{"id":8524,"date":"2023-07-14T11:57:49","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T11:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/?p=8524"},"modified":"2026-03-12T07:19:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T07:19:41","slug":"sales-force-automation-sfa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Force Automation (SFA): An Easy Guide To Help You Get Started"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sales force automation may seem contradictory for a field that relies on the human touch, but it&#8217;s essential to your sales process. While sales is indeed a people-oriented profession, incorporating automation into your sales operations can significantly enhance your team&#8217;s productivity and effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p>By streamlining various activities and managing crucial tasks, sales force automation software empowers your team to focus more on building relationships and closing deals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>According to a research study,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/kenkrogue\/2018\/01\/10\/why-sales-reps-spend-less-than-36-of-time-selling-and-less-than-18-in-crm\/?sh=15f2d3f9b998\"> sales representatives only spend 35% of their time<\/a> actually selling. The rest of the day is taken by repetitive, administrative tasks. This directly impacts productivity, which is why automation tools are such a necessity.<br \/>\n<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re a growing business, you must have come across Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/best-crm-automation-software\">CRM<\/a> has become a fundamental tool for businesses of all sizes to effectively manage their interactions with customers, streamline processes, and improve overall customer satisfaction. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it&#8217;s important to note that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/cloud-based-crm-software\">CRM<\/a> goes beyond just customer management\u2014it also encompasses sales force automation (SFA) systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you haven&#8217;t already implemented a sales force automation system as part of your sales processes, we highly recommend delving into this in-depth guide to understand its immense benefits and potential impact on your business.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The global sales force automation software market is expected to reach $7,773 million by 2023, owing to increase in need for tracking mechanism, rise in investment on IT infrastructures, and surge in need to streamline the sales processes. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.alliedmarketresearch.com\/sales-force-automation-software-market\">Allied Market Research<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>This guide will demonstrate the need for sales force automation systems for your teams, SFA features and benefits, and how you can find the right SFA system for your business.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#What_Is_Sales_Force_Automation_SFA\" >What Is Sales Force Automation (SFA)?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#Why_Is_Sales_Force_Automation_Important\" >Why Is Sales Force Automation Important?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#Key_Features_of_Sales_Force_Automation\" >Key Features of&nbsp;Sales Force Automation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#Sales_Force_Automation_Vs_CRM\" >Sales Force Automation Vs CRM<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#4_Main_Sales_Processes_That_You_Can_Automate\" >4 Main Sales Processes That You Can Automate<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-force-automation-sfa\/#Wrap_Up\" >Wrap Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Sales_Force_Automation_SFA\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">What Is Sales Force Automation (SFA)?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales force automation, or SFA, is the automation of key steps in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-process\/\">sales process<\/a>, using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/crm-automation\">automation<\/a> tools, which are often software-as-a-service (SaaS) products. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;\">By using sales automation software, sales teams can automate most of their repetitive tasks and organize their workload in a way that helps them focus more on making direct sales.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practical reasons for using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techimply.com\/software\/salesforce-automation-software\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">sales force automation software<\/a> are to reduce the amount of time salespeople spend on manual tasks, and redirect their focus towards nurturing fruitful, long-lasting customer relationships. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, sales force automation software helps your teams automate sales tasks like the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finding the leads that are the most qualified and thus viable, because they have a higher chance of buying.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generating reports using accurate data and metrics, so a sales rep doesn\u2019t have to spend all day (or even several days) shooting in the dark.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assigning leads to the right members of the sales teams, so the most qualified sales reps handle the highest-priority leads.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatically scheduling appointments online to free up everybody&#8217;s time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/what-is-a-sales-pipeline\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tracking the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sales pipeline<\/span><\/a> &#8212; sales pipeline management<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> agents receive alerts when leads make their way through the pipeline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automating time-consuming parts of the sales processes, like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/best-times-send-emails\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sending welcome emails<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or follow-ups.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The below image perfectly demonstrates why many sales departments are not able to meet their quotas and efficiency ratings. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1798px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intercom.com\/blog\/sales-automation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.intercomassets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Salesforce-State-of-Sales-report.png\" alt=\"Sales force automation - Sales reps time allocation\" width=\"1798\" height=\"1304\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Intercom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Is_Sales_Force_Automation_Important\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Why Is Sales Force Automation Important?<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales automation can boost productivity and increase sales by 30%. When you optimize your sales processes, you automatically improve your company\u2019s revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The video below summarizes a few benefits of implementing sales automation.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"What Is Sales Automation: 7 Ways You Can Benefit From It\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bStiiu4ptjk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s look at some more benefits of sales force automation in detail now.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Saves time<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s only so many hours in a day and when your sales people spend most of those hours completing administrative tasks, they neglect their actual job of selling. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reps themselves may not even realize how little time is left for sales activities until they see their weekly or monthly sales numbers and stop to wonder why these are so low.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By automating routine tasks, your sales people will have more time to focus on the essential aspects of their job.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Increases revenue<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manual tasks may seem simple but they take up a lot of time. SFA tools and systems can automate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/crm-process\">sales process<\/a> and that reduces sales-related costs. This is undoubtedly one of the best sales force automation benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales team can spend that time effectively &#8212; by closing more deals and winning new customers. Furthermore, when you reduce administrative workload, you ensure that your sales structure is a streamlined, revenue-driven process.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n            <script>\r\n                var EhAPI = EhAPI || {}; \r\n                EhAPI.after_load = function() {\r\n                    EhAPI.set_account('ktb76s1540fl2hnhbqnrtd2npb', 'our');\r\n                    EhAPI.execute('rules');\r\n                };\r\n                (function(d, s, f) {\r\n                    var sc = document.createElement(s);\r\n                    sc.type = 'text\/javascript';\r\n                    sc.async = true;\r\n                    sc.src = f;\r\n                    var m = document.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\r\n                    m.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, m);   \r\n                })(document, 'script', '\/\/d2p078bqz5urf7.cloudfront.net\/jsapi\/ehform.js');\r\n            <\/script>\r\n            <script>\r\n                function waitForEhForms() {\r\n                    const interval = 100; \/\/ Check every 100ms\r\n                    const checkAndLoad = () => {\r\n                        const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);\r\n                        const elementorPreviewParam = params.get('elementor-preview');\r\n                        if (elementorPreviewParam && typeof EhForms !== 'undefined' && typeof EhForms.loadForms === 'function') {\r\n                            EhForms.loadForms();\r\n                            console.log('EhForms.loadForms() called successfully.');\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            setTimeout(checkAndLoad, interval);\r\n                        }\r\n                    };\r\n                    checkAndLoad();\r\n                }\r\n                \/\/ Call the function\r\n                waitForEhForms();\r\n            <\/script>\r\n        <div class='engage-hub-form-embed' id='eh_form_5161654467690496' data-id='5161654467690496'><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Introduces opportunities for cross-selling and upselling<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every salesperson knows that cross-selling and up-selling is the key to maintaining a consistent revenue above the threshold. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The opportunities for cross-selling and upselling exist in many sales scenarios. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If done properly, cross-sells and upsells can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/business-functions\/strategy-and-corporate-finance\/our-insights\/the-strategy-and-corporate-finance-blog\/the-art-of-cross-selling\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase your company\u2019s revenue by 30%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, when a sales agent gets bogged down with administrative tasks and other duties that don\u2019t make the company any money, they end up depriving the business of better revenue opportunities.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Sales force automation systems can help you keep track of the entire customer journey &#8212; what your customers have bought, why they&#8217;ve bought certain products and not others, which sales rep made which sales, and so on.<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can then identify plenty of opportunities, and nudge your customers to become more receptive to buying other products from your business. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Provides actionable insights and data<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales force automation systems can track customer interactions and activities to give a complete overview of your sales cycle. SFA tools can provide actionable insights that can help sales teams and sales managers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-process\/\">draft the right sales strategy<\/a> to increase sales.