Outbound Sales Handbook: How to Inject Your Sales Machine With Rocket Fuel

Copyright © 2018 uberconnectforce LLC
— All Rights Reserved.
The Outbound Sales
Handbook
How to Inject
Your Sales Machine
With Rocket Fuel

1
PREFACE
I’m Steve King. I have spent the better part of the last 30 years
building technology companies in the Silicon Valley. I raised over
$40 million in Venture Capital. Some of these businesses were
successful. Some weren't. Some are still teenagers. But all of them
had one thing in common:
None of our prospects were sitting around waiting for us
to sell them something.
We had to go get them. Just like you.
After spending a ridiculous amount of money on sales and
marketing, I learned that the following formula always works:
Targeted Audience + Speed to Contact + Personalized
Messaging + Rigorous Timing + Multi-Channel Execution
= Sales
Here’s what I believe you must do to be successful in sales:
1. In today’s selling space, multi-channel opportunities abound
and the customer journey adventures through them all. You
should find the ones that work for you and use them.
2. Don’t invest in non-core competencies. I spent millions
building my own inside sales teams. Why? I don’t know. I
wasn’t selling inside sales.
3. You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. If you want to
find a prince fast, you better start kissing faster.

4. Never stop prospecting. Always have more prospects in your
pipe than you have time to talk to. Nothing matters more than
prospects.
5. Never reach out to a prospect without offering something of
value. No one cares about having a nice day. Your prospects
only care about their problem. Add value at every touch
point.
6. Remember that you are not selling your product or service.
You are selling a solution to a problem. If your vacuum cleaner
doesn't suck up dirt, it doesn’t matter how fast it goes or what
colors it comes in.
7. Personalize everything. Your prospects are buying you as
much as they are buying what you sell. Be someone worth
talking to. If there is no trust, there will never be a sale.
8. Everything is story-telling. Your messaging must inform and
add value but it must also resonate. People love stories. Your
prospects are people.
9. Work hard and never give up. Selling is really hard. It takes
discipline and perseverance. We all want to be loved. No one
likes to be sold. But everyone wants their problem solved.
When you are ready to quit, remember that your competitor
is quitting too. Carpe Diem time.
That’s it. That’s all I got. I hope you find this little book useful and
that you sell a bunch of stuff this year, exceed quota, have a great
exit and live happily ever after.
Steve
PREFACE
2

INTRODUCTION
A rich combination of inbound and outbound
leads is ideal for any business trying to
launch a product or service.
It is also essential for increased revenue and
market expansion.
It would be wonderful if every business could
rely on the “field of dreams” marketing
model, but that only works in the movies.
In the real world, you can build it but you
need a bunch of other steps to get them to
come. Ask Walt Disney.
This book is about those other steps.
3

Outbound sales has always been misunderstood.
THE DILEMMA
Which explains why it has always been feared,
avoided, and at best, neglected and poorly executed.
As the sales workforce has evolved over the
past 30 years to reflect shifts in our cultural
institutions, today’s sales professional tends not
to relish the rejection and intrusiveness
associated with outbound sales.
4

In fact, by 2006, Outbound Sales had become a taboo
phrase in business.
THE BIG TABOO
This status was fueled in part by ambitious
content and email marketing advocates who
a decade ago started taking a strong stance
against the outbound category.
Content had become the new and cool focal
point for driving business – as if content by
itself would generate all of those magical
inbound leads.
5

most of the biggest content advocates have come
around to the inevitable conclusion that you can’t
sell something to someone without talking to them.
Since 2016, even the venerable content advocate
HubSpot has featured several blog posts that deal
with art of outbound selling.
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
But now, more than 10 years later,
6

In fact, blogs, whitepapers, webinars and
newsletