Let’s be real – salespeople are amazing at closing deals, but not always the best at staying organized or dealing with tech. 😥 That’s where automation comes in!
This isn’t about replacing your sales team, it’s about giving them a system that minimizes busywork and maximizes their impact. We’re talking about a simple, yet powerful setup using Calendly, Slack, and Close (CRM).
1. Understanding the Sales Battlefield ⚔️
Before we dive into the automation magic, let’s acknowledge the challenges:
- Sales Reps: Love closing, not paperwork. 📝 They’re often tech-averse and resistant to change.
- Sales Managers: Need accurate data to track performance and make strategic decisions. Getting this data from reps? Good luck! 🍀
The solution? A system that’s simple, automated, and beneficial for everyone.
2. The Power Trio: Calendly, Slack, and Close 🤝
Our automation system relies on three key players:
- Calendly: Your scheduling superhero! 🗓️ Handles booking calls and sends automated reminders.
- Slack: Keeps your team in the loop with real-time notifications. 💬
- Close (CRM): Your central hub for managing leads, opportunities, and tracking progress. 📈
By connecting these tools, we create a seamless flow of information and action.
3. Automating Discovery Calls: From Booking to Follow-Up 🧲
Let’s break down the automation process for discovery calls:
- Step 1: Call Booked: When a lead books a call through Calendly, the magic begins! ✨
- CRM Check: The system automatically checks if the lead exists in your CRM.
- Lead Creation: If the lead is new, it’s automatically created in your CRM with all the details from Calendly.
- Slack Notification: Your sales team gets a Slack notification with key lead info and a link to the CRM record.
- Step 2: Reschedule: If a lead reschedules, your team gets a Slack notification with the updated details.
- Step 3: Cancellation: We handle cancellations differently depending on who initiated it:
- Lead Cancels: The system tags the opportunity as canceled, but keeps the lead active. A Slack message reminds the team to follow up and re-engage.
- Host Cancels: The system marks both the lead and opportunity as canceled, and notifies the team that no further action is needed.
4. Demo Calls: Streamlining the Next Stage ⏩
The automation process for demo calls follows a similar structure, but with a few key differences:
- Simplified Flow: Since demo calls happen later in the sales cycle, we can streamline the process. No need to check for leads in external tools – everything should be in your CRM by now.
- Focused Notifications: Slack notifications alert your team about booked, rescheduled, or canceled demo calls.
- CRM Updates: The system automatically updates the opportunity stage based on the demo call outcome.
5. Resources: Your Automation Toolkit 🧰
Here are some tools to supercharge your sales automation:
- Calendly: https://calendly.com/ – Simplify scheduling and eliminate back-and-forth emails.
- Slack: https://slack.com/ – Keep your team connected and informed in real-time.
- Close (CRM): https://close.com/ – Manage your entire sales pipeline and track performance with ease.
- Make (formerly Integromat): https://www.make.com/en – A powerful automation platform for connecting your favorite apps and services.
Conclusion: Empowering Your Sales Team to Achieve More 🏆
By implementing this simple yet effective automation system, you can free up your sales team to focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing deals. Remember, the key is to create a system that works for everyone, minimizing manual effort and maximizing results.
