Fix these 4 issues to increase your conversion rates as a SMB!

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For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), every lead is valuable. In a competitive market, where sales teams are often juggling multiple roles, it’s essential to streamline the path from lead generation to conversion. Revenue Operations (RevOps) can offer SMBs the tools and processes to overcome common sales obstacles, ensuring more leads turn into customers. Below, we highlight four foundational fixes that can help SMBs boost their conversion rates without overwhelming resources.

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1. Your CRM Has to Be the Foundation of Your Revenue House!

For any revenue process to be successful, you need a reliable CRM system as its foundation. For SMBs, where resources are often limited, a clean and organized CRM can be a game-changer. Yet, issues like duplicate records, outdated contact information, and inconsistent data entry can undermine even the best outreach strategies. If the CRM isn’t a trustworthy resource, your team may struggle to locate the right leads and deliver timely follow-ups, slowing down the entire sales process.

To make your CRM the solid foundation of your revenue house, start with regular data audits. Set simple, clear guidelines for data entry that everyone can follow, and leverage data enrichment tools if possible to keep contacts and company details updated. With a cleaner CRM, your team can save time by focusing on high-potential leads and executing outreach more effectively.

Additionally, with a well-maintained CRM and clear documentation, SMBs can ensure that the company, not individual sales reps, truly owns each deal. This level of transparency reduces the risks associated with reps exclusively managing their own client pipelines. When all interactions, updates, and client notes are consistently documented within the CRM, the business as a whole gains visibility into each lead’s status and relationship history.

If a sales rep leaves or moves to a new role, the rest of the team can continue nurturing client relationships without any loss of momentum or critical information. This transparency is invaluable in safeguarding against disruptions in the sales pipeline, as it means that any team member can pick up and engage with leads or clients seamlessly. With shared ownership of client data, SMBs not only reduce the dependency on individual reps but also create a more resilient sales process that can adapt to changes in personnel without risking revenue.

However, if you do not use a state-of-the-art in you company currently, you should strongly consider implementing a beginner friendly CRM such as Hubspot or Pipedrive. If your sales motions are very complex, or your company is already more mature, Salesforce might be the right CRM solution instead. Keep in mind that a CRM is not a system which you set up once and never have to touch it again. Just like a fruit tree, a CRM needs constant maintenance and adjustments to yield you the best results!

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2. Strict Qualification is Key!

In smaller organizations, where team members often juggle multiple roles, lead qualification can sometimes be overlooked. Without clear standards in place, sales reps may end up spending time on leads that don’t align with your business’s ideal customer profile, ultimately impacting conversion rates and slowing down sales momentum.

For SMBs, creating a straightforward lead qualification framework ensures that the team focuses on leads with real conversion potential. One of the most effective ways to do this is by establishing clear definitions for MQLs and SQLs within your CRM system and using a basic lead scoring model to prioritize outreach.

• MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead): An MQL is a lead that has shown interest in your offerings and meets basic criteria but isn’t ready for direct sales contact yet. These leads might have engaged with your marketing materials, signed up for a newsletter, or downloaded a resource.
  Example: A visitor who reads a blog post and subscribes to your newsletter could be marked as an MQL. Marketing would continue to nurture this lead until it’s ready for further qualification.
  
  
• SQL (Sales Qualified Lead): An SQL is a lead that has been vetted by both marketing and sales, meeting more specific sales criteria and signaling that they’re ready for direct engagement with a sales rep. This is often based on factors like company size, decision-making role, and expressed buying intent.
  Example: If the MQL from above requests a demo or consultation, they’d become an SQL. At this point, the sales team would take over, focusing on relationship-building and guiding them through the sales process.

By defining MQLs and SQLs, SMBs can create a lead qualification model that helps prioritize high-potential leads, allowing the team to focus on closing deals that matter. This approach not only saves time but also increases conversion rates by aligning sales efforts with leads most likely to convert.

