Prospecting
Fix Your Sales Pitch! 5 Easy Ways to Get More Leads [Webinar Recording]
Fix Your Sales Pitch! 5 Easy Ways to Get More Leads
[Video Recording]
Sales Outreach: How to Incorporate Emails and Phone Calls Into Your Sequences
You’ve heard of sequences, right? They are an integral part of your sales outreach and a magical combination of touchpoints to your prospects that, if all goes well, will result in a REALLY good sales call. Recently, the AMAZING Brooke Bachesta of Outreach, aka the gurus of outreach and sequences, and I got together to talk about how to build the perfect sequence! Brooke (who also happens to be a #GirlsClub Gen 1 graduate) is a wealth of knowledge and we were so lucky to grab a little time with her. Okay, it’s time to get into the good stuff!
Let’s start with the basics…
What is a sequence?
A sequence is a repeatable set of steps used to connect with potential customers. These could be a manual list of emails that you send or reminders you set for yourself to connect on LinkedIn (Tip: it’s a heck of a lot easier if you use software like Outreach or additional tools that allow you to automate nearly everything!) Think of it as you setting your future self up for success.
When do we use sequences?
The idea behind a sequence is to connect with people who are not totally familiar with you or your company. So, you can (and should) be using a sequence in any of these situations:
- Top of funnel
- Prioritized prospecting
- Refining your ‘hit list’
- Cold Leads
- Warm Leads
- Account penetration
- Account revitalization
- Anyone else you’re not talking to on the regular
What is in a sequence?
The most successful sequences include a multi-channel campaign. When we say multi-channel, we mean a combination of email, phone calls, LinkedIn, direct mail, etc. Essentially, you want to use every available form of communication to try and find the one that will get you some virtual or live face time with your prospect.
What makes a GREAT sequence?
All of the following:
- A multi-channel campaign
- Phone, Email, LinkedIn, Text, Direct Mail, Carrier Pigeon (just kidding!), etc.
- About 2 weeks of effort before changing strategies
- 15+ touchpoints per contact
- 3 days or less between touchpoints
We get it, 15+ touchpoints in 2 weeks sounds like a lot, but we promise there is research to back us up. Skip Miller released a really great book called Outbounding. One of the things he found was that if you wait for more than 3 days between touchpoints the prospect is going to forget who you are. Think of it this way, even if your prospects are not responding to you, shortening the time between your reachouts helps them to at least have familiarity with your name. While they might not pick up on the first call, they may answer on the 5th call. With this under 3 3-day window, they are more likely to, at the very least, recognize your name and be more inclined to talk.
How can I write a really great sales email?
Spoiler alert! People don’t really care who you are or what you sell. So, we have to bring them in and smoothly transition right to the point. Great emails typically hit all of the following marks:
- 4-5 word subject line
- Creative & relevant content
- 150(ish) words total. We want it to be short enough to read on your phone
- Use the SWIIFT℠ Method (So What’s In It For Them) – learn more about SWIIFT℠ HERE
- Cleanly and uniformly formatted
- Stick to a structure:
- Make it personalized to them, their company, their industry
- Highlight the areas for potential pain
- Seamlessly transition to how you can help
- Provide relevant social proof
- Include a call to action
READ: How to Write Better Sales Emails: 12 Actionable Tips
How about voicemails, should you leave one?
YES! I beg you, please, leave voicemails EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. We’ve already mentioned that there are 15 touches in a good sequence. About half of those touches should be voicemails. You are already putting in the time, doing the research, and making the calls… but if you are not leaving a voicemail, then it’s like that phone call never happened.
Hot Tip: before picking up that phone for your first call of the day, make sure your voice is warmed up. Whether that first call results in a living, breathing human on the other end or a voicemail, if your voice cracks it’s not a good look (err, sound).
DOWNLOAD: 4 Voicemail Script Samples
What makes a great voicemail?
Here are some tips for leaving a great voicemail:
- Make it 10 seconds or less
- Put some personality in your message and don’t read directly from a script. Pretend you’re talking to your best friend
- Be clear in your messaging
In a great sequence, there will be about 7 phone calls. For most contacts that could equate to as many as 7 voicemails. So, switch up the message styles. My 4 favorite types of voicemails are:
- Urgency
- Mystery
- Value
- Lever
Insider Tip: in your sequence notes, keep track of the type of voicemail you leave. This will help you know what to say when they call you back and can help you find patterns in the styles of voicemail that are most successful for you. You can read more about my 4 favorite voicemails HERE.
Here are two examples of great sequences from our friends at Outreach:
What’s the difference between these two?
