Intro to Virtual Sales Assistants

As businesses continue to grow, so does the demand for more support. While many companies have access to a team of virtual assistants, these professionals typically focus on one or two tasks. Virtual sales assistants are another type of virtual assistant specifically trained and dedicated to sales. They provide virtual help because they do not meet face-to-face or work directly with end-users. These professionals take much of the stress of sales reps by handling their inbox, follow-up, scheduling, and other administrative tasks related to selling services or products.

Virtual Sales Assistants handle a company's sales process from beginning to end; they are not just assistants who work with sales reps on day-to-day tasks. With the assistance of a virtual sales assistant, businesses can scale back on administrative tasks and give reps more time to prospect new leads and nurture existing ones.

What Is A Virtual Sales Assistant?

Virtual Sales Assistants (VSA) are a new breed of salesperson who companies can hire to help sell their products and services. They can do this because they have access to a wide range of marketing material and information that can be used to promote the company's products online or over the phone.

Virtual sales assistants often work remotely, so they don't have to be tied to an office location. Instead, they use technology like email and phone calls to communicate with clients from wherever they happen to be at that moment in time.

The VSA is trained to use this information effectively so that they can guide customers through the sales process, including:

• Generating leads and converting them into sales

• Understanding customer needs, concerns, and objections

• Building rapport with the customer

• Setting expectations throughout the sales process

What Do Virtual Assistants Do?

A VSA will help you with all aspects of your sales process, from prospecting to closing the sale. They may also manage incoming leads and inquiries for your business, so you can spend more time ensuring that potential customers are happy and satisfied with your products or services.

Virtual sales assistants perform various tasks depending on their qualifications and skill level. Some of the most common duties include:

Perform Competitors' Research:

A virtual sales assistant may gather information about your competitors' services, products, and pricing to give you an edge over them in the marketplace. It can include finding out what they offer, how much it costs, their target market, and what makes them different from you or other companies in your industry. This way, you can set yourself apart from your competitors by offering something unique that they don't have or by offering a lower price point than they do on similar products or services.

Perform Prospects' Research:

Virtual sales assistants are responsible for researching potential leads that come into your pipeline through different channels, such as email, phone, social media, and websites. They may also be required to locate contact information for key decision-makers and gather information about competitors. The purpose is to put together all the relevant data you need to make a solid, informed decision about whether or not to contact the prospect.

Participate In Market Research:

As part of their job, many virtual assistants will be required to participate in market research and gather data about how consumers use products or services. The company can then use this information when developing new products or services.

Create And Handle Lead Databases:

A lead database contains information about potential buyers or clients who have expressed interest in your products or services by filling out an online form or contacting you directly via phone call or email message. Virtual sales assistants are responsible for collecting this information and adding it to a CRM system so that it's accessible by other members of your team when needed.

Set up And Maintain CRM:

Virtual assistants will also set up new customer records in CRMs such as Salesforce, Zendesk, or HubSpot, entering customer details such as contact information and any notes taken during customer conversations. They may also update existing records to reflect changes made by salespeople over time (e.g., adding notes about deals closed).

Set up Sales Automation:

Sales automation is an essential part of any modern sales team's workflow. Virtual assistants can set up automation programs that send automatic emails to prospects at specific times based on their responses or actions (e.g., if they don't reply after 7 days). They also help prospects by sending out cold emails to new leads (based on your CRM data) or schedule calls with current customers right after you get a sale from them.

Participate In Client Retention:

Virtual assistants can assist with client retention by scheduling appointments, sending reminders about upcoming events, and following up on customer satisfaction surveys. They can help develop customer loyalty by keeping clients updated on your company's new offerings and ensuring they are satisfied with your service levels.

Address Prospects:

Virtual assistants can help you manage your prospecting efforts by following up with potential clients via email or phone. They can also help create personalized messages for each contact based on information in your CRM system or even send out mass emails to prospective clients using an autoresponder series.

Manage Existing Accounts:

Suppose a client has already signed on with your business. In that case, virtual sales assistants manage their accounts by providing ongoing support, answering questions, making suggestions based on past behavior, and making recommendations for future purchases.

Serve As a Liaison Between Clients And Other Members Of Your Team:

The virtual assistant can be an intermediary between clients and other team members, such as sales representatives, customer support representatives, and accountants, so that no one is left out of the loop during the customer service process.

Compose Reports:

Virtual sales assistants can write reports to keep clients updated on their progress or provide regular updates on their business operations. These reports can be in the form of emails or letters, depending on what is required by the client.

Manage Social Media Activities:

Virtual assistants help their clients manage their social media accounts by responding to comments and answering questions from followers, posting updates, and scheduling posts at optimal times based on analytics data provided by social media analytics tools like Hootsuite or Bufferapp (which are free).

How Do Virtual Sales Assistants Support Your Sales?

Tracking calls.

A virtual assistant can quickly log into a CRM and ensure you don't forget to follow up on any calls. They can also do some of the grunt work of transcribing, typing out all of the notes, and sending them back so that you can take the information back and type it up in real-time.

Working out potential agreements.

Let's say you've spoken to a prospect on the phone for 30 minutes or more. As you continue the conversation, you'd like to record a meeting for that same prospect. When you send the script out, include a clause about the written agreement you have before the phone call starts. This way, you can change it if it's not working.

Backing up your information.

Virtual assistants have some of the strongest computer skills around. Don't leave those important meetings or sales calls to your staff. Make sure they have access to your virtual assistants' notes and information. For example, if your virtual assistant receives calls from potential customers and notes everything about the call, be sure to let your staff know.

Speaking with investors.

If you're in a high-growth phase, speaking with investment firms and people at other startups may be best. Often, these executives introduce you to potential investors and help you write your press releases. Your virtual assistant must have all of your conversations recorded and ready to go.

Delegating your workload.

Let's say you're managing a huge team. Most people aren't comfortable delegating, but virtual assistants are often great at it. It is a good way to get an extra set of hands to keep your business running smoothly while you work on more important tasks.

Getting dressed for a meeting.

If you want to be the best you can be, you need to dress your best and know what to wear. While you could invest in a personal wardrobe for your virtual assistant, you can save money by outsourcing this process.

The Benefits Of Having A Virtual Sales Assistant

• Virtual sales assistants can be a great way to expand your business without increasing overhead.

• They are more affordable than full-time employees, allowing you to test their services before committing to a full-time employee.

• You can hire them for short periods if you need help with a specific project or campaign. It means that you don't have to keep them around if they aren't meeting your expectations and goals from the start. If they meet your expectations, you can keep them on board long-term!

• If you are starting and don't have much capital yet, this is a great way to get some help without spending too much money upfront or risk losing money if things don't work out between the two of you (as is often the case when hiring employees).

• Many virtual sales assistants are agents, so you can't be kicked out if you don't like what they are selling.

• They can be your salesperson, admin, and in-house marketing specialist, all rolled into one.

• Some virtual sales assistants even offer sales experience to your business. They can teach your employees how to sell your products and services, saving you time and money in the long run. It will allow you to focus on other areas of your business.

Final Thought

A virtual sales assistant can greatly help your sales process and take care of tasks such as lead qualification, scheduling demos, and follow-up calls. They can do a lot to help sales teams increase productivity and sales. A virtual sales assistant can be a great investment if you're looking to expand your business online.