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, sales force automation tools know your customers\u2019 buying history and trends, and can predict opportunities for future sales based on that. Additionally, they can also help your sales personnel understand when exactly they can pitch new products to their customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-tools\/\">Read also: Top 10 Tools You Need to Empower Your Sales Team<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Features_of_Sales_Force_Automation\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Key Features of&nbsp;Sales Force Automation<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By this point, you\u2019re likely considering a sales force automation tool or software for your company so you can leverage the power of sales automation software for your sales department.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SFA tools offer a wide range of functionalities and features. In fact, many of them won\u2019t be of any use to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/marketing-automation-small-businesses\">small business<\/a>. Here, we\u2019ve compiled a list of essential features that all SFA tools should have for the optimum automation experience, no matter the company size.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Contact Management<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales folks know it and you do as well: your contacts are everything. These are the leads who eventually become your customers, even repeat customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, a bad introduction or poor customer interactions between a lead and a sales representative could kill the deal before it ever really gets off the ground.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This functionality ensures that your teams have the right tools for creating, storing, and building a contact database that offers relevant information, quickly and easily. Contact management in SFA also involves keeping track of inbound and outbound client communication.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Mobile Usability<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales agents are busy people. Besides the administrative tasks they handle as well as their own sales activities, they also probably travel to earn your company even more sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want your teams to have a portable sales office on their phone &#8212; that way, sales agents can update lead statuses and opportunities in real-time, close deals, and manage workflows, on the go. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a lead makes a purchase or otherwise progresses through that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-pipeline-stages\/\">sales pipeline<\/a>, the salesperson should receive instant alerts and notifications to their smartphone or mobile device.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Detailed, Real-Time Metrics<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In sales, things can change in the blink of an eye. The whole sales department can benefit most from metrics that are continually updated in real-time then.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These metrics will allow the reps to see such critical data as currently open deals, qualified leads, won deals, lost deals, and revenue by week, month, year, or even quarter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you use a CRM system, these reports can be in ever greater detail. Automated report generation with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-automation-ideas\/\">sales automation<\/a> saves your sales reps a lot of time that can be better utilized elsewhere.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s also a lower rate of human error, as the automation will produce perfect reports every time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Sales Forecasting<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14419\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/image3.gif\" alt=\"sales dashboard\" width=\"1366\" height=\"656\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales forecasting offers managers and reps quantitative data that can predict future revenue and close rates.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using CRM sales force automation, it\u2019s possible to review past sales data to inform what the future will look like. These forecasts are based on mathematics rather than just intuition or well-wishing, so their accuracy is greater.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can set sales goals for your company and even budget according to the numbers.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Pipeline management<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pipeline management refers to the process of managing the entire sales cycle, from identifying prospects, managing leads, forecasting sales, and maintaining relationships post-sales. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-opportunities\/\">Opportunity management<\/a> is another sub-functionality that complements pipeline management.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automating key touchpoints in the sales cycle helps minimize lost opportunities, sales process breakdowns, and miscommunication.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Automated data entry<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data entry is a time-consuming task. Anything that involves typing can be automated. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales force automation tools can help create proposals, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/best-email-marketing-software\">draft emails<\/a>, manage post-sales calls, and other outbound communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Workflow management<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/marketing\/workflows\">workflows<\/a> can help manage lead generation and management, especially if your sales team is geographically diverse. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/workflow-automation-what-why\/\">Automated workflow management<\/a> through SFA tools simplifies the sales process. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales reps and managers can create workflows and use a unified system to manage activities, store data, track team performance, and engage with sales employees.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/best-crm-for-startups\/\">Read also: Top 5 CRM Software for Startups (Pricing, Features)<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sales_Force_Automation_Vs_CRM\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Sales Force Automation Vs CRM<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve spoken about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/products\/crm\">CRM software<\/a> before and you might be wondering if you have to choose between CRM and sales force automation for your business. There is no need to choose either sales force automation software or customer relationship management software. These two systems can work together to optimize your sales process and to boost sales and profitability. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>CRM data can be integrated into SFA tool software to track sales trends and opportunities across different services and customer profiles.<\/strong> Similarly, sales force automation software can help marketing and customer support teams understand queries and resolve issues faster. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, there are a few key differences between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/crm\/sales-crm\">CRM<\/a> and sales force automation.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A CRM is customer-centric<\/strong>. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-automation-tools\">sales force automation tools<\/a> help sales reps manage their time, a CRM focuses more on collating information based on past client interactions. A CRM system helps you strategize on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-prospecting\/\">how to prospect clients<\/a>, SFA tools automate that process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The biggest advantage to having a CRM is the fact that <strong>it is accessible remotely<\/strong>. While sales force automation systems do offer mobile usability, some tools don\u2019t have the option of updating data automatically. Integrating SFA tools and CRM provides sales teams real-time information, even if it\u2019s updated by the marketing or customer service team.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a CRM system, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/marketing\/marketing-automation\">marketing automation<\/a> features are already included. When paired with an SFA tool, teams can maximize client opportunities &#8212; sales and marketing teams can collaborate on outbound communications like drip emails, notifications, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rolustech.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Picture2-2-1024x717.png\" alt=\"Sales force automation - SFA vs CRM\" width=\"1024\" height=\"717\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Image source: Rolustech<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reiterate, discussing the different features between CRM and sales force automation software is not with the intention of having you choose one over another. We recommend you go for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/crm-automation\/\">CRM automation<\/a> solution because that\u2019ll help you build a foundation for a stronger sales strategy.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/business-automation-software\/\">Read also: Business Automation Software Can Save Your Company. Here&#8217;s How<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Main_Sales_Processes_That_You_Can_Automate\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">4 Main Sales Processes That You Can Automate<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019d like to see some examples of sales force automation in action, here are a few you can use to get started.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Automated Meeting Scheduling<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether it\u2019s to set up a meeting among the sales teams or between a potential customer and a salesperson, sales force automation software makes it possible, especially if the software has a CRM.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019d want to use a meeting tool such as the free <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales\/schedule-meeting?_ga=2.219328281.1609581203.1586883207-1786232524.1584723304\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HubSpot Meetings<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/crm\/appointment-scheduling-software\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EngageBay\u2019s free meeting scheduling software<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to make your own booking link for all members of your teams.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These links are customizable so each rep has their own individual link for connecting via meetings and appointments. The links are embeddable into <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/email-signature-important-for-email-marketing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">email signatures<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Even your marketing team can use booking links as they engage with and nurture leads.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b><i>&nbsp;Schedule appointments faster by publishing your calendar online. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/crm\/appointment-scheduling-software\">Get more appointments<\/a> and stay productive.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-10876 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events.png\" alt=\"sales appointment automation\" width=\"1349\" height=\"625\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events.png 1349w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events-300x139.png 300w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events-1024x474.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events-768x356.png 768w, https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/calender-events-595xh.png 595w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1349px) 100vw, 1349px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Automated Sales Collateral<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sales collateral or materials include content designed to connect with the lead and encourage them to make the sale.