From running several lead generation campaigns and liaising with the eCommerce marketing team to monitoring the sales pipeline and making sure prospects convert to paying customers, managing sales without the right tools can be daunting. This is where sales management software comes in.
A sales management system makes the sales process simpler and more efficient. Imagine being able to reach out to leads that came in through your eCommerce email marketing campaign and at the same time send post-sales follow up emails to already existing customers - now that’s only possible with automating your sales process.
Key Takeaway: Sales management software is all about finding that perfect balance between sales automation and eCommerce personalization. It's designed to simplify and supercharge your sales process, so that your sales managers can focus on what they do best – closing deals and making customers happy.
Whether it’s capturing and organizing leads or calculating your average sales cycle length and visualizing your sales pipeline, sales management software has got you covered. It's your trusty sidekick, helping you track progress, assign tasks, and collaborate seamlessly with your team.
And when it comes to forecasting sales, generating insightful reports, and automating repetitive tasks, this software is your secret weapon. But wait, there's more!
Sales management software doesn't just stop at being a lone wolf. It's a team player, ready to integrate with other business tools like customer relationship management tools, eCommerce marketing automation platforms, and customer support software.
This means you can say goodbye to data silos and hello to a unified approach across your entire B2B vs B2C sales operations. Let’s look at what sales management software and some of the best options for your business.
What is Sales Management Software?
Sales management software is a tool that helps eCommerce businesses streamline their sales processes, monitors sales team activity, keeps track of sales metrics, and gives sales managers insight into the entire sales process. It can also integrate with existing business management software in order to keep your business running smoothly.
One of the key features of sales management software is lead and contact management. It allows you to capture and organize leads, segment contacts, and nurture potential customers. With this software, you can easily keep track of your prospects and ensure timely follow-ups, increasing the chances of converting leads into paying customers.
Another essential aspect of sales management software is its ability to help you manage sales opportunities. It provides a clear overview of your sales pipeline, allowing you to visualize the stages of each deal and track their progress.
You can assign tasks, set reminders, and collaborate with your team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards closing those deals. Sales managers can even design and automate a standardized sales process that the entire sales team can follow.
Sales forecasting and reporting are also crucial functionalities offered by sales management software. For instance, a restaurant business can generate restaurant sales forecasts by analyzing seasonal trends, how popular specific menu items are, restaurant reservations and seating data, or table turnover rates.
Additionally, using a sales management system can generate reports that help you evaluate your sales performance, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions. Besides these, sales management systems help you manage your sales opportunities, keep tabs on your pipeline, and make sure those deals keep moving forward.
Automation is another major advantage of sales management software. You can expect it to automate repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails, updating customer records, and generating reports.
Features of Sales Management Software
So what should you look for when selecting a sales management software? Let’s look at some top features of sales management system:
- Lead and Contact Management: Say goodbye to the days of drowning in a sea of leads and contacts. Sales management software helps you organize and manage all your leads in one centralized place. You can capture and store leads effortlessly, segment them for targeted outreach, and keep track of all your interactions with them.
- Opportunity Management: Time to wrangle those growth opportunities and turn them into cold, hard cash. Sales management software helps you track the progress of your deals, from the initial contact all the way to closing the sale. You can assign tasks, set reminders, and collaborate with your team members, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
- Sales Pipeline Management: Picture a visual representation of your sales pipeline, where you can see the flow of deals and identify any bottlenecks. Sales management software gives you a bird's-eye view of your pipeline, helping you prioritize your efforts and take action where it's needed most. No more blindly stumbling around.
- Sales Forecasting and Reporting: Get ready to impress your boss with accurate sales forecasts and killer reports. Sales management software crunches the numbers and generates insightful reports that give you a deep understanding of your sales performance. You can spot trends, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions that drive revenue growth.
- Sales Automation: Say hello to your new best friend, sales automation. Sales management software takes care of those repetitive tasks that eat up your time and drain your energy. It can automate email follow-ups, update customer information, and trigger actions based on predefined rules. You can sit back and watch the software do the heavy lifting while you focus on building relationships and sealing the deal.
- Integration with other Systems: Sales management software knows the importance of playing well with others. It can integrate with your wholesale CRM system, marketing automation tools, and other business applications. This seamless integration ensures that your data flows smoothly across different platforms, eliminating the need for manual data entry and reducing headaches. It's like having a sales ecosystem where everything works together harmoniously.
6 Best Sales Management Software
Let’s look at the best sales management software to streamline your B2B vs B2C sales processes.
#1. BlueCart
BlueCart is not just your regular sales management software - it's a comprehensive platform that revolutionizes B2B wholesale ordering. With BlueCart, you can streamline the entire sales process, from capturing orders to managing inventory and invoice processing.
This sales management system is tailor-made for businesses in the food and beverage industry, making it a top choice for restaurants, wholesale restaurant supplies distributors, and wholesale distribution companies. BlueCart also offers an all-in-one eCommerce solution for streamlining the online ordering process, managing vendor payments, and automating menu management.
#2. Salesforce
A true sales titan, Salesforce is a CRM platform that offers robust sales management features. It's highly customizable, making it a favorite among businesses of all sizes. With Salesforce, you can efficiently manage leads, opportunities, and sales performance, all in one place.
#3. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot is a popular choice for businesses looking for an all-in-one sales and marketing solution. Its user-friendly interface makes managing contacts, deals, and sales pipelines a breeze. Plus, it offers sales automation features to streamline your workflow.
#4. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a feature-packed sales management software that caters to businesses of all types. It offers lead management, sales forecasting, and analytics to help you make data-driven decisions. It's a great option for teams looking for an affordable yet powerful CRM solution.
#5. Pipedrive
If you're all about simplicity and effectiveness, Pipedrive is the way to go. This intuitive sales management tool focuses on visualizing your sales pipeline and helps you stay on top of your deals. It's perfect for small to medium-sized businesses.
#6. Freshsales
As part of the Freshworks suite of products, Freshsales is a user-friendly CRM that packs a punch. It offers robust sales automation, email tracking, and AI-powered lead scoring. It's a great option for sales teams looking to boost their efficiency and productivity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Management Software
So, there you have it, a powerful lineup of top-notch sales management software. Whether you need a versatile CRM like Salesforce or an industry-specific solution like BlueCart, these tools will undoubtedly elevate your sales game and help you close more deals.
Let’s answer a few more questions about sales management systems you may have:
What are the 4 types of sales management?
The four types of sales management are:
- Field sales management
- Channel sales management
- Key account sales management
- Inside sales management
What software is used in sales marketing?
The software used in eCommerce sales marketing include the following:
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software
- eCommerce marketing automation software
- Email marketing software
- Social commerce management tools
- eCommerce analytics and reporting tools
What are the 7 basic functions of a sales management job?
The seven basic functions of a sales management job includes:
- Defining sales targets and goals for the team to achieve
- Developing plans and strategies to reach sales objectives
- Allocating resources, territories, and responsibilities to execute sales strategies effectively
- Providing guidance, support, and motivation to the sales team to achieve their targets
- Conducting training programs to enhance sales skills and product knowledge
- Tracking sales performance, analyzing data, and evaluating the effectiveness of sales strategies
- Providing feedback, coaching, and performance reviews to improve individual and team performance