Lately, the Inbound concept is on the lips (and ears) of all marketing and sales professionals who consider being at the forefront, but apart from recognizing that Inbound is gaining special relevance in digital strategies of acquisition, conversion and activation of leads to customers. It is no less true that, above a strategy or execution process, it is critical to understand that we need a methodology that helps us integrate and orchestrate Inbound, Outbound or any other strategy aimed at conversion and sales closure. When I talk to sales managers and directors, they express their concern over the growing misunderstanding that Inbound Marketing is the magic formula for closing leads on automatic pilot. Without an agile methodology that allows mapping the sales process, I understand the purchase process, to ensure that it reflects how potential customers want us to accompany them in their purchase decision process, all the effort in the execution will likely be in vain.

I will try briefly in this post to clear doubts and clarify what is what and what each concept/discipline is for.

The first big difference that I would like to highlight is that Agile Sales is a methodology and not a running process, that is already the task of Inbound Sales. In other words, Agile Sales is the description of a few steps of a plan that must be carried out to systematise and automate processes in organisations. This helps us create a discipline so that the processes can be executed in the most agile way possible in the department.

Far from the typical Gantt charts, what is sought is to be able to define from an agile canvas to link concepts and strategic ideas in the short term, with the priorities of certain tasks of one or more departments (in this case, sales, marketing and general management). to unify in an understandable way the tasks and objectives pursued. Once all the tasks are defined by sprints (/ objectives by days, weeks, months of actions), then inbound sales execution comes into play.

Therefore, from our perspective and as a general starting point (then there are more models of actions, diagrams, etc.), an Agile Sales could be framed employing the plan that would be designed and fit perfectly in the own sales and marketing department or of our clients with their nuances, objectives, needs, etc. Once that plan was designed, then we would move on to executing sales through inbound sales tasks/actions.

My former consulting company, together with my partner, drew something like this. The rest is on Agile.

Despite it is in Spanish (use the Google Webpage translate tool) and visit Agile Sales Pro if you want to know more: