Forget Fancy Features: Use Simplicity to Supercharge Sales

Many startups and sales teams are obsessed with finding the latest, feature-rich sales tools. However, the most important 'feature' is often overlooked – simplicity. Overly complex sales processes can actually cripple your startup, wasting time, money, and your biggest advantage: agility.

Why is complexity in sales so bad? 

Complexity is bad for a variety of reasons, which I'm sure you're more than aware of. But when you really begin to break it down, you start to see that not only is complexity bad, but it will snowball out of control if not handled correctly. 

Some teams are able to stop this from happening by hiring talented CRM or sales operations managers, which are costly and difficult to find. Other teams simply get bogged down by the complexity and have either a slower or non-existent go-to-market sales motion. 

I would even venture to say that it's pretty common to see startups never begin to sell their product because they can never overcome the complexity of their sales process. In some cases, teams will ditch their CRM entirely and adopt Excel just to try to make something work. Others will stick it out, invest in education, hire talented sales managers, and scale their sales team against all odds. 

So, what are the downsides? 

• Time to Launch: Complicated software with lots of integration takes time to set up. And in my experience, sometimes it can take years for a single tool to get set up. 
• Onboarding Timeline: Complexity not only takes time to set up but it takes time to teach. The more complex your software, the longer it's going to take to onboard each new team member.
• Lost Agility: Your biggest advantage as a startup is your agility. Complicated processes slow you down and hinder your ability to iterate quickly. This results in your team operating like a dying business that is aging out. 
• Overhead: Complexity usually means multiple tools, and multiple tools mean multiple subscriptions. If you can keep things simple, you’ll spend thousands in unnecessary expenses every year and even more as you scale.

Now, let’s dive into how to stop this from happening. 

How to simplify sales? 

There are two main ways to simplify sales: Software UX and Vertical Integration. Let’s break them down.

1. Focus on User-Friendly (UX) Software

Let's be honest: most sales tools are way too complex. Salesforce, for example, throws data points like "leads," "contacts," "accounts," and "opportunities" at you. Each has its own stages, and you think your team will keep everything updated after every call? Forget it. 

Salesforce’s UX is among the most customizable around. This also means it’s among the most confusing. This is why armies of sales operation teams are required at so many companies. 

Teams of people have to dedicate all their time to organize and map out these complicated CRMs and processes. 

But here's what they won’t tell you: most teams don't need all this complexity. They lack the experience to set it up effectively, and it ends up causing more confusion than clarity. 

Think about it: 

• How would you track all these data points? 
• What stages does each data type even need? 
• Do you need them all? 

If you don't know how to answer these questions, then you're apart of the 99% of people who will get bogged down by complicated CRMs. 

You don't want this complicated mess. Simplify your CRM and focus on what matters: closing deals. 

Remember, sales is about action, not data overload. Get clear, get focused, and watch your sales team scale.

2. Choose All-In-One Solutions

Choosing the right sales software is really important. Don't just pick the most popular tool and move on. Understand that some tools are better for reporting while others manage your whole sales process from start to finish. 

Picking an "end-to-end" tool that covers your entire sales funnel will save you from dealing with trying to connect a bunch of different software tools together. 

Most sales teams end up using different software for each step: 

• Finding leads 
• Verifying lead data 
• Email Outreach
• LinkedIn outreach
• Tracking deals and closing
• Reporting and analytics

Using one tool that does all these things means you won't have to waste time managing different integrations when things break. It makes your sales process smoother overall.

Our Recommendations:

• LeadLoft ($5/mo) and OutplayHQ ($79/mo) both offer integrated sales platforms worth checking out.
• Always test-drive sales software before committing. Put in the upfront work to find the right fit.

Wrapping Up

Your startup lives or dies by its ability to adapt quickly. Don't sacrifice this advantage for complex processes that will slow you down. Keep your sales simple, agile, and watch your business thrive.

And if your team needs help setting up a simple and effective sales process, feel free to book a time with our team here. We're more than happy to walk you through our own sales process and help you set it up yourself.