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These materials can take a very long time to put together, which means your sales representatives are not focusing on earning money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To automate sales collateral, try opening a folder on Google Drive that\u2019s shared among the whole sales department. The whole point is to open up the collaborative possibilities so creating these materials becomes a shared job that gets done faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll end up with a robust library of content that will draw in leads and begin the process to convert them into buying customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Automated Record Creation<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Record keeping and data entry are time-consuming administrative tasks your sales teams may seem saddled with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a CRM, you can establish a series of tasks that will automate records creation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your sales representatives should have different tasks established each time a lead clicks onto the pricing page. Then, should the lead request a demo, your rep should make a deal for that. As the demo trial nears its end, a follow-up automated task will successfully make the record.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Automated Reporting<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We talked before about how valuable automated reporting can be in saving your sales teams time and reducing human error. An integrated CRM and SFA system can track past sales trends and interactions and create accurate reports based on quantitative data.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will give sales managers all the necessary information to evaluate the team\u2019s performance and create plans that can improve the company\u2019s sales numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-medium fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-arrow-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #33809e; color: #ffffff;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/salesforce-competitors\/\">Read also: Top 9 Salesforce Competitors And Alternatives [Comparison Tables]<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrap_Up\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Wrap Up<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When selecting the best sales force automation software for your company, it&#8217;s crucial to consider your goals and understand how your sales process operates. With numerous options available in the market, each offering its own set of benefits, it can be overwhelming to make the right choice.<\/p>\n<p>However, there are key factors to consider in order to make an informed decision.<\/p>\n<p>First and foremost, prioritize tools that are intuitive, scalable, and easy to implement. The usability and user-friendliness of the software are essential as you want your team to quickly adapt and utilize the system effectively.<\/p>\n<p>Scalability is also crucial to accommodate your company&#8217;s growth and evolving sales needs. Ensure that the tool can grow alongside your business without significant disruptions or limitations.<\/p>\n<p>Look for sales force automation software that offer essential features such as pipeline management, lead tracking and scoring, opportunity management, and lead generation capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>These functionalities will provide your sales team with the necessary tools to effectively manage and nurture leads, track opportunities, and drive conversions. A comprehensive sales automation solution should streamline the entire sales process and provide valuable insights for informed decision-making.<\/p>\n<p>While some companies opt for a customized CRM software that incorporates sales force automation, this option tends to be expensive and inflexible.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, consider using a platform like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/\">EngageBay<\/a>, which offers an integrated CRM along with a wide range of sales automation functionalities. EngageBay provides a cost-effective solution that combines the benefits of a CRM and sales force automation in one unified platform. This allows for seamless data integration, improved collaboration, and efficient sales processes.<\/p>\n<p>EngageBay&#8217;s sales automation features are designed to increase your team&#8217;s efficiency, productivity, and overall sales performance. By automating repetitive tasks and providing powerful workflow automation, EngageBay can save your team valuable time and effort, allowing them to focus on building relationships and closing deals.<\/p>\n<p>With EngageBay&#8217;s free forever plan, you can even opt for a trial run of the software to assess its suitability before committing to a paid version.<\/p>\n<p>If you have specific requirements or would like a more personalized demonstration of EngageBay&#8217;s capabilities, their team is available to provide assistance.<\/p>\n<p>They can guide you through the platform, help you tailor it to suit your unique business needs, and showcase how it can optimize your sales processes effectively.<\/p>\n<p>In summary, selecting the best sales force automation `for your company involves understanding your goals, evaluating key features, and considering factors such as usability and scalability.<\/p>\n<p>EngageBay offers a comprehensive solution with integrated CRM and sales automation functionalities, empowering your team to achieve higher efficiency, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.engagebay.com\/blog\/sales-productivity-tools\">sales productivity<\/a>, and sales success. Reach out to EngageBay for a demo and explore how their platform can be tailored to meet your specific business requirements.<\/p>\n\r\n            <script>\r\n                var EhAPI = EhAPI || {}; \r\n                EhAPI.after_load = function() {\r\n                    EhAPI.set_account('ktb76s1540fl2hnhbqnrtd2npb', 'our');\r\n                    EhAPI.execute('rules');\r\n                };\r\n                (function(d, s, f) {\r\n                    var sc = document.createElement(s);\r\n                    sc.type = 'text\/javascript';\r\n                    sc.async = true;\r\n                    sc.src = f;\r\n                    var m = document.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\r\n                    m.parentNode.insertBefore(sc, m);   \r\n                })(document, 'script', '\/\/d2p078bqz5urf7.cloudfront.net\/jsapi\/ehform.js');\r\n            <\/script>\r\n            <script>\r\n                function waitForEhForms() {\r\n                    const interval = 100; \/\/ 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