Business Profile (Sample Case)
B2B Accounting & Tax Advisory Firm for SMEs
Location-agnostic, serving businesses with annual turnover of USD 100k–2M
Current Situation
- Strong technical expertise
- Leads come mainly from referrals and WhatsApp inquiries
- No structured follow-up
- Long sales cycle (2–8 weeks)
- Many prospects go silent after initial contact
This sales strategy is designed to increase conversion without hiring sales staff, reduce lost leads, and introduce a predictable follow-up system that feels professional but human.
1. Sales Problem Definition
The core challenge is not lead generation — it is lead leakage.
Prospects typically:
- Inquire about services
- Receive an initial response or proposal
- Delay decision-making
- Go silent due to price sensitivity, internal approvals, or poor timing
Currently, once a prospect goes quiet, there is no consistent follow-up. This results in:
- Lost revenue
- Over-reliance on referrals
- Inconsistent monthly cash flow
The firm does not need aggressive selling. It needs structured persistence.
2. Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
The target customer is a business owner or finance manager who:
- Runs a growing SME
- Feels overwhelmed by compliance and tax obligations
- Values reliability and professionalism over the cheapest option
- Is risk-averse and prefers trusted advisors
Buying decisions are slow and trust-based. This means sales must feel consultative, not transactional.
3. Sales Objective
The sales strategy aims to:
- Increase lead-to-client conversion rates
- Shorten response delays
- Recover “lost” prospects through intelligent follow-up
- Reduce manual chasing by staff
- Maintain a premium, professional brand image
Success is measured by:
- Conversion rate per inquiry
- Time from first contact to engagement
- Revenue recovered from follow-ups
4. Sales Model: Consultative Follow-Up System
This business does not benefit from hard selling or discount-driven tactics. Instead, the recommended model is:
Consultative sales supported by automated, personalized follow-up
The goal is to remain present in the prospect’s mind without pressure.
5. Lead Handling Strategy
Initial Inquiry Response (Day 0)
Every inquiry should receive a structured response that:
- Acknowledges the prospect’s situation
- Clarifies next steps
- Sets expectations
Example positioning:
- “We help SMEs stay compliant while freeing up management time.”
- “We typically start with a short review call or document assessment.”
This positions the firm as methodical and professional.
Follow-Up Strategy (Core Differentiator)
Instead of one reminder, the strategy uses a multi-touch follow-up sequence spread over time.
Recommended structure:
- Follow-up 1 (Day 3–5): Gentle check-in
- Follow-up 2 (Day 10–14): Value-based reminder (e.g. compliance risks, deadlines)
- Follow-up 3 (Day 21–30): Re-engagement or soft close
Each follow-up references:
- The prospect’s original concern
- Relevant deadlines or risks
- A clear but non-pushy call to action
This dramatically increases responses without damaging trust.
6. Objection Handling Strategy
Common objections in this business include:
- “We’re still considering options”
- “We need to discuss internally”
- “Your fees are higher than others”
Instead of reacting defensively, the sales strategy embeds objection handling into follow-up messaging.
Examples:
- Educating prospects on the cost of non-compliance
- Emphasizing long-term savings over short-term fees
- Highlighting experience, responsiveness, and risk mitigation
This reframes price from a cost into an insurance-like investment.
7. Proposal Strategy
Proposals should:
- Be simple and clearly structured
- Focus on outcomes, not just tasks
- Avoid excessive technical jargon
Each proposal should clearly answer:
- What problem is being solved
- What is included
- What happens next
A follow-up email referencing the proposal should always be scheduled, rather than relying on the prospect to respond.
8. Sales Automation & AI Support
AI is used behind the scenes, not visibly.
Applications include:
- Generating personalized follow-up emails
- Adapting tone based on prospect responses
- Scheduling reminders automatically
- Tracking follow-up progress per lead
This ensures no lead is forgotten while preserving a human, professional tone.
9. Internal Sales Discipline
To ensure consistency:
- Every inquiry is logged
- Every proposal has a follow-up schedule
- Every lead has a clear status (new, active, dormant, converted)
This simple discipline alone can increase revenue without additional marketing spend.
10. 60-Day Implementation Plan
Weeks 1–2
- Define standard inquiry response
- Create follow-up templates
- Set up lead tracking
Weeks 3–4
- Implement automated follow-ups
- Train staff on consultative responses
Weeks 5–8
- Monitor response rates
- Refine messaging
- Identify high-converting patterns
11. Expected Outcomes
If implemented consistently, this strategy should:
- Recover dormant leads
- Improve cash flow predictability
- Reduce staff workload
- Increase perceived professionalism
- Strengthen long-term client relationships
12. Conclusion
This sales strategy is designed for businesses where trust matters more than speed. By combining human expertise with structured follow-up and intelligent automation, the firm can close more deals without becoming sales-heavy or aggressive.