If you read through, you would think these two sequences are exactly the same. And they almost are, with one BIG difference: the 1st email. The “manual” sequence includes a templated email (that may have a tiny bit of personalization). While the “personalized” sequence, on the other hand, includes a truly personalized email, like one written from scratch.
When do you use each type?
You will likely find yourself using the manual sequence for the majority of your top-of-funnel, prioritized prospecting, when refining your ‘hit list’, and cold leads. The return rate on automated emails is roughly 1%. So, we don’t want to spend too much time writing a truly personalized email for an unqualified account.
Now, when we’re talking about account penetration and account revitalization, we would recommend a personalized sequence instead. For these types of prospects, you will likely have solid background information or have had prior contact with the recipient. Warm leads will likely fall under this category as well, especially if you have spent time speaking with them at say a conference or networking event.
*Gasp* your sequence worked and they answered the phone! Now what?
Before starting your call series you should craft a couple of standard (but still great) intros for when your prospect actually answers. The key is to remember not to sell in the intro, instead focus on helping. The goal of your intro is to get your foot in the door and to get your prospect talking. Selling comes later.
Here’s what a great standard intro is going to include:
- It should be short and focused on what’s in it for them (think SWIIFT℠)
- Includes the goal of the call
- Should end with a question
- The entire goal of your intro is to GET THEM TALKING
The questions you ask in your intro should be short and shouldn’t require too much thinking. We want to aim for yes or no questions, or questions that involve an auto-answer. Think things like “How many reps are on your team?”, “Are you outbound or inbound?”, “Looking to add a couple of new team members?” Get them talking and THEN we transition to the sales call.
WATCH: Quick Tips For Better Cold Call Openings
Wondering what NOT to include in your intro?
If you play your cards right, there will be plenty of time for selling either later in this first call, or during your follow-up (more tips on bridging to the follow-up call here). The first time your prospect answers the phone, your job is to get them talking and engaged. We’ve talked about what to do… now let’s touch on what NOT to do:
- No social proof
- No introducing yourself
- No value props
- No features or benefits
- Remember: Don’t sell – do help!
Shoving research in their ear as soon as they answer isn’t appealing. The prospect doesn’t care if you’re the regional vice president for the mid-coast Atlantic region of your company’s XYZ division. In the first 2 minutes of the call, they don’t care what your amazing features are. What they care about is getting their job done better, faster, and easier. So, let’s start out by showing them how we can help!
Remember, the whole purpose of a sequence is to amplify your already amazing sales skills and get you to the finish line faster. So when working on your sales outreach, take time crafting your initial sequence cadence and your templated emails (if you’re going the manual sequence route). Future you will say “Thank you!”
If you’d like even more information on crafting the perfect prospecting message or sequence, you can watch our whole session with Brooke HERE!
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Selling to Gen Z and Millennials
Gen Z and Millennials have grown up in an interconnected world with most information available at their fingertips.
Based on current trends, they value two aspects more than anything when judging a brand – speed and authenticity.
Both generations are accustomed to instant gratification thanks to the internet and evolved communication tools. They also value brands that take a strong stance against injustice.
As a more optimistic and ethically minded group, Gen Z and Millennials make calculated decisions when buying something (especially if it’s outside the tech industry!)
For that reason, selling to Gen Z and Millennials requires a certain level of knowledge, understanding, and sales intelligence.
Here are our top tips on how to tailor your selling approaches to both Gen Z and Millennials.
Understanding Gen Z and Millennials
Understanding Gen Z and Millennials significantly helps how you approach selling to them. Here’s some key factors highlighting their similarities and differences:
- Technology Use: While both generations are tech-savvy, Gen Z has grown up with smartphones and social media, making them more comfortable with technology than Millennials. As a result, Gen Z tends to rely more heavily on online reviews and social media when making purchasing decisions.
- Brand Loyalty: Millennials are often associated with being loyal to specific brands, but Gen Z tends to be more open to trying new products and experimenting with different brands. They prioritize value and authenticity over brand loyalty, and are more likely to switch to a different brand if they feel it better aligns with their values.
- Social and Environmental Consciousness: Both generations prioritize social and environmental issues, but Gen Z is more likely to take action on these issues. They seek out brands that share their values and are more likely to the ones that positively impact the world.
- Communication Style: Gen Z tends to prefer shorter, more direct communication through text messages and emojis, while Millennials are more likely to use longer-form communication like email and phone calls. You can even notice the difference in the resume examples of each generation. While Millennials focus on achievements and uniformity, Gen Z is more likely to experiment with custom design resumes and unique one-liners within their content.
- Social Media Influence: Both generations are heavily influenced by social media, but Gen Z is more likely to engage with influencers and user-generated content. They trust peer reviews and user-generated content more than traditional advertising.
- Shopping Habits: Millennials are often associated with being bargain shoppers, while Gen Z prioritizes convenience and speed. Gen Z is more likely to make purchases through their mobile devices and value free shipping and easy returns.
- Financial Outlook: Millennials came of age during the Great Recession, so they are generally more financially cautious. Gen Z is more optimistic about their financial future and tends to be more willing to spend money on experiences and products that align with their values.
READ: Sales Pitch Tips to Engage Prospects
Tips on Selling to Gen Z and Millennials
First up, let’s reiterate that Millennials and Gen Z prefer authenticity and the ability to be quick and efficient. Keeping that in mind, here are five tips on how to sell to Gen Z and Millennials.
1. Differentiate Between Self-Service and Customer Support
Seems contradictory, right? Both generations actually WANT self-service options while equally expecting excellent customer service.
Gen Z and Millennials want to become an active part of the buying process because they need as much information as possible. They also want the decisions to be final on their terms.
They actively gather as much information as possible on their (and try out free trials) before contacting a brand. Both generations would rather learn more about a product themselves or through organic customer reviews than hear about it from the brand or its sales reps, especially when a new product is involved.
For example, selling a healthcare CRM to a Gen Z or millennial customer should not be done through cold calling or emailing. Instead, adopting a more personal approach is better. Introduce them to the product and allow them to take it for a test run!
At the same time, both generations also expect complete customer support from brands. This can be done through customer service reps, social media, or other easily accessible ways for them to directly communicate and seek assistance.
2. Adherence to Personalization
Gen Z and Millennials have been constantly bombarded with information their entire lives. Over time, this leads to information saturation, especially when today there are tons of competitors in every business space.
So the bottom line is that true differentiation is only noticed by these groups when there’s personalization involved.
Traditional advertisements involve targeting a massive audience with the same ad and message (like typical TV ads). It worked because people didn’t have enough information available, and they couldn’t use their phones to research a product and check out its reviews quickly.
But that’s the FIRST thing Gen Zers and Millennials do today!
Capturing their attention alone requires a little more effort – you want to make them feel like they’ve been specifically targeted. This is also a great way for brands to show that they care about their customers.
DOWNLOAD: Human-Centered Communication
3. Fast Media Is Key
It’s no secret that videos have become one of the most consumed forms of media. While it started with Vine’s six-second videos, we now have TikTok, Instagram Reels, and stories on multiple social media platforms.
This form of fast media is what most Gen Z and Millennials consume on a daily basis. This is where they trust information on current events, find entertainment, and buy products.
Gen Z typically uses social media like TikTok as a search engine rather than Google. Think about that for a second – that means a huge part of selling to Gen Z and Millennials involves effectively marketing on these social platforms.
General social media ads do not cut it. You need to provide quick, consumable content that’s engaging and enlightening. What value are you bringing to them? That’s how you build a following and a loyal community today.
READ: Value-Adding with the SWIIFT℠ Selling Methodology
4. Use Their Language
In order to communicate with Gen Z and Millennials effectively, you need to speak their language. Don’t toss in phrases or words they use nowadays (especially if you don’t know the meaning or social connotation) while keeping the rest of your business tone professional.
Authenticity trumps all. One of the easiest ways to do it? Get that form of insight directly from the source by hiring a millennial or Gen Z employee.
Speaking their language involves using their specific vocabulary, using their jokes and memes, and any relevant acronyms.
Remember these are often very trendy and constantly evolving. Make sure you’ve got someone with their finger on the pulse to continually update your brand’s language along with what’s being used by your customers.
5. Values and Activism Matters
When it comes to Gen Z and Millennials, they have very strong beliefs regarding common societal issues. They also expect their brands to adhere to those beliefs and opinions.
You can’t expect to seem authentic if you suddenly start performative allyship or activism. Gen Z and Millennials can easily call this out or feel when it isn’t sincere. And once that happens, you’ve lost their trust – and it’s unlikely you’ll win it back anytime soon.
Start establishing a strong base of values and causes your brand supports. Moreover, be open and transparent about what you’re doing for the causes you support! For example, if your brand believes in sustainability, what is it actively doing to make the business more sustainable?
You also want to make sure all aspects of the company are on the same page – from revenue, to delivery, and other teams within the organization.
READ: Improving Sales-Marketing Alignment
Final Thoughts
Selling to Gen Z and Millennials isn’t challenging if you’re actively adapting to the changing marketing landscape.
Adopting strong marketing strategies will always help your brand in the long run and allow you to build brand affinity.
One key takeaway? Have fun with it! Continue experimenting with new ways to connect with the latest generations and remember that authenticity and speed are always your number one priority.
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How to Use ChatGPT to Write Sales Emails
In the digital age, email remains a highly effective way to reach potential customers. However, crafting a compelling sales email can be challenging. That’s where ChatGPT comes in. As an OpenAI language model, ChatGPT can help you write effective sales emails that grab your audience’s attention and convert them into customers by using artificial intelligence. In this blog, we’ll show you how to use ChatGPT to write sales emails that get results.
***
I’m gonna be honest with you: I didn’t write that blog intro. Instead, I asked ChatGPT—a language model trained by OpenAI—to write it. (It’s a little formal, but not bad, eh?)
It’s hard to have a sales or marketing conversation without hearing about artificial intelligence, especially ChatGPT. It’s either the best thing since sliced bread or an evil supercomputer that’ll bring about the end of the world. Most people, I think, fall somewhere in the middle.
As a sales leader, should you be scared of ChatGPT? Or should you embrace this new technology and use it to make your sales teams better?
Although there are lots of potential use cases, in this blog I’ll focus on one: using ChatGPT to write sales emails.
READ: How To Incorporate Sales Emails Into Your Sequences
A tale of two prompts: why you need to be specific when using ChatGPT to write sales emails
ChatGPT can churn out sales scripts and email templates faster than a human writer can. The question is: is it any good? And for sales reps specifically: will it get you more meetings and help you close more deals?
The answer: it totally depends!
In order for ChatGPT to work well, it all comes down to the quality of the prompt. If you have a detailed prompt that provides the AI with the right information, you’re good to go.
Compare the following examples:
***
Prompt: Write a sales email template for Factor 8.
Result:
Subject: [First Name], Boost Your Sales with Factor 8’s Sales Training Programs
Dear [First Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to introduce you to Factor 8, a leading sales training company that can help you increase your sales revenue and enhance your team’s performance.
At Factor 8, we understand that sales is a competitive and constantly evolving industry, and we’ve designed our programs to help your team stay ahead of the curve. Our training courses are tailored to meet your unique business needs and goals, and our experienced instructors will work with your team to develop the skills and techniques necessary to close more deals and exceed quotas.
Here are just a few of the benefits you can expect from our sales training programs:
Increased sales revenue: Our training programs are designed to help your team close more deals and exceed quotas, leading to higher sales revenue and improved profitability.
Improved team performance: By providing your team with the skills and techniques necessary to succeed in the competitive sales industry, our programs will help your team perform at their best.
Customized training solutions: We understand that each business has unique needs and goals, which is why we offer customized training solutions tailored to your specific needs.
Experienced instructors: Our instructors have years of experience in the sales industry, and they are committed to helping your team succeed.
To learn more about how Factor 8 can help you improve your sales performance, please visit our website or reply to this email to schedule a call with one of our sales representatives.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Company]
***
Okay, so it’s not terrible, but let’s be honest – there are a ton of problems with that email:
- It’s wayyyyyy too long (yawn)
- A lot of the copy seems canned
- There’s no personalization within the email
Now, let’s see what happens when we’re more detailed in the prompt.
***
Prompt: Write a first-touch sales email template initiating contact between a Business Development Rep at Factor 8 and a mid-level Sales Manager at Meta. Structure according to the AIDA framework: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Make sure there’s at least one question in the body of the email. Be sure to reference our key value proposition: Factor 8 rep & manager training drives topline growth. The call-to-action for the email is to set up a 15-minute introductory call. Limit output to 125 words or less.
Result:
Subject: Increase Your Sales Revenue with Factor 8’s Manager Training
Hi [First Name],
As a Sales Manager at Meta, you know how important it is to have a well-trained team. That’s why I wanted to introduce you to Factor 8’s training programs. Our training is tailored to meet your unique business needs and goals. Our experienced advisors will equip you with the skills necessary to improve your team’s performance and drive topline growth.
Are you available for a quick 15-minute call this week? Let’s discuss how we can help you achieve your sales targets.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Business Development Rep, Factor 8
P.S. You can learn more about our training program on our website.
***
I wouldn’t call that a perfect sales email – but it’s definitely headed in the right direction. Most sales reps could probably use that copy as a starting point, then edit and personalize to be more engaging for their target prospect.
