Inbound Sales Fundamentals

Professor: Mark Roberge

WHY INBOUND SALES?
PEXELS

Inbound is all about providing a helpful, human, and holistic

experience to anyone who interacts with your company in any way.
As a salesperson, you
have more skin in this
game than anyone
else at your
company.

PEXELS
Trusted Professions in North America

Firefighter 60%
Teacher 50%
Doctor 48%
Nurse 41%
Dentist 19%
Accountant 13%
Professional Musician 9%
Lawyer 9%
Software Developer 6%
Barista 4%
Journalist 3%
Investment Banker 3%
Professional Athlete 3%
Services/Customer Service 3%
Stockbroker 2%
Politician 1%
Lobbyist 1%
Salesperson 1%

SOURCE: STATE OF INBOUND, 2016

Trusted Professions in North America

Firefighter 60%
Teacher 50%
Doctor 48%
Nurse 41%
Dentist 19%
Accountant 13%
Professional Musician 9%
Lawyer 9%
Software Developer 6%
Barista 4%
Journalist 3%
Investment Banker 3%
Professional Athlete 3%
Services/Customer Service 3%
Stockbroker 2%
Politician 1%
Lobbyist 1%
Salesperson 1%

SOURCE: STATE OF INBOUND, 2016

WHY DOESN’T ANYBODY
TRUST SALESPEOPLE?

MOST SALESPEOPLE
HAVEN’T TO THE MODERN
ERA.
WHY DOESN’T ANYBODY
TRUST SALESPEOPLE?

MOST SALESPEOPLE
HAVEN’T ADAPTED TO THE
MODERN ERA.
 Imagine what it was like
to buy a product before
the internet existed.
Back then, buyers really needed
salespeople in order to make a
decision.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Key Questions in the Buyer’s Mind
• What’s included in your offering?
Key Questions in the Buyer’s Mind
• What’s included in your offering?

• What does it cost?

Key Questions in the Buyer’s Mind
• What’s included in your offering?

• What does it cost?

• How does it compare to competitors?

Key Questions in the Buyer’s Mind
• What’s included in your offering?

• What does it cost?

• How does it compare to competitors?

• Who else is using your offering — and do they like it?

PIXABAY

The internet changed the buyer–seller relationship.

Now, the information buyers use to make a purchase decision is just a click away.
HAVE YOU ADAPTED?
Your buyer is using the
internet to research
your company.
Are you using the internet
to research your prospects?

PIXABAY
 Your buyer is using
social media to research
your product.
Are you using social media to
answer their questions?

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
PIXABAY

Your buyer is accustomed to being in charge of the sales conversation.

Are you ready
PEXELS
to act as a guide and help them achieve their goals?
FLICKR USER DON BURKETT

Inbound sales transforms sales to match the way people buy.

Inbound sales teams base their entire sales strategy on the buyer rather than the seller.
 The first step in
transforming to an
inbound sales model is to
understand the way your
customers buy your
product or service.

PEXELS
THE BUYER’S JOURNEY
The active research process someone goes through
leading up to a purchase.
An outdated sales process has three
parts:
1. Prospect

2. Demo

3. Close
BUYERS DON’T WANT TO BE
PROSPECTED, DEMO’D, OR
CLOSED IN YOUR SALES
PROCESS.
THEY WANT TO BE EDUCATED,
SUPPORTED, AND GUIDED
THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.
BUYERS DON’T WANT TO BE
PROSPECTED, DEMO’D, OR CLOSED IN
YOUR SALES PROCESS.

THEY WANT TO BE EDUCATED,

SUPPORTED, AND GUIDED THROUGH
THEIR BUYING PROCESS.
Defining the Buyer’s Journey
THE THING THE BUYER IS
BECOMING AWARE OF IN
THIS STAGE IS THEIR
PROBLEM,
NOT YOUR SOLUTION.
In the awareness stage, you need to
know:
• How do buyers describe their goals or challenges?
In the awareness stage, you need to
know:
• How do buyers describe their goals or challenges?

• How do buyers educate themselves on these goals or challenges?

In the awareness stage, you need to
know:
• How do buyers describe their goals or challenges?

• How do buyers educate themselves on these goals or challenges?

• What are the consequences of inaction by the buyer?

In the awareness stage, you need to
know:
• How do buyers describe their goals or challenges?

• How do buyers educate themselves on these goals or challenges?

• What are the consequences of inaction by the buyer?

• Are there common misconceptions buyers have about addressing

the goal or challenge?
In the awareness stage, you need to
know:
• How do buyers describe their goals or challenges?

• How do buyers educate themselves on these goals or challenges?

• What are the consequences of inaction by the buyer?

• Are there common misconceptions buyers have about addressing

the goal or challenge?

• How do buyers decide whether the goal or challenge should

be prioritized?
In the consideration stage, you need to
know:
• What categories of solutions do buyers investigate?
In the consideration stage, you need to
know:
• What categories of solutions do buyers investigate?

• How do buyers educate themselves on the various categories?

In the consideration stage, you need to
know:
• What categories of solutions do buyers investigate?

• How do buyers educate themselves on the various categories?

• How do buyers perceive the pros and cons of each category?

In the consideration stage, you need to
know:
• What categories of solutions do buyers investigate?

• How do buyers educate themselves on the various categories?

• How do buyers perceive the pros and cons of each category?

• How do buyers decide which category is right for them?

A KEY COMPONENT OF
AN INBOUND SALES
STRATEGY IS
CONNECTING WITH THE
BUYERS BEFORE THEY
ENTER THE DECISION
STAGE.
In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?
In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?

• What do buyers like about your offering compared to alternatives?

In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?

• What do buyers like about your offering compared to alternatives?

• What common concerns do buyers have with your offering?

In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?

• What do buyers like about your offering compared to alternatives?

• What common concerns do buyers have with your offering?

• Who needs to be involved in the decision? How does each person’s

perspective on the decision differ?
In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?

• What do buyers like about your offering compared to alternatives?

• What common concerns do buyers have with your offering?

• Who needs to be involved in the decision? How does each person’s

perspective on the decision differ?

• Do buyers want to try your offering before they purchase it?

In the decision stage, you need to
know:
• What criteria do buyers use to evaluate the available offerings?

• What do buyers like about your offering compared to alternatives?

• What common concerns do buyers have with your offering?

• Who needs to be involved in the decision? How does each person’s

perspective on the decision differ?

• Do buyers want to try your offering before they purchase it?

• Outside of purchasing, do buyers need to make additional

preparations, such as implementation plans or training strategies?
PEXELS

The world has changed,

and far too many salespeople are living in the past.
ADOPTING AN INBOUND
SALES STRATEGY
WE’RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THE BEST
PRACTICES OF INBOUND
SELLING FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL
SALESPERSON.
 Improve the experience you
provide to your buyers.
To do this, you need an inbound sales strategy.

PIXABAY
PIXABAY

An inbound sales strategy can be applied to

every salesperson at every company.
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

 IDENTIFY

THE IDENTIFY
PHASE IS THE CONNECT
FIRST PART OF
YOUR INBOUND EXPLORE
SALES STRATEGY.

ADVISE
Gather as much information
as you can about each
individual prospect so you
can better understand their
situation.

PIXABAY
 Focus on providing an
experience of helping
your prospect make
progress in a journey
they’ve already begun.

PEXELS
The hallmark of
an inbound
sales strategy is
finding ways to
attract people
to you. PEXELS
 Not only do these activities help you identify active
buyers, they’ll also position you as a thought leader.

PEXELS
PASSIVE BUYER
People who aren’t yet looking to buy but might be in the
future.
THE EXPERIENCE YOU WANT
TO PROVIDE IS THAT FEELING
OF GIVING A NAME TO A
PROBLEM YOU DIDN’T KNOW
YOU HAD.
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

 IDENTIFY

THE CONNECT
PHASE IS THE CONNECT
SECOND PART OF
YOUR INBOUND EXPLORE
SALES STRATEGY.

ADVISE
 Many salespeople
jump straight into
trying to demo their
product, even if the
buyer doesn’t fully
understand the
problem they’re trying
to solve.
PIXABAY
 Offer content or consultations
to help the buyer diagnose
their situation.
Then you’ll be there to guide them
through the rest of the buyer’s journey.

PIXABAY
SHOW A GENUINE
INTEREST
IN HELPING YOUR
PROSPECT ACCOMPLISH
THEIR GOALS AND
OVERCOME THEIR
CHALLENGES.
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

 IDENTIFY

THE EXPLORE
PHASE IS THE CONNECT
THIRD PART OF
YOUR INBOUND EXPLORE
SALES STRATEGY.

ADVISE
 You’re the expert.
You can assess whether you can help
the buyer more efficiently and
thoroughly than they can help
themselves.

PIXABAY
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

 IDENTIFY

THE ADVISE
PHASE IS THE CONNECT
FINAL PART OF
YOUR INBOUND EXPLORE
SALES STRATEGY.

ADVISE
Examples of Tailored Presentations
• A PowerPoint deck emphasizing only the value
propositions aligned with the buyer’s needs, using the
buyer’s terminology.
Examples of Tailored Presentations
• A PowerPoint deck emphasizing only the value
propositions aligned with the buyer’s needs, using the
buyer’s terminology.

• A product demonstration illustrating only the features

important to the buyer, in order of importance to the
buyer.
Examples of Tailored Presentations
• A PowerPoint deck emphasizing only the value
propositions aligned with the buyer’s needs, using the
buyer’s terminology.

• A product demonstration illustrating only the features

important to the buyer, in order of importance to the
buyer.

• An ROI analysis customized to the buyer’s metrics and

business.
Examples of Tailored Presentations
• A PowerPoint deck emphasizing only the value
propositions aligned with the buyer’s needs, using the
buyer’s terminology.

• A product demonstration illustrating only the features

important to the buyer, in order of importance to the
buyer.

• An ROI analysis customized to the buyer’s metrics and

business.

• A proposal or contract that spells out a client’s goals,

agreed upon scope of work, and metrics that indicate
YOUR BUYERS DON’T
NEED YOU TO PROVIDE
THEM WITH GENERAL
INFORMATION
AT THIS POINT.
 Your buyers are
drowning in a flood of
information overload.
Focus on helping them connect your
company’s broad positioning to their
specific challenges.

PIXABAY
Inbound Sales Strategy
1. The identify phase

2. The connect phase

3. The explore phase

4. The advise phase

THANK YOU.