Utilizing this strategy, I’ve successfully propelled my business to achieve multi-million-dollar YOY revenue.
If you’re struggling to grow, you must get on board with outbound sales.
Outbound sales are going to help you:
Create a streamlined lead generation system.Help you target pre-qualified leads.Generate predictable revenue.
You don’t have a pulse if that doesn’t trip your trigger.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
The benefits of an outbound sales process.
My favorite outbound sales strategies.
The software I’ve used for generating leads.
Additional value ads for outbound sales success.
Outbound sales is a proactive approach where sales representatives pitch their product or service to potential customers.
It typically involves strategies such as cold calling, email marketing, social selling, and SMS messaging.
Outbound = reaching out to prospects
Inbound = Creating content that prospects find appealing.
Outbound sales provide a sustainable system for growth and focus on a numbers-centric approach.
Example:
You reach out to 100 leads via phone.You book twenty appointments. You close one sale.
In this example, closing one sale takes one hundred phone calls.
Or
20% outreach to book rate 5% book to close rate
Over time, you’ll be able to accurately forecast business growth and have better control over your sales process.
Here are a few other awesome benefits.
Doesn’t Rely on Other Platforms: Since you’re directly reaching out to your target audience, you’re not worrying about increased ad costs, algorithm changes, etc.
Target Qualified Leads: Outbound sales allow you to specifically target customers who are already interested in the product or service you offer, eliminating the need for time-consuming lead qualification processes.
Personalized Communication: With outbound sales, you have a direct line of communication with potential customers, allowing for personalized and tailored interactions that can lead to higher conversion rates.
Control Over Timing: Outbound sales allow you to control the timing of your outreach efforts, ensuring that you reach out to potential customers when they are most likely to be interested or av
Here’s my step-by-step process for outbound sales.
Choosing a demographic is an essential first step in the outbound sales process.
You don’t want to scatter your efforts by targeting everyone; instead:
Focus on one industry.Choose a company or revenue size. Pick a geographical area.
Example:
Personal Injury Attorney’s 10-25 EmployeesMilwaukee, WI
This approach ensures that your outreach efforts are focused and effective.
The next step in the process is to find those people!
Here are my favorite ways to curate a list of potential customers, including:
Utilizing LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Sign up for LinkedIn Sales Navigator and use the filtering tool to target the demographic you laid out above.
Using lead generation software: I have used UpLead and like it. I think it’s filtering works well for finding your specific niche audience.
Old-fashioned Google searches: Search for your customers on Google, and use Find That Lead (Chrome Extension) to get their information.
Outsource on Upwork: I’ve done this with some success in the past. You’ll have to create a process first and then show a freelancer how to do it.
Shoot for the largest list possible. Ideally, you should have thousands of prospects.
The next step is to reach out.
Here’s where you’ll want to develop a cadence that you follow for each prospect.
Simple Example:
Phone call & voicemail Email outreachPhone call & voicemail SMS text Follow up email Social Outreach Follow up email Phone call & voicemail SMS text Follow up email
Advanced Example:
Connect on Linkedin & send an introduction messageEngage with prospects’ content on LinkedIn Send personalized videos via LinkedIn messagesSend personalized direct mail to your prospectIn-person follow-up (with donuts)Phone call & voicemail Email Outreach Phone call & voicemail Custom SMS text (with GIF) Follow up email
A quick note on automation: Some of these processes can be automated with a CRM.
You can create a mail merge that lets you send automated emails and set up notifications for phone calls.
When you get a response from the prospect, the goal is to qualify them OR set a meeting to qualify them.
If you’re on the phone: Ask for five minutes of their time, qualify them, and set up a pitch meeting.
If you’re over email/other communication: Ask to setup an introductory (qualification) call.
Again, I use BANT.
Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline.
Remember:
The goal of each outreach is to get to a qualification call. Each qualification call aims to get to your pitch (more on that in another LFG).
I learned this from a mentor of mine years ago.
When you reach out, try and add some level of value.
Instead of “Hi, prospect – let’s put a call on the calendar.”
Try: “Hi, prospect. I put together an e-book that should help your company with X, Y, Z. Do you mind if I send it over via email?”
Then follow up regarding more valuable material.
If you can create several “value adds,” you can use one whenever you reach out.
Examples:
Blog content Personalised auditsCase studies from current clientsFree lunch Free dinner (steakhouse) Offer to wash their car…you get the picture.
What happens when you get a “no?”
Try and get them in your email newsletter.
If you can capture their email and send them valuable content over time, they may turn into a prospect or evangelists down the road.
P.S. If you don’t have an email newsletter, read this.
Outbound sales is scary.
It’s hard to reach out cold to prospects.
But, if you build up your “fear muscle” over time, you’ll see the power of outbound sales.
Now get out there and sell!
Until next time,
LFG!
The post How to Build an Outbound Sales Process appeared first on Small Business Bonfire.
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