Tip: Want to sound less formal? Just add that you want a more casual tone to the prompt.
READ: How to Write Better Sales Emails: 12 Actionable Tips
What We Can Learn from ChatGPT
Here are my takeaways:
- Understand the intent behind your copy. ChatGPT isn’t a mind reader. It doesn’t know why you want to generate copy or your intended result. So just like in the example above, you need to be specific. (Which means you need to have it figured out before you sit down with the AI. It’s a robot, but don’t waste both of your time!)
- Gather necessary information in advance. Before you begin the AI writing process, gather all the information you need to create your copy. ChatGPT can pull in some information, but others you’re going to need to specify or add in later.
- Be as detailed as possible in the prompt. The more information you provide ChatGPT, the better and more relevant it will be. Always add the tone of your messaging into the prompt.
- Fine-tune your copy. You’ll probably noticed that even with a detailed prompt, ChatGPT wasn’t able to create an engaging sales email. There’s still a gap between AI capabilities and copy that’s engaging to a human reader. Your reps (and maybe even internal your copywriters) will need to bridge that gap. Use ChatGPT as a starting point, and then refine!
- Test and optimize. Like any good sales asset, once your copy is finalized, it’s important to test it to see how it performs. Create different versions and take them for a spin! You only know if you try.
In the end, is ChatGPT worth it for your sales team? The answer is: it still depends. If it helps jumpstart your creative process to help you generate email templates faster, then it could be great!
But if your reps want to use it as a shortcut instead of doing the hard work to understand the client, gather information, and compile the best ways to engage them – then keeping it all human might be the better way to go.
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6 Logistics Sales Tips to Master Phone Selling
Freight and logistics sales has undergone a massive change in the past few years. As companies embrace digital transformation, in-person sales meetings are falling in frequency. So you’re probably spending a lot more time on the phone than before.
This can be…how should I put it…intimidating? 😱 Or at the very least, uncomfortable?
So here are six logistics sales tips to help you crush cold calls and reach those tough-to-crack prospects.
(Psst! Interested in logistics sales training? We can help! Contact us today.)
1. Don’t stop calling
For sales calls, the third time isn’t the charm. You have to call someone at least six times before you get a response. Not just for cold leads, but warm leads too.
People are shocked when I say this. But think about it: when was the last time you called someone once and immediately got a response? (I’m gonna guess it doesn’t happen that often.)
Over 36% of purchased leads receive no sales contact. And it’s not because reps are lazy. It’s because we’d rather go after the low-hanging fruit for immediate results. But there just isn’t enough low-hanging fruit to go around. If you want consistent results, you’ve got to climb a little higher. That’s why I recommend 10 touches for A leads, 8 for B leads, and 6 for C leads…as a bare minimum.
READ: How to Build an Account and Lead Qualification Strategy
2. Leave a voicemail and send an email—every time
Yes, you read that right. Every time. It’s easy to ignore a missed call. It’s harder to ignore several missed calls, multiple voicemails, emails—you get the picture. If you’re going to invest the time in making several hundred calls a week, make it hard for them to forget it.
Think of the voicemail as a resume. It’s there to show who you are, what differentiates you, and what value you offer. If you put it in front of them enough times, the prospect is more likely to pick up. Once that happens, then you can start selling.
WATCH: How to Leave Voicemails that Get Returned
3. Be patient.
In a virtual environment, sales cycles can be longer than traditional, F2F approaches. So when you make 100 calls in a day and don’t hear anything, don’t worry! Eventually, you’ll call someone enough times and they’ll pick up (even if it’s because they feel guilty 😉). At that point, you can make them feel like they’re the one doing you a favor by taking the call.
READ: Quick and Effective Voicemail Scripts
4. Keep your intro and pitch SWIIFT℠
Salespeople often talk about “engaging prospects.” But what does “engage” actually mean? It’s simple: An engaged prospect is a talking prospect. And what’s the best way to get someone talking? Ask them a question.
So instead of going through your usual dog-and-pony show, use the SWIIFT℠ methodology (So, What’s in it for Them?) to flip the conversation around. SWIIFT℠ gets the prospect to answer 2-5 short, closed questions to get the conversation going. This helps you build the necessary rapport and understand the prospect enough to demonstrate your value.
READ: The SWIIFT℠ Selling Methodology
5. Don’t “check in” with prospects.
Be real: how many times have you jumped at the chance to “check in” with a sales rep? Yeah, me neither.
