Cierre del Embudo de Ventas - BOFU (Bottom of Funnel)

The sale is not the end of the road, but the beginning of a lasting relationship with the customer. Understanding the entire sales funnel process and measuring each stage is critical to optimizing your sales strategy. In this content we will explore the importance of closing sales, the metrics you should consider and how to maintain an ongoing relationship with your customers to maximize the value of each sale.

Why is closing sales just the beginning of business success?

At the end of the day, all marketing and sales strategies - the hexagon, the funnel, the customer journey, lead acquisition or social selling - are evaluated at the close, at the bottom of the funnel. This is where your prospects finally become customers, completing the last stage of the sales process. However, closing does not represent the end of the road, but the beginning of a business relationship that can be expanded.

To optimize this crucial phase, it is essential to understand and measure properly:

• The performance of each communication channel.
• The effectiveness of prospecting channels
• The performance of the sales team (or your own if you are an individual salesperson).

When you measure how many leads you capture in the first stage, how many go on to the next stage and what percentage make it through to a successful sale, you can identify strengths and weaknesses in your process. This measurement should be done for each channel and each salesperson, which will allow you to make both prospecting and selling much more effective.

How to identify your strengths and weaknesses in the sales process?

Analyzing your own performance is crucial to improve your results. For example:

• If you are good at capturing leads but bad at following up (resulting in a low conversion rate), you need to evaluate what help you require or how to improve your follow-up process.
• If, on the other hand, you are bad at capturing leads but good at maturing them, you should look for ways to improve your initial capture: look for referrals or learn from the experience of other sellers of your products or services.

Business metrics are finally reflected in this part of the funnel. Once you have understood your customer's needs and have started to help them with your product or service, there are only the last steps left: send the contract, send the quotation, negotiate and close the sale.

It is essential to maintain the same standard of service and communication throughout the process, avoiding the customer feeling that you have lost interest in them.

What comes after closing the sale?

Contrary to what many people think, the bottom of the funnel is not the last part of the sales process. After the initial sale, new opportunities open up:

1. Upselling: offering complementary or higher value products.
2. Loyalty: keep the customer satisfied to generate recurring purchases.
3. Referrals: turn your customers into ambassadors who will bring you new prospects.

The interesting thing is that these new prospects that come from referrals will not be as "cold" as the original customers. They will enter the funnel with a higher level of maturity, which facilitates their conversion.

To take advantage of these opportunities, you must:

• Maintain active communication channels with your customers.
• Offer additional services or products in an assertive manner.
• Understand how your customers can help you capture new prospects.

How do you maintain an ongoing relationship with your customers?

The sales cycle does not end with the transaction. You must continue to inform, communicate and build trust. As we saw in Hankins' hexagon, trust is achieved when you understand your customers, and this communication must remain active after the sale.

Some effective strategies include:

• Continuing your content strategy (blog, newsletter, etc.) and inviting your customers to visit.
• Providing information on how to make the best use of your product or service
• Perform periodic follow-ups via WhatsApp or other channels to know how they are doing with your product.
• Understand how they use your service or product to predict possible repurchases or subscription renewals.

Most importantly, measure each channel and the performance of each salesperson to develop a more effective strategy based on real data.

The sale is just the beginning of a business relationship that can be much more valuable if you nurture it properly. Implement these strategies in your sales process and see how they improve your long-term results. What techniques have you used to maintain customer relationships after the sale? Share your experience in the comments.