Beyond MQL and SQL criteria, having a clear ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) is crucial. For SMBs with limited resources, it’s important not to chase every opportunity but to focus on leads that genuinely fit your ICP and are likely to derive value from your solution. If a lead doesn’t align with your ICP, it’s best to disqualify it early to avoid wasting resources on deals unlikely to close. This approach ensures that your team can invest their time in the opportunities with the highest potential, driving sustainable growth and maximizing productivity.

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3. Internal Handovers Lose You Clients!

For SMBs, a smooth handover process between Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and Account Executives (AEs) is essential. With limited sales resources, even minor delays or miscommunications during handovers can lead to missed opportunities. When SDRs and AEs don’t have a consistent process for passing leads, valuable prospects risk slipping through the cracks, resulting in disengaged leads, lost revenue, and lower customer satisfaction.

In smaller teams, where everyone’s time is at a premium, a streamlined handover process is critical to maximizing efficiency. Here’s how SMBs can create a simple yet effective handover process:

1. Define Clear Handover Criteria: Establish specific criteria that a lead must meet before it’s passed from an SDR to an AE. For example, criteria could include lead engagement levels, buying intent signals, or readiness to discuss a sales proposal. These criteria should align with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) definitions, ensuring that only leads with genuine potential are handed over. This way, SDRs can focus on qualifying leads effectively, while AEs dedicate their time to closing high-potential deals.
   Example: An SMB offering marketing software might set handover criteria such as (a) the lead has requested a demo, (b) they have a marketing budget above a specified amount, and (c) they are actively seeking a solution in the next quarter. If all three criteria are met, the SDR would pass the lead to an AE.
   
   
2. Document the Handover Process: Ensure that each step of the handover is documented in a simple, accessible format—like a checklist or shared document in your CRM. SDRs should update key information on the lead’s background, pain points, preferred communication channels, and any relevant details that the AE will need for a smooth transition. This prevents information loss, ensuring the AE can immediately jump into the conversation with context, avoiding repetitive questions, and creating a seamless experience for the lead.
   Example: When an SDR qualifies a lead, they update the CRM with details such as the lead’s current challenges, preferred times for contact, and any previous product interactions. This information is tagged under “Handover Notes,” visible to the AE and accessible whenever they follow up.
   
   
3. Set Up Automated CRM Alerts: Automate alerts within your CRM to notify both SDRs and AEs when a lead has been qualified and is ready for handover. These alerts can include all relevant lead details and any next steps for the AE. Automated alerts also help track follow-ups, reducing the likelihood of leads falling through the cracks, even in cases where an SDR or AE is handling multiple leads simultaneously.
   Example: Suppose an SDR flags a lead as qualified in the CRM. This triggers an automated email and dashboard notification to the assigned AE, complete with a checklist of follow-up actions, such as “schedule a demo within 48 hours” or “send an introductory email.”
   
   
4. Conduct Regular Handoff Reviews: Establish a weekly or biweekly check-in between SDRs and AEs to review recently handed-over leads, ensuring nothing is missed and that AEs are following up appropriately. These meetings provide an opportunity to address any gaps in the process, refine handover criteria, and make adjustments based on recent sales performance or feedback.
   Example: During a Friday review session, SDRs and AEs discuss any issues encountered with recent handovers, such as delays or missing lead details, and make necessary tweaks to ensure the process flows better in the coming week.
   
   
5. Provide Post-Handoff Support: After a lead is handed over, the SDR can still provide support to the AE by sharing any new information they come across or helping with administrative tasks. This keeps the handoff flexible and responsive to any new insights, allowing the AE to stay focused on nurturing and converting leads.
   Example: If the SDR learns that the lead is comparing other solutions, they update the AE with this intel to tailor the follow-up approach.

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A well-designed handover process ensures that every qualified lead receives timely, consistent attention from your sales team, which can significantly impact conversion rates and customer satisfaction. By eliminating gaps in communication, SMBs can optimize every step of the sales pipeline, making the most of their resources and increasing the likelihood of closing each high-potential lead.

