Hubspot Inbound Sales Certification
Introduction to Inbound Sales
1.
You and a team member are working together to sell to a potential buyer. You’re both trying to take an inbound selling approach, and your team member has been assigned to advise and deliver the presentation. She plans to conduct a product demonstration and runs it by you. The flow of the demo emphasizes your product’s best features. What feedback would you have for this team member?
“Looks good. Be sure to share our newest feature to show that we’re always evolving for our customers. It would also be helpful to share our most popular case study.”
“Let’s take more of an inbound approach and tailor the presentation. Rather than showing our best features, we should illustrate only the features important to the potential buyer.”
“I think it would be helpful if we both presented. To closely align with an inbound selling approach, we need to make sure that one of us knows the product inside and out since we should do a full demo.”
“I think it could be improved and is more of a legacy sales approach. You should present it in the order like we always do and emphasize the most common value propositions.”
2.
Which of the following is a question that you should be asking yourself to fully understand the awareness stage for your buyer?
How do buyers educate themselves on their goals?
When buyers investigate your company’s offering, what do they like about it, compared to alternatives?
How do buyers become aware of the pros and cons of potential solutions to their challenges?
What concerns do buyers have with your product or service?
3.
True or false? Inbound salespeople prioritize passive buyers ahead of active buyers.
True
False
4.
You let your boss know that you want to start applying an inbound sales approach to the way you sell to your potential buyers. Your boss is onboard but says you still have to meet your cold call and cold email quota each day. How would you respond?
“Let’s compromise. I’ll still do some cold calling, but it will also be important for me to position myself as a thought leader. Can we lower the quota, so I can contribute to the company blog?”
“Actually, I’ll need to stop calling altogether. With inbound, everything can be done through our website forms, automated email, and our CRM. We’ll save everyone time.”
“Interesting. Why not increase the quota? Cold calling is an important part of inbound since it helps you understand the buyer’s context if you get them to answer the phone.”
“That’s fine. Colding calling is a key part of transitioning into presentation mode, which is when you can really add value for the potential buyer.”
5.
How would you describe an inbound sales professional?
Inbound salespeople are experts, like doctors, who are there to diagnose and recommend the right solution. They ask the questions that are sometimes difficult to ask (or answer), but are in the best interest of the potential buyer to consider.
Inbound salespeople are experts that use their industry and product/service knowledge to convince potential buyers to purchase because they know what’s best.
Inbound salespeople are experts at identifying pain points of potential buyers and pushing on those pain points until the buyer feels as though they have no other option but to purchase if they hope to be successful.
All of the above
6.
You’ve joined a sales department at a new company. During training, your manager walks you through when you’ll need to transition into presentation mode. She says you should transition into presentation mode the moment the prospect expresses interest. Your manager then provides you with the presentation template that all of the sales representatives use. Is your new sales team practicing a legacy sales approach or an inbound sales approach?
Legacy – Legacy salespeople revert to generic presentations and jump into presentation mode too early when they don’t understand the buyer’s context.
Inbound – Inbound salespeople lead with a presentation if the buyer has expressed some form of interest because they know they can help the buyer.
Both – Presentations are more of a legacy sales approach but the presentation template is a best practice of the exploratory phase.
Neither – Both legacy and inbound salespeople have transitioned away from giving presentations because all of that information can be found online.
7.
What are the four stages of the Inbound Sales Methodology?
Research, Connect, Present, Advise
Attract, Convert, Close, Delight
Awareness, Research, Consult, Purchase
Identify, Connect, Explore, Advise
8.
What framework is used to understand how your customers buy your product/service?
The Buyer’s Journey
The Inbound Sales Methodology
The Exploratory Guide
Ideal Buyer Profile
Identify: Prioritizing Active Buyers over Passive Buyers
9.
Which of the following is NOT an example of a trigger event?
A phone call from a potential buyer
A mention in social media by a potential buyer of a hashtag aligned with your value proposition
A blog post by a potential buyer
A newspaper article about a potential buyer
10.
What is an ideal buyer profile?
A description of a past buyer who closed quickly
A semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research
A description that defines which buyers you can help and which buyers you can’t
All of the above
11.
True or false? Inbound salespeople differentiate from legacy salespeople by prioritizing active buyers over passive buyers.
True
False
12.
You recently started using a software that identifies the company from which an anonymous visitor originates. You find that someone from Sprocket Corporation has been visiting your website and their company fits your ideal buyer profile. What should you do?
Find the contact at the company that is the most likely buyer of your solution
Create a new lead in your CRM with the appropriate point-of-contact and their company
Move the new lead to the enrichment step of an identify process
All of the above
13.
Enrichment data about your leads will help you understand their context and personalize the sales experience accordingly. What are the two enrichment data categories?
