I started inside sales, which was previously untouched by the company, simply by trying to follow THE MODEL straightforwardly.

Specifically, it involves calling leads that requested information and converting them into meetings.

I am fundamentally the type who dislikes making phone calls, even opting for LINE or online requests for things like parcel redelivery.
At my regular hair salon, I have known them for a long time, so I can relatively call without hesitation, but I think if other means were available, I wouldn’t call.

For someone like me, the hurdle of calling a completely unknown lead who has requested information is honestly high, and I have made various excuses to avoid it until now.
However, to establish a sales team, I thought I couldn't keep making excuses and started doing it.

I recently made my debut in inside sales. I feel like I've grown a little as a human...!

— Kazuki Shibata｜microCMS (@shibe97) September 28, 2023

From the perspective of a typical sales person, they might think, 'What is this guy talking about...' but, well, everyone has their own feelings.

What I Discovered

Before I actually tried, I thought that people who wanted to have discussions would inquire without needing a phone call, and that just making calls wouldn’t significantly change the number of meetings.

This was a mistake; there is a common state of 'being interested but not going so far as to inquire.' If the moment is missed, this state can easily be lost.

Requesting information is inherently done for some reason. It might be surprisingly overlooked that, 'No one requests information without a specific reason.'

When I made calls, they were surprisingly positive. This completely shattered my preconceived notions.

In fact, there were cases where they were eagerly waiting for my call. There was hardly any rejection, mostly gratitude.

I was personally quite shocked.

Product Testimonials as a Strength

The company had previously focused entirely on the product, growing the ARR to hundreds of millions solely through word-of-mouth.

If the testimonials are good, the quality of inbound inquiries naturally improves.

Since requests for information are a form of inbound inquiry, good testimonials greatly enhance the motivation during that process.

This has a significant impact on the meeting rate.

As I mentioned earlier, the fact that most people are positive when called is completely due to our product.

While sales directly generate revenue, the product influences customer satisfaction and testimonials, which means it seems to be further from revenue.

Therefore, management tends to prioritize sales, but we must not forget that the testimonials generated by the product provide powerful tailwinds for sales.

Inside Sales Know-How

At the very least, what can be said to be definitely important is to have various patterns of scripts prepared.
This alone can significantly reduce psychological anxiety.

Approaching calls without a script is as reckless as going into a presentation without presentation materials.
In my case, I prepare a slightly adjusted script tailored to each person I call every time.

Voicemail is also very important. It's essential to have a well-prepared message for when you reach the voicemail.
I feel like leaving a message results in callbacks more than 50% of the time. Japanese people have a wonderful sense of duty...!
If I get a callback, it’s almost a guaranteed win.

And one more thing.

When a meeting is confirmed over the phone, if I say
'I will send a schedule adjustment email to the email address you registered'
'Please do,'
there is a chance they might ignore the email once it's sent, but I have had very few experiences of that happening.

There is a psychological mechanism that makes one feel obligated to keep promises made with a real person over the phone.

— Kazuki Shibata｜microCMS (@shibe97) October 17, 2023

This seems to relate to 'commitment and consistency' mentioned in an article from a year ago. Looking back at it now, with my sales experience, I find it quite compelling.

Interestingly, there are cases where you connect to the company’s reception, and if you're not prepared, you can’t respond immediately.
At the very least, you need to make sure to note the person's department and name.

Conclusion

I’m still inexperienced, but I have tried to lay out what I’ve realized and learned transparently.

It’s essential to try things first above all.
For now, I'd like to carve out my own path and later see if I can systematize it.

Moreover, in our case, it seems that sales also require engineering knowledge, so finding someone who can take over this area seems quite challenging...

If there’s anyone who thinks they fit the bill, please feel free to contact me.