Definition: What are decentralized sales structures?
Before we begin with our main topic, I would like to explain briefly what is meant by decentralized sales structures. For us, this is a working concept for companies that primarily work with a central web presence, where they list their sales partners or branches with contact options.
One example is Promedica Plus, a franchise system for care of the elderly. When I want to search for contact details for my local contact partner, I enter my ZIP code and this will bring up a selection of contact partners closest to me.
Such companies can be found in the following industries:
- Franchise companies
- Car manufacturers and dealers
- Insurance companies
- Financial service providers
- Manufacturers with sales partners and/or branches
Decentralized sales structures: What is the challenge?
How can companies with decentralized sales structures confront this challenge?
Step 1
Especially when you have a decentralized structure, it’s important to make calls measurable in one way or another. As a first step, this can be done using a simple and affordable static call tracking system.
Step 2
As a next step, we can now start using dynamic Call Tracking with partners to track calls at user level, in order to generate findings for online marketing. If this cannot be rolled out for all partners (depends on factors such as online marketing budget, etc.), it is advisable to equip at least 10% of partners with dynamic call tracking in order to obtain measurements at keyword level. This will produce insights and data that will enable us to make better decisions, which will in turn optimize and reduce lead costs.
Step 3
This requires specialist knowledge – sometimes tracking outcomes via telephone keypad input is the most suitable means, sometimes via email, while in other projects, a connection to the CRM system present is the best way of going about things. There is a wide range of possibilities here to optimize your decentralized sales structure.
What results can be expected?
In the car trade, the ratio of contact forms to calls is sometimes 1:10, i.e. 10 calls come from one contact form. In the insurance sector, requests for expensive products like pensions and occupational disability insurance are primarily made in person.
Anyone whose job it is to optimize online marketing campaigns can see what effect opening this conversion treasure chest will have.