The buyer’s interests and the buyer’s demographics
The buyer’s competitors and what the buyer is currently using as a solution
The buyer’s common connections and the buyer’s current solution
The buyer’s budget and the buyer’s timeline
14.
True or false? You recently got an inbound lead from a company that fits your ideal buyer profile. However, the lead is a lower level employee with no buying power. This is still a good inbound lead.
True
False
15.
True or false? Ideal buyer profiles and buyer personas are the same thing, but ideal buyer profiles are for sales and buyer personas are for marketing.
True
False
16.
True or false? To identify passive buyers, you can identify companies that match your ideal buyer profile by leveraging LinkedIn or other company databases.
True
False
17.
Fill in the blank: Your best leads are strangers that match your ___________ and are active in ____________.
company fit, making a purchase
buyer persona, profiling companies
ideal buyer profile, the buyer’s journey
buyer’s journey, researching solutions
18.
Which of the following is not a type of lead source defined in the Identify class?
Inbound leads
Inbound companies
Common connections
Inbound hires
Connect: Earning the Attention of Today’s Empowered Buyer
19.
Regardless of the source of your lead (e.g. inbound buyer, triggered event, etc.), it is critical that you gain buy-in for a longer exploratory conversation by doing the following two things:
Establish why you’re calling, then position a challenge you can help people like them overcome.
Establish who you are, why you’re calling, and how you and your product/service are able to help them.
Validate their interest in discussing their problems with you, and provide value to them with your product/service.
None of the above
20.
When developing the content for each attempt in your sales sequence, the most important thing you can do is:
Make sure your goal of selling to them is clear in your outreach
Support the potential buyer during their buying journey
Personalize the entire sales experience to the buyer’s context
Ensure you address them properly based on their role in the organization
21.
You’ve placed a connect call and sent a follow-up connect email, and fortunately, the potential buyer reaches back out. He expresses interest in the help you offered in your phone call and email outreach. Based on the process outlined in the Connect class, your next step should be:
Develop credibility with the buyer
Find a time to discuss
Manage the connect call by referencing their activity
Call them and get them on the phone
22.
True or false? Advanced technology is required to execute a high quality connect process.
True
False
23.
If your company does not have much content, how can you provide information to your potential buyer?
Send them the relevant content you do have
Send useful content from thought-leaders in the relevant industry
Offer a consultation/product demo
None of the above
24.
Which of the following should you keep in mind when defining content for each sequence?
Adjusting the length of your content accordingly – 200 words to 400 words.
Referencing your product/service at least 2x as much as you mention the buyer.
Mentioning how you helped a similar company see success.
Pulling from your inventory of existing content.
25.
True or false? When defining personas, you should first segment your target market by the types of companies, and then the different types of people you target within those companies.
True
False
26.
You’re about to develop your company’s personas for connecting. Based on the inbound sales approach, your best path to success would be:
Starting with one segmentation at the company level (like industry) and then moving to one segment at the individual level (like role).
Starting with the most common individual-level segments and then moving to company-level segments.
Starting with your most profitable segments at the individual level (like role) and then moving to the company size (like small, medium or enterprise).
Being all encompassing, as you’re looking to define this for the first time and need a starting point to work from.
27.
True or false? It is not ideal to send an invitation to connect on social media until you have shared valuable content with the buyer.
True
False
28.
As a new inbound salesperson, you are most excited when you are able to leverage your large network because it relates to the common connect strategy. Which of the following is a common connection that you can leverage?
One of your customers may refer a potential buyer
One of your fellow employees knows the potential buyer
An acquaintance outside of your organization knows the potential buyer
All of the above
29.
What is the correct order of the three steps to set up your Connect strategy?
Determine your personas, define the sequences for each persona, and define the outreach for each sequence.
Determine your personas, define your negative personas, and define the ways in which you will reach the personas.
Determine your primary persona, define the sequence for them, and define the connect method for each persona.
Determine your personas, define the challenge for each persona, and define the connect method for each persona.
30.
As a salesperson, you’ve decided to reach out to a prospective buyer on social media. In order to do this the inbound way, it’s important to do the following:
Produce something of value
Personalize and present your value
Connect with your potential buyer and begin a relationship around your company
Customize and personalize your outreach
31.
Inbound companies are similar to inbound leads. While you may not know who actually visited your website, you do know that someone from that company took that action. Based on this information, which of the following is the best way to begin your email outreach?
Hi [Buyer Name]. [Common Connection First and Last Name] suggested I reach out to you. We were discussing best practices our firm recently uncovered on purchasing new electronics and security issues that most small businesses face. [Common Connection First Name] thought you would be interested in the results. I can walk you through them, if this is timely for you?
Hi [Buyer Name], Earlier today, you downloaded our eBook on top security issues for small businesses. Based on this area of interest, I thought you may also enjoy [Blog Article A] and [Blog Article B].
Hi [Buyer Name], Various people within your organization have been reviewing our content on how to recycle old electronics. Based on this area of interest, I thought you and your team may also enjoy [Blog Article A] and [Blog Article B].
Hi [Buyer Name], I noticed your company’s recent job tweet about how to get rid of old electronics. I thought you would appreciate the popular eBook we wrote titled “Top Security Issues for Small Businesses” and will send it to you now.
32.
True or false? When inbound salespeople get a potential buyer on the phone, they initially focus on qualifying the potential buyer for proper budget and authority.
True
False
33.
You’ve just joined a new company as one of their newest inbound sales representatives and are excited to begin executing on their connect strategy. You’ve recently identified a potential buyer, determined their persona, and identified which lead source they came from. What are your next steps as an inbound salesperson, in order?
Explore all information you can find on them and then assemble your method of reaching out and decide.
Assemble a sequence plan, assemble the content for each sequence attempt, and then begin the sequence.
Identify a common connection or some method of outreach, and begin the connect conversation by personalizing your message.
Assemble the content for your persona, assemble the best medium for connecting, and then begin the outreach.
Explore: Understanding Buyer Context
34.
True or false? After a potential buyer explains their timeline and plan to you, you should begin to understand how eager they are to change.
True
False
35.
A meeting with a potential buyer is coming to an end. You suggested new plans, helped them quantify consequences, encouraged them to think through their decision-making processes, and discussed their budget. What should you do next?
All requisite information has been shared. You respect their time and finish the call.
Verbally recap your understanding to your potential buyer. This helps them realize you fully understand their context.
Ask if they can think of any limitations they should share with their team.
Tell them you will send them a recap before your next call, later on.
36.
When should budget-related discussions happen during a normal exploratory meeting?
At the beginning of the meeting
In the middle of the meeting
At the end of the meeting
Budget shouldn’t be discussed during the exploratory meeting
37.
Is it important to make sure the potential buyer is interested in implementing several of your solutions to overcome the things that stand in the way of solving their issues with your product?
Yes, it’s important to understand that you’ll be able to provide value to the buyer
No, it’s not as important as getting their timeline and budget
38.
True or false? Discovering a potential buyer’s consequences and implications should be done at the Explore stage of the Inbound Sales Methodology.
True
False
39.
A potential buyer just shared a very important goal they have with you. What should you do next?
Encourage the potential buyer to write it down
Have the potential buyer quantify the goal
Identify who came up with this goal
Ask the potential buyer to share this goal with their leader/manager
40.
Why is it important to get your potential buyer to reflect back on their goals and challenges?
It’s important because you’re getting them to think critically about their situation.
It’s not important for the potential buyer to reflect back, you should always be moving the sale forward, not backward.
It’s important because you’re leveraging the power and impact of repetition.
It’s important because you’re getting another chance to listen to their situation.
41.
You’ve recently joined a new company and are learning how to help potential buyers understand why they would benefit from purchasing the product that your company sells. How can you start to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes so you understand why they would buy your product?
Read and understand your company’s best practices and case studies inside and out
Talk to other sales professional
Look at your company website
Read all of the content your marketing team produces
42.
As you carefully listen to a potential buyer, you make it a point to process what he is saying. After he finishes speaking, you quickly repeat back what he said, and ask a question to confirm what he just told you. What important sales skill did you just use?
CGPT
Active listening
The LAER technique
The BANT method
43.
Before moving into presentation mode, what information must an inbound salesperson know?
The chain of command, so you can speak with the most relevant stakeholder.
The scope of your traditional offering, so you can compare it to your competition, preventing the potential buyer from shopping around.
The buyer’s context, so you can deliver a customized proposal to the buyer.
The potential buyer’s infrastructure, so you can make sure they have the team to run the methodology.
44.
You’re discussing the cost of your service and the potential buyer is asking questions about potential costs that could arise in addition to your service. How should you respond?
“Great question. We should definitely review the costs to implement this solution.”
“No need to worry. Your account manager will be there to help defray any additional costs.”
“It’s important that we cover this at another time. For now, I’m just learning about your goals and challenges.”
“There aren’t any additional costs–our service pays for itself.”
45.
You’re running an exploratory call with a potential buyer and you’ve had previous discussions about why they need to purchase your service. How should you start the call?
Start by building some rapport and then begin where the previous conversation left off and dig right in.
Start with a strong agenda and then ask them if they have any questions before you begin your presentation.
Start by building some rapport and then recap what you learned and shared from previous conversations.
Start with a strong agenda and then build some rapport.
46.
Why is recapping the conversation you just had during an exploratory meeting so important?
The potential buyer will appreciate how effectively you listened during the meeting and will be excited for the next steps.
It gets them to believe that inbound is a real thing.
It demonstrates what an experienced salesperson you are.
The potential buyer will be less likely to try to leverage a cheaper price from you.
47.
You’re discussing a potential buyer’s plan to reach one of their goals for this year. You discover they have some reservations about the plan and aren’t completely confident in it. How can you help the potential buyer feel more confident?
Downplay their concerns and praise the good points of their plan
Identify the plan’s failings and suggest an easier set of goals
Elevate their concerns by positioning solutions that will help them overcome any problems while reaching their goals
Quickly but politely end the call so you can focus on buyers with clearer goals
48.
True or false? When a potential buyer begins to expresses interest, inbound salespeople transition into exploratory mode instead of pitch mode. Inbound salespeople recognize they don’t have enough understanding of the buyer’s context to deliver a personalized presentation yet.
True
False
Advise: Delivering Personalized Presentations
49.
You’ve spent a lot of time creating a presentation for your potential buyer and you’re excited to present it. However, as you continue to work your way through the presentation, you notice the buyer is not engaged. What should you do?
This is a natural part of any presentation. Continue on and be sure to address their questions at the end.
Adapt your presentation to what’s unfolding during the conversation.
Stop and ask them if what you’re covering makes sense.
Be honest with them and ask them about their lack of engagement during this presentation and the reasoning why.
50.
A presentation is an all encompassing term to convey the process of advising a potential buyer to help them move forward with a purchase decision. Which of the following is NOT considered a type of presentation?
A proposal
A pitch
A demo
A contract
51.
To confirm timing of a purchase with your buyer, you should ensure all of the following are covered EXCEPT:
Verifying when they need to eliminate specific challenges.
Verifying when they need to implement their plan.
Verifying when they need to achieve their goal by.
Verifying all of the positive changes that will occur by hitting your recommended timelines.
52.
Why should you start a presentation with a recap of what was discussed during the connect and explore phases?
By starting with a recap, you make sure that you’re both on the same page. You’re both on the same side of the table.
By starting with a recap, you’re able to remind them of whatever you previously discussed and even convince them of some new things they may not have realized before.
A recap is not necessary and you should immediately dive into how you will help them reach their goals.
A recap is not necessary. You provided email recaps already. To recap again is a waste of both parties’ time.
53.
What is the main goal of a presentation?
To add value
To recap the exploratory call
To help them achieve their goals
To review what the potential buyer should know
54.
Why is using a 1-10 closing technique to gauge the conviction of a buyer a good idea?
It will encourage the potential buyer to share why they want to buy.
As they weigh the pros and cons, many potential buyers will overcome any lingering concerns.
A & B
None of the above
55.
Your buyer needs more time to purchase the product you’re selling. How should you respond to the buyer’s needs with an inbound sales approach?
“Sounds good, we’ll adjust our timeline so you feel confident with the purchase.”
“Sounds good, let’s add one more week to the timeline.”
“I would advise you against waiting, simply because I heard our product will soon be increasing in price.”
“I would advise you against waiting because the longer you wait, the longer it will take to start seeing value from your purchase.”
56.
A potential buyer just explained to you why they want to purchase your product. What should you do next?
Make sure that they’re a proper fit for your company by asking them more questions to ensure it is a good partnership.
Acknowledge what they said by repeating it back to them. Ask them to elaborate.
Encourage the potential buyer to help group-sell the decision maker on the final details.
Repeat back to them that they’re ready to purchase and send over the contract.
57.
True or False? With the 1-10 closing technique, you help a potential buyer weigh the pros and cons for purchasing.
True
False
58.
You’re helping create a timeline for your potential buyer. The timeline is probably going to have to change. Which of the following options will give you the best chance of closing the sale?
You should be mindful that purchasing decisions can often be difficult and be empathetic but firm in the timeline.
You should convince the buyer that your timeline is actually a better timeline for their needs.
You should be flexible and understand that a timeline might need to change based off the buyer’s needs and urgency.
You should be cognizant that your buyer will waiver, and plan accordingly by setting expectations with your buyer.
59.
Which of the following is NOT completely necessary to the advising checklist?
Including a recap of what you’ve learned, so they know you understand their situation.
Earning their trust by starting off with some information about yourself and other businesses that you’ve worked with.
Suggesting ways to help them achieve their goals and overcome their challenges using your product/service.
Confirming their budget, decision-making processes and timeline.
60.
Which of the following is the proper order to conduct the advisory part of your presentation?
Confirm timeline, budget, and contract details
Confirm authority, timeline, and budget
Confirm budget, authority, and timeline
Confirm timeline, authority, and budget
