Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Sales Process for WordPress Masters

Effective Date: [DATE]
Document Owner: [REPRESENTATIVE_NAME], [REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]
Last Reviewed: [DATE]
Next Review Date: [DATE]

Purpose

This SOP outlines the sales process for [COMPANY_NAME], a WordPress Experts Marketplace, to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality interactions with prospects and clients. The goal is to maximize conversions, maintain high client satisfaction, and establish long-term relationships with businesses seeking expert WordPress services.

Scope

This SOP applies to all sales team members, including sales representatives, account managers, and business development personnel. It covers the end-to-end sales process, from prospecting to closing, and post-sale analysis.

Definitions

• Prospect: A potential client who has shown interest in hiring WordPress experts through [COMPANY_NAME].
• Discovery Call: An initial call to understand the prospect's needs, challenges, and goals.
• Proposal: A formal document outlining the scope of work, pricing, and terms for the services offered.
• Objection Handling: Addressing concerns or hesitations raised by the prospect during the sales process.
• Win/Loss Analysis: A review of closed deals to identify success factors or reasons for lost opportunities.

Responsibilities

Step-by-Step Sales Process

1. Prospecting Methods

Objective: Identify and qualify potential clients who need WordPress experts.
Tools: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Apollo.io, Hunter.io, CRM ([HubSpot], [Salesforce], or similar).

Steps:

1. Inbound Leads:
   - Monitor inquiries submitted via [WEBSITE_URL] and email ([EMAIL]).
   - Qualify leads using a scoring system based on project size, urgency, and budget.
   - Assign leads to sales representatives within 24 hours of receipt.

2. Outbound Prospecting:
   - Use LinkedIn to identify businesses in industries heavily reliant on WordPress (e.g., e-commerce, SaaS, digital agencies).
   - Research companies using WordPress via tools like BuiltWith or Wappalyzer.
   - Send personalized outreach emails highlighting [COMPANY_NAME]'s expertise and tagline: "Build right the first time."

3. Partnership Channels:
   - Collaborate with hosting providers, WordPress theme developers, and plugin creators to generate referrals.
   - Offer co-branded webinars or content to attract mutual audiences.

4. Networking:
   - Attend WordPress meetups, conferences (e.g., WordCamp), and industry events to build relationships.
   - Engage in relevant online communities (e.g., WordPress.org forums, Reddit, Facebook groups).

KPIs:
- Number of qualified leads generated per week.
- Conversion rate from lead to discovery call.

2. Discovery Call Framework

Objective: Understand the prospect's needs, challenges, and goals to position [COMPANY_NAME] as the ideal solution.

Steps:

1. Preparation:
   - Review the prospect's website, LinkedIn profile, and any submitted project details.
   - Prepare a list of tailored questions based on their industry and potential WordPress needs.

2. Call Agenda (30-45 minutes):
   - Introduction (5 minutes): Build rapport and provide a brief overview of [COMPANY_NAME].
   - Needs Assessment (15-20 minutes): Ask open-ended questions to uncover pain points, goals, and budget. Example questions:

   • "What challenges are you currently facing with your WordPress site?"
   • "What are your top priorities for this project?"
   • "Have you worked with WordPress experts before? If so, what worked well and what didn’t?"
   • Solution Overview (5-10 minutes): Share how [COMPANY_NAME] can address their needs, referencing relevant case studies or success stories.
   • Next Steps (5 minutes): Outline the proposal process and set expectations for timelines.

3. Follow-Up:
   - Send a summary email within 24 hours, recapping key points and confirming next steps.

KPIs:
- Percentage of discovery calls converted to proposals.
- Average time from discovery call to proposal delivery.

3. Proposal Creation Process

Objective: Deliver a clear, compelling proposal tailored to the prospect's needs.

Steps:

1. Template Customization:
   - Use the [COMPANY_NAME] proposal template.
   - Include a project overview, scope of work, timeline, deliverables, and pricing.

2. Pricing Strategy:
   - Base pricing on project complexity, estimated hours, and resource allocation.
   - Typical price points for WordPress expert services:

   • Small projects (e.g., plugin fixes): $500-$2,000.
   • Medium projects (e.g., custom theme development): $5,000-$15,000.
   • Large projects (e.g., enterprise WordPress solutions): $20,000+.

3. Review:
   - Have the proposal reviewed by the Sales Manager for accuracy and completeness.
   - Ensure all terms and conditions are clear and aligned with [COMPANY_NAME] policies.

4. Delivery:
   - Send the proposal via email within 3 business days of the discovery call.
   - Use proposal software (e.g., PandaDoc, Proposify) to track engagement.

KPIs:
- Proposal acceptance rate.
- Average time from proposal delivery to client decision.

4. Objection Handling Playbook

Objective: Address common objections specific to the WordPress Experts Marketplace niche.

Common Objections and Responses:

KPIs:
- Objection resolution rate.
- Percentage of objections leading to closed deals.

5. Pricing Presentation Strategy

Objective: Present pricing in a way that emphasizes value and ROI.

Steps:

1. Break down pricing into phases (e.g., discovery, development, testing, deployment).
2. Highlight the cost of potential risks avoided by working with experts.
3. Offer tiered pricing options (e.g., basic, standard, premium) to provide flexibility.
4. Emphasize the long-term benefits of a well-built WordPress solution (e.g., scalability, reduced maintenance costs).

6. Negotiation Guidelines

Objective: Close deals while maintaining profitability.

Guidelines:

1. Offer small concessions (e.g., extended payment terms) instead of discounts.
2. Use value-based negotiation: "If we reduce the price, we’ll need to adjust the scope to maintain quality."
3. Set a minimum acceptable margin for all deals (e.g., 30%).

7. Close Procedures

Objective: Finalize the deal and transition the client to the operations team.

Steps:

1. Confirm verbal agreement via email.
2. Send the contract for signature using e-signature software (e.g., DocuSign).
3. Collect the initial deposit (e.g., 50% upfront).
4. Introduce the client to the project manager and schedule a kickoff meeting.

KPIs:
- Time from verbal agreement to contract signature.
- Percentage of deals closed after proposal delivery.

8. Win/Loss Analysis

Objective: Identify factors contributing to successful and unsuccessful deals.

Steps:

1. Conduct a post-mortem for every closed deal (won or lost).
2. Document key insights:
   - Why the deal was won/lost.
   - Feedback from the client.
3. Share findings in monthly sales team meetings.

KPIs:
- Win rate (% of deals closed).
- Top 3 reasons for lost deals.

9. Commission/Incentive Structure Framework

Objective: Motivate the sales team to achieve and exceed targets.

Structure:

• Base Salary: Competitive base salary based on industry standards.
• Commission:
• 10% of revenue for deals under $10,000.
• 12% of revenue for deals between $10,001-$25,000.
• 15% of revenue for deals above $25,000.
• Bonuses: Quarterly bonuses for exceeding sales targets (e.g., $2,000 for achieving 120% of quota).

Review Cadence:
- Quarterly review of commission structure to ensure alignment with business goals.

Escalation Path

• Sales Representative → Sales Manager → Operations Manager → CEO

Review Cadence

• This SOP will be reviewed quarterly by the Sales Manager and updated as needed to reflect changes in market conditions, pricing, or business strategy.

Prepared by:
[REPRESENTATIVE_NAME]
[REPRESENTATIVE_TITLE]
[DATE]