I’m going to be honest with you: No matter how great a salesperson you are, you can benefit from some new ideas every now and then.
Your prospects are flooded with emails every day, which means you constantly need to be looking for ways to get noticed. Sending out a generic message to a list of prospects is only going to give you poor results.
Buyer behavior is always changing, so here are four new outreach ideas to boost your success rate.
Let’s get to it.
1. Incorporate an engaging video
Video is more popular than ever—and the best salespeople are embracing it as an outreach tool.
You might feel most effective when you’re meeting prospects face to face. Unfortunately, time and distance can sometimes prevent this.
But it has never been easier to create a sales video, and you don’t even need a big budget. In fact, I bet you have almost everything you need to get started: a computer or phone, ideas, and prospects.
Tools like Loom and Soapbox by Wistia make recording easy by allowing you to use your webcam or capture your screen. They also cost next to nothing to use.
The type of camera or recording method you use, though, is secondary to the content: conveying empathy is the most important part. Demonstrate that you understand your prospect’s pain points and explain how you can help them. With this, you’ll be on your way to closing more deals.
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2. Embrace extreme personalization
Creating personalized experiences is more time-consuming than sending out mass emails, but making the buying experience about the prospect can lead to better success rates.
Personalization is about creating a memorable experience for every recipient.
Sales is by nature a personal process. But if you can personalize it, you can make your outreach even better.
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If you think: “Hey Joe, I read your latest article and loved it!” is all you need to do, good luck getting anywhere.
Prospects know this message went out to every prospect on your list. If your email is not personalized and not about them, they will ignore it.
The best salespeople are investing time in personalizing their outreach. This could range from referencing items like a recent product launch to a case study.
Start with an email template, but modify it for each prospect. When they see you’ve taken the time and effort, your prospects are more likely to answer your message and want to know more.
3. Reference competitors immediately
No one wants to get beaten by the competition.
Knowing who your competition is and what they offer can help you determine how to stand out.
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In sales, there will always be competition; it’s a competitive endeavor. So own it in your email outreach!
But keep in mind, trash-talking your competition makes you look weak. If you speak poorly of a competitor, your prospects might be totally turned off and end up going with the other company instead.
You’re probably wondering, Why would I give a competitor publicity? After all, you’re paid to market your product, not theirs.
Tell prospects how different your offering is. Explain the features and benefits that lift your product above the competition’s, without slamming them.
Remember that building a relationship with a prospect is more important than beating your competition. Your prospect doesn’t want to know why someone else is bad; they want to know why you’re the company they should work with.
4. Don't pitch—add value instead
Prospects are being pitched on a regular basis, which makes it hard to stand out.
If there’s anything you can do right, it’s giving your prospects as much value as possible. They are more likely to choose your product if they see you as someone who offers value.
Creating value begins with viewing your brand through the eyes of your prospects.
Think about what’s important to your target audience and how your offering will benefit them. Many salespeople miss this by focusing more on the product’s flashy features than how it can help potential customers.
So give them what they want—whether it’s a free guide, a suggestion to fix something (e.g., a broken link on their site) or an article that will help them solve an important issue.
Wrapping up
The tactics above will put your sales team in control of how you communicate with prospects.
To hook prospects and turn them into customers, you have to establish their needs and their interest in your offering. By tailoring your outreach accordingly, you will be on your way to increasing your open and conversion rates.
Discover how AI can revolutionize your personalized sales outreach efforts with these seven effective methods.
Want more sales outreach tips? Download our Sales Management Toolkit to get email templates, sales scripts, a call review checklist and more.
