even offer sales strategy help or consulting as part of their staffing services. Always opt for a partner that has a wide range of clients across a number of industries and has a 360-degree view into how the sales industry is evolving and what it takes to be successful. This can be a compelling way to get advice and oversight regarding your sales program that a Chief Revenue Officer would typically provide.
3. Outsourcing Is Inherently Low-Quality
Again, it depends on who you work with. Cheap vendors typically provide low-quality talent. Firms like FullFunnel have the best sales talent on the market today because we offer a compelling career path designed to mint sales and marketing experts. We even offer our training programs to our clients looking to upskill their internal BDRs, AEs and Sales Managers. The best sales outsourcing agencies have a proven track record of selling, and this isn’t a coincidence. They have specialized training to ensure they can sell for a variety of different companies, and pivot on a dime while doing so. Reps are also supported by tenured BDR managers who understand how to help BDRs fulfill their potential and sell successfully. If anything, outsourced sales reps can often be superior to your own in-house team since they often have experience across multiple industries and are well-versed in best practices.
4. Outsourcing Replaces your Internal Teams
They can, but they often work well together. The best sales leaders look at outsourcing as one of the many tools in their toolbox. In most cases, having both teams working concurrently gives you a significant advantage as it gives you the freedom to A/B test. You can test different sales structures, strategies, approaches, and industries with multiple teams at your disposal. Many organizations choose to outsource not because their internal team is failing, but because they’re having difficulty growing the team and continuing to add fresh, qualified talent to their ranks. That’s where sales outsourcing agencies come in, allowing you to scale much more seamlessly.
5. Every Outsourced Sales Company Is The Same
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Beyond having their own unique processes, methods of training reps, and tech stacks, sales outsourcing companies can also offer a variety of different services outside of pure BDR or SDR staffing. Take FullFunnel for example. We support our clients across the revenue value chain of marketing, sales, and customer success from technology consulting to BDR staffing to website design, and we pride ourselves on being a true platform solution for our clients. We believe that revenue operations is a big tent, and in order to be successful, organizations need to view their sales, marketing, and customer success through a holistic lens.
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If you are looking for expert sales outsourcing services that will gel with your company and drive revenue, look no further. At FullFunnel, we’ve worked with dozens of companies, big and small, to build and scale successful sales and marketing strategies. Request a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you realize your firm's growth goals.