If you’re going to ask for your prospect’s time, you better give them a good reason to get on the line with you. So start brainstorming how you can add value to them:
- Address a specific issue they raised last time you talked
- Update them on new and improved features
- Talk about something in the news and how you can respond to that
- Share something you learned from another client—a kind of cross-pollination
Don’t just call to sell something. Call to add value…real value.
DOWNLOAD: 20 Value-Add Reasons to Call Your Customers
6. Make the most of short calls
In virtual sales, the average first call is three-and-a-half minutes. If you last that long, you’re doing great.
You may wonder: what could I possibly get done in such a short amount of time? In reality, you only have to do three things:
- Differentiate yourself
- Get a commitment for the next step
- Book the next call
Commitments change depending on where the buyer is in the journey: set up a demo, loop in other stakeholders and decision-makers, read over a contract, or even sign and onboard. But every call you make needs to involve getting some kind of commitment. Then, you use that commitment to bridge to the next call.
So there you go. Follow these six tips, and I promise you’ll be crushing those sales calls. Happy selling!
Watch The Video Below For More Logistics Sales Tips.
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Top Cold Call Tips and Techniques
People love to ask, “Is Cold Calling Dead?” It’s probably for the controversy effect more than anything, right? My answer (like all great consultants) is, “It depends.” Marketing has come a long way indeed to ensure our brand is recognized before the call. Maybe content has been consumed, landing pages visited, social posts engaged. But if they’ve never talked to us before, is it still cold? Nah, let’s call that warm.
Not all companies are as fortunate. Start-up sellers may not have marketing support and the customer’s first impression is the first call. Even if they may recognize a little something from LinkedIn, it’s not enough to call it warm. Marketing tells us it takes at least 4 touches to actually leave an impression, and 6-8 to get to the point of purchasing (some companies even require 20+ touches!)
But can we be honest for a second? Sellers don’t give a darn. An outbound call to someone who isn’t expecting the call feels cold. Frigid below-zero kind of cold to today’s sellers. Why? Most of them haven’t grown up using the phone. My kid was shocked to learn his phone dialed out. “What!? It’s not just for texting!?”
Your millennial sales force wants to email and send LinkedIn messages. I know this because I get 30 a day. Want to differentiate? Immediately…
Ban the spam and get on the phone!
New to phone sales? Here are some cold call tips to help the water feel a bit warmer:
- You’re immediately differentiating yourself by calling vs. emailing. This is a very good thing. I get 30 messages a day and about one voicemail per week.
- It will take about six calls for you to get a hold of most of your prospects and most sellers give up after two. This is the game, my friends, do NOT give up. Do NOT take it personally. Cheerfully make your tally mark and know you are one call closer to a sale. Remember from above that it takes 6-8 touches to buy? Each time you leave a message it’s a touch. Sales is math.
- Yes, leave a voicemail! About every two days is great. No voicemail = no touch. You’ve made the dial but forgotten the return. Read more about voicemails that actually get returned here.
- Intersperse written messages. Use your outreach tool to help you send a series of voicemails, emails, and social messages over a period of 2-6 weeks. Close enough to be recognized from the last touch but not so close to being considered a stalker. You and your sales leaders can determine this.
- Design your outreach cadence based on client potential. If you’re doing account-based marketing and this is a top prospect, you’re going to touch more often and for longer. We recommend A, B, C, D lead qualifications. Read more on that here.
OK, now let’s move from strategy to psychology.
How do I beat cold call rejection? Rejection sucks. Be very clear that cold call dodging is not rejection! Imagine a stranger calling you just to tell you that they don’t want to talk with you anymore. Um, OK. I’m cool with that. Feels different if it’s your best friend or your brother, right? Now THAT is rejection. They know you. They don’t like you. Ouch.
A stranger saying they have no time, they’re not interested, or simply launching a call is not rejection. It’s a busy life. They don’t know your name, your company, your face, or your annoying habits yet. 🙂 It’s called call dodging, not YOU dodging.
Let’s also focus on sales as a helping profession. I recommend you spend a good four hours immersed in customer testimonials and case studies before picking up the phone for the first time. Learn why people love your product and your company. Learn about the problems you’ve solved and the situations you’ve bailed them out of at work! Your job is to find people struggling with these situations and save them. Your job is to educate them on a solution. What would they do without you? What if they don’t even know a solution exists!? What if they’re searching for a solution right now and are about to make a big mistake!? I want you to really dig in and picture this scenario and then picture this stranger thanking you for helping them. See it clearly and then see it every time before you pick up the phone.
In a cold call rut? Try picturing your best friend next time you hit “send.” Get a smile on your face and really imagine it. Your entire energy will change and you’ll be shocked how you’ll come off better.
Need more cold call inspiration? I want you to imagine that this outbound calling job is actually your business degree. Hell, your MBA program. Your job on every single call is to learn something about their business, their industry, their company, and their job role. It’s called genuine curiosity my friends, and nobody displays it in sales anymore. Be fascinated. Be inspired. Seek to truly learn and grow. Your prospect will be so flattered and surprised, you’ll learn everything you need to know to qualify or uncover a need. You may even find your future perfect job situation!
Finally, a few skills to help. The most important skills to turn dials into actual leads or opportunities are:
- Voicemails. Yeah, we covered this before. If you leave 10-15 voicemails a day using our techniques, you’ll get at least 2 returned. That’s 10 conversations a week. Folks, that’s like a bonus day of the week. You get 6 days to hit your goal while everyone else gets five.
- Call Introductions. 90% of them suck. Yeah, sorry about that. If you’ve not spent a few hours training and perfecting your intro, it probably sounds like your value prop and is about 10 seconds too long. Learn the SWIIFT℠ Intro that perks their ear and gets them talking. You’ll be shocked at how many conversations happen instead of rejections.
- Overcoming the Brush-Off. Even with a better intro, you’ll get some brush-offs. Remember, this isn’t rejection – they don’t even know you! Most of us either hang up or answer it like an objection, and that’s wrong. How do you overcome “I don’t have time” or overcome “I’m not interested?” By moving around it.
- A Better Value Prop. If marketing wrote it for you, it won’t work in phone sales. Sorry marketing. Value props need to answer who you are and why they care in a way that your grandmother could understand. The best ones use “The rule of three” to get their brain accidentally picturing your services.
In summary, no matter the temperature of your outbound calls, when you make them a game, adjust your mindset, and layer in some skills, then you and your team can harness the incredible power that most of your competition has left behind. Sure, it’s easier to pop an email but remember:
“Nobody ever bought anything over email.”
Choose to be in sales instead of marketing. Pick up the phone and have some fun!
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4 Time-Saving Sales Prospecting Strategies
Can you guess what percent of sellers HATE prospecting?
(Hint: it’s not 100% – that was my first guess) But it is the majority of sellers…
64%!
Yet 100% of managers DO say that sellers need to prospect more (and be better at it – if you’re one of those managers, contact us. We can help 😉)
So what can you do?
It all starts with planning.
In order to get better results without feeling like you’re wasting hours, you’ve got to put some work in ahead of time. But have no fear, there is a way for you to plan for prospecting without being part of that 64% hating it along the way (and if you already are, maybe this article will change your mind!)
Check out these top 4 sales prospecting strategies to help speed things up.
WATCH: Sales Shot – Power Prospecting
Drastically Underprepare
Yep, read it again. Think about it this way: what’s your main goal when you pick up the phone? The obvious answer is to entice them to set up meeting 1. But that’s probably a pretty unlikely accomplishment with just one phone call.
What’s the most likely case? You’re going to get their voicemail!
READ: 4 Quick and Effective Voicemail Scripts
With speed in mind, think about the key elements you need to craft and leave your voicemail during your prospecting. Here’s a list of the usual suspects with a breakdown of why you do or don’t need them.
- Name – This one is pretty obvious. Know their name when you call! (But guess what? Sometimes you don’t even need this when they’ll repeat it in their voicemail!)
- Solution Match – If they aren’t even on the phone, you’ve got nothing to diagnose for them, so you don’t need it yet.
- Value Prop – YES! (SWIIFT℠ everyone!) What value are you bringing them? An absolute must. A whopping 74% of buyers will choose to work with sellers who are the FIRST to add value according to Corporate Visions.
- Case Study – Sure, a ready case study is helpful, but do you really want to bog down your call OR voicemail by spitting out stats? They don’t care yet! Skip it.
- Pricing – Again, hard to know what they need yet, and that doesn’t lend itself well to providing pricing.
- Job History -Spoiler: it’s not needed! Focus instead on one quick rapport builder.
- Call Intro – Make sure you have this down pat.
- Voicemail – ALWAYS leave a voicemail! Otherwise, the effort you put into making this call goes right down the drain. You’re not buying a billboard to leave it blank, are you? (Shameless plug: your voicemail is 3x more likely to get returned when you take our class, Messages That Get Returned, which we offer in our eLearning platform, The Sales Bar)
READ: Best Sales Scripts To Get A Buyer’s Attention
So to summarize – when you pick up that phone, know their name, have your value prop handy, your call intro, and a voicemail if all else fails. Save the image below to help you remember.
