Sales channel guide
Which channel fits which sales need?
A channel describes how an opportunity is created, handled or developed. These choices help compare a sales professional’s experience with the actual needs of a mission.
How should you choose?
Select the channels the sales professional must master or that the mission will actually use.
You can combine several channels: for example, Social media to start the conversation, followed by Negotiation & signing to convert qualified opportunities.
- Cold prospecting
- Identify companies that have not yet shown interest, then initiate contact by phone, email or direct outreach. Choose this to create new opportunities from a defined target market.
- Inbound request management
- Qualify and handle requests already generated by the website, marketing, referrals or campaigns. Choose this when demand already exists and the need is to respond quickly, prioritize and convert.
- Field prospecting
- Meet prospects at their place of business and develop a territory through regular visits. Choose this when local presence, demonstrations or close relationships make the difference.
- Social media
- Create and nurture sales conversations on LinkedIn or other professional networks through interactions, content and direct messages. Choose this to build visibility and approach a target audience over time.
- Trade shows & events
- Prepare meetings before a trade show, represent the company on site and follow up afterwards. Choose this to turn a trade show, conference or business event into concrete opportunities.
- Negotiation & signing
- Take ownership of qualified opportunities through discovery, demos, objection handling, proposals, negotiation and signing. Choose this when a pipeline already exists and the objective is to close.
- Existing account development
- Grow the value of existing customers through renewals, retention, upselling, cross-selling or reactivation. Choose this to develop an existing account portfolio.
- Partner network
- Identify, recruit and enable introducers, referral partners, resellers or distribution partners. Choose this when ecosystem-led growth is more relevant than direct prospecting.
- Other
- Use this choice when the expected method does not fit any category above. Describe the channel, planned actions and intended outcome precisely in the brief.