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4. Automation Enables Your Revenue Organization!

SMBs often operate with lean teams, which makes it challenging to keep up with repetitive tasks like follow-up emails, appointment scheduling, and CRM updates. Without automation, these tasks can quickly pile up, taking valuable time away from sales reps who could otherwise be engaging leads on a more personal level. When your team is overloaded with manual tasks, response times may slow, lowering the likelihood of timely engagement and potentially losing interested prospects to competitors.

Automation can be a game-changer here. Even simple, affordable tools can streamline repetitive tasks and free up time for your sales team to focus on high-impact interactions. Below are a few ways automation can work for SMBs, along with examples:

1. Automated Email Sequences for Follow-Ups: Automation software can handle follow-up emails, so your sales team doesn’t need to send reminders manually. For example, if a prospect downloads a white paper, an automated email sequence can be set to send a “Thank You” email immediately, followed by a series of nurturing emails every few days. This sequence might include a product overview, customer success stories, and a call-to-action for a demo request, all without sales reps needing to lift a finger.
   Example: An SMB providing digital marketing software could set up an automated sequence for leads who engage with their content. Once a prospect signs up for a free guide, an automated workflow could trigger an email series that (a) thanks them for downloading, (b) sends additional helpful resources, and (c) invites them to book a demo with a rep. This follow-up runs automatically, so the sales team can focus on prospects who are further along in the buying journey.
   
   
2. Appointment Scheduling Automation: Rather than going back and forth on email to set up a meeting time, automated scheduling tools like Calendly or HubSpot can simplify the process. Reps can send prospects a scheduling link, allowing the prospect to choose a time that works for them, with all meeting details automatically synced to the rep’s calendar. This eliminates the hassle of coordination and ensures that prospects can easily book time with your team when interest is high.
   Example: A rep at an SMB receives an email from a lead expressing interest in a demo. Instead of playing email tag to find a convenient time, the rep includes a scheduling link in their reply. The lead can view available time slots and schedule the meeting directly, reducing delay and making the process easy for both parties. The automation tool then syncs the appointment details with the rep’s CRM and calendar, keeping all information organized and accessible.
   
   
3. CRM Workflows for Lead Management: Automated workflows within the CRM can handle a range of tasks, from updating lead status to sending reminders and notifications. For example, a workflow could be set up to automatically change a lead’s status to “MQL” after they complete certain actions (e.g., visiting a specific page or filling out a form). Automated reminders can also notify reps when a lead has been inactive for a specified period, prompting a follow-up. This ensures no lead falls through the cracks, even if reps are balancing many prospects at once.
   Example: An SMB’s CRM is set up to change a lead’s status to “Hot Lead” when they visit a product page more than three times within a week. This change triggers an alert, notifying the sales rep to reach out with a personalized message. At the same time, the CRM updates the lead’s record, adding an automated note about their interest in the product. This workflow helps prioritize leads without reps needing to comb through CRM data manually.

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With RevOps-driven automation, SMBs can keep their teams responsive and organized, even when resources are tight. These small automations free up time for higher-value activities—like personalized outreach, consultations, and relationship-building—allowing SMBs to engage more leads without needing to expand their team.

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Conclusion

In the fast-paced, competitive world of SMBs, maximizing every lead opportunity is essential for growth. By focusing on these four foundational areas—building a clean CRM, enforcing strict lead qualification, streamlining internal handovers, and incorporating automation—SMBs can significantly enhance their conversion rates and drive revenue more efficiently. Implementing RevOps principles doesn’t have to be complicated or resource-intensive; even small changes can yield substantial returns.

A strong CRM foundation, clear qualification standards, efficient handover processes, and well-placed automation allow SMBs to focus on high-potential leads and provide a better, more responsive customer experience. By prioritizing these core improvements, SMBs can turn more leads into loyal customers, making the most of limited resources while driving sustainable growth. Embracing RevOps can give your team the structure and support they need to succeed, setting your business up for long-term success.

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