Group Your Leads
Make it easier on yourself by grouping your leads together. Here are some quick categories to organize them by:
- CRM History
- Trigger Event (did they all attend a conference? Fill out an inbound lead form?)
- Profile/Demographics
- Offer (do you have an incentive to offer when you reach out to them?)
- Location (do you have a rep going to that location soon? Perfect time to reach out!)
- Social Connection (mutual friend, past acquaintance, school history, etc.!)
READ: Build A Lead Qualification Strategy
Group Your Research
When you do your research, your first instinct might make you feel like you HAVE to give individual attention to every single person and potential lead. Guess what? You don’t!
Easily group call goals, qualify & explore questions, voicemail scripts, and your SWIIFT intros.
What should you individualize? The rapport builder – it’ll be unique for each person.
Boom, you just saved yourself a whole lot of time!
Never Prepare Twice
Be nice to future you! By taking better notes and including specific details about the voicemail you’ve previously left, you’ll never be left scratching your head wondering what you’ve already done and having to double back.
Here’s what to include:
- What group is your lead in
- What value prop did you use
- What was your rapport builder
- What was your call goal
- What type of voicemail did you leave
BONUS: Always Add Value
Seems like a no-brainer, right? You always want to call to add value to your prospects. Try the following:
- Interact with them on social media – comment and share their posts
- Recognize something – give a compliment!
- Customize your request
- Be brief
- Always GIVE something first
- Ask short and closed questions to get them talking
Bottom Line
Prospecting is always going to be a numbers game. Remember: it takes 6-9 times to get to 90% of the people on your list! Put in the work – but don’t worry about putting in extra.
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Top 3 Sales Prospecting Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
If you aren’t getting any response to your sales prospecting outreach, you might be guilty of making these common mistakes.
Mistake #1: Pitching in your sales outreach
It’s tempting to explain why you’re sending a prospect an email, direct message, or leaving a voicemail, but don’t! This lets your prospect scan, decide “no”, then put you on auto-ignore. It also automatically makes your message too long and your tone too salesy.
The purpose of the outreach message is to gain attention and engage – to get the opportunity to pitch, not to pitch itself. That means your goal is to make them smile, notice who you are, type a quick reply – NOT take themselves all the way down your sales funnel and be ready to purchase (it takes time, folks).
Try sending 3-4 lines of a personal connection and a short closed-question (NOT related to your quota) instead.
READ: Sales Outreach: How to Incorporate Emails and Phone Calls Into Your Sequences
Mistake #2: Value propping in the message
Of course you want to explain who you are, what you do, and why they care, but if you’re trying, you’ve already typed too much! Like above, the outreach is to engage, and using a marketing-approved value prop probably sounds a little pitchy.
One sure way to get more attention instead is to make the message about THEM, not about you. Try some flattery or ask a short question instead.
Nope, don’t try to shortcut this with some social proof or other customer names, that’s cheating! Message one should NOT be about selling them, it’s about engaging them instead. You got it!
READ: 4 Time-Saving Sales Prospecting Strategies
Mistake #3: Assuming my business
A few years ago I won an award for being a top coach in sales. Since then I’ve received over 1000 sales pitches promising to help me improve my coaching business. I have a training business that uses coaching to get results, not a coaching business.
Don’t make the same mistake by using phrases like, “I work with businesses like yours,” or “I help ____ like you.” You may be right, you may be wrong, but it irks me to think a stranger thinks they know what I need more than I do.
To correct this, you could try showing your understanding and making a hypothesis instead. Turn, “I help training companies fix their SEO problems” into, “You train B2B sales right? Would I be anywhere close by guessing you get inbound leads?”
This message showed a bit more humility and didn’t automatically assume my business NOR make me wrong. Nobody wants to feel like an idiot – especially not by a young seller.
Remember, the goal of initial outreach isn’t to close a sale right off the bat but to spark a connection and get the prospect talking. By focusing on creating a genuine rapport, asking questions that matter, and demonstrating an honest curiosity about their needs, you set the stage for a dialogue that can lead to more than just a transaction—it can lead to a partnership. So, let’s ditch the pitch, tune into the specifics of our prospects, and start our conversations on a note of authentic interest. After all, in the realm of sales, a thoughtful approach is not just appreciated, it’s rewarded.
Outbound prospecting is tough. Want to get a leg up? Take our online course, SWIIFT℠ Introductions That Work, to learn how our SWIIFT℠ methodology will help reframe your messaging to capture a prospect’s attention immediately and get them talking to you.