More companies are turning to sales lead software to track and nurture their prospects. It’s easy to see why: it saves time, simplifies processes, and ensures that details don’t slip through the cracks.
But if you’ve ever used sales lead software for yourself, you already know that no two are created equal. Features function differently, benefits can vary, and implementation and usage can affect the time it takes to see an ROI.
How can you tell you’ve chosen the best sales software that will align with your goals and expectations?
Before you dive into a product, take time to explore the answers to these five important questions that will help you make an informed decision:
#1 – What Should Lead Handling Look Like?
Every lead software may follow a different process to collect and track leads, and companies should know what this process looks like before they invest in a software solution.
For example, how do leads enter the software? How do they reach the sales team? What information will sales know about their leads?
There are a lot of things that could happen: leads can be collected from a variety of sources, including landing pages, social media, signup forms, and pay per click ads, to name a few. Those leads could enter a queue for salespeople to grab, OR they could go through a process of qualification, scoring, and assignment to reach the right salesperson.
This isn’t the full picture, but it should give you some inspiration when examining your options and understanding what the total process could (and should) look like.
#2 – What Can I Afford to Spend on Lead Software?
Consider setting a tentative budget for your software upfront so you won’t waste time on solutions that are out of reach. From there, you can start to examine solutions in your price range first to see if you need to adjust your spending.
If you do happen to find software that is outside of your budget but the value justifies the cost, your budget ideally should be flexible enough to accommodate.
#3 – What’s the Learning Curve?
As with any software product, your team will need to learn how to use it effectively. This can take time, and just how much time depends on the complexity and scope of the product itself.
The best way to gauge the potential learning curve is to be able to test the software for yourself to see exactly how it works, what challenges you might face, its user-friendliness and intuitiveness, and other attributes that will affect your ramp-up time.
Remember, the longer it takes for teams to get familiar with the product, the more of a delay there will be in seeing an ROI. In some cases, choosing software so complex could negate any benefits you’d stand to gain. Users won’t be able to use the software to its full potential, and
#4 – Will the Software Scale with My Business?
As your business needs change, your software needs will likely follow. It’s not easy to base a today-decision on what your needs might be in a year or five years from now.
Sales lead software should scale with your business for the most cost-effective solution. As you add new people to your sales team, bring in more products to sell, or expand your marketing strategy, your software should accommodate these changes with minimal effort.
Software that scales prevents you from having to shop around for another solution later. Plus, it gives your employees one less thing to learn since they’re already used to working with your existing system.
#5 – Will It Integrate with My Existing Setup?
Companies don’t thrive on sales lead software alone. You’ll need to think about how your chosen software will affect other systems, such as marketing automation or field sales tools.
One of the advantages of LeadSquared is that we offer comprehensive solutions that integrate seamlessly with each other. CRM, marketing, lead management, field sales, and other components communicate with each other to ensure flawless execution.
Or, you can choose the products that work best for your needs and create a custom approach to managing your sales and marketing.
Either way, you should realize that any software you bring into your company may impact other systems. It’s up to you to explore how they’re affected and what you can do to mitigate any incompatibility issues.
How Will Sales Lead Software Transform Your Business?
Choosing a sales lead software often requires a process as unique as your company itself. It’s important to consider not just what the software can offer, but how those offerings can fit into your company to achieve the desired results.
Take LeadSquared for a free 15-day test drive and get to know more about how our suite of lead management products can help you grow your business in more than just a theoretical sense.
