There are many types of leads that sales reps encounter while conducting inside sales. Therefore, it is crucial to identify leads and classify them according to their attributes. If the leads are not classified based on their priorities and the solutions they need, then the reps will have to nurture every lead, including the ones that are not qualified to become a prospective buyer.

Imagine how much time will be wasted doing that, not to mention the productivity that will be hampered. To avoid these circumstances and to understand the importance of an SQM, it is important to learn about the stages involved in an inbound sales cycle.

Stages of a sales cycle

1. Visitors

Anyone who stops by your site to explore it.

2. Leads

When the visitor provides you with their information by taking some CTA or filling up a form online.

3. MQLs

When the marketers confirm that the lead is qualified to work upon to educate about the product and its solutions, it’s a marketing qualified lead.

4. SQLs

When the MQLs are discovered as fit enough to initiate a sales conversation for direct pitching, they become sales qualified leads.

5. Opportunity

When the SQL confirms that your company can provide a solution to their pain points, and they are ready to continue with the sales process.

6. Customers

When the deal is signed after the final sales conversation, opportunities become customers.

What are SQMs?

Sales qualified meetings or SQMs are when the lead agrees to continue the sales conversation and is ready to close a deal with your company. SQMs are based on successfully planned inside sales campaigns. A lead goes through the above-mentioned stages in a sales cycle to finally transform into a customer when they agree to attend an SQM. Every inside sales campaign is focused on a specific objective, which is to manage the sales process aptly that can lead to an increase in the quantity of SQMs. The higher the SQMs, the more is your likelihood of achieving increased revenues. Learn more about SQM.

Why SQM is considered a guarantee for lead conversion

While the B2B decision-makers understand how valuable are sales qualified leads (SQLs), it is also crucial for them to know how Sales Qualified Meetings can help them convert leads into paying customers. By agreeing to attend an SQM, your lead has already given you their consent to continue the ongoing sales process as they have gone through the nurturing and necessary communication by the reps and are considering to buy your product or service. And that’s why, when a lead is deemed as sales qualified, the reps must not delay the process and quickly set up SQM to convert that qualified lead into a customer.

 

However, generating sales qualified meetings is not everyone’s cup of tea as it requires a continuous focus on multiple aspects and takes considerable time and effort. In such a case, it’s always best to partner with an expert and outsource your inside sales lead generation to achieve maximum ROI. 

With an experience of generating 10,000+ sales qualified meetings, FunnL provides you with an ultimate all-in-one Inside Sales Platform that allows you to create, manage, measure, and optimize your inside sales campaign so that you can win maximum SQMs for your business. Contact FunnL to grow and develop your business and to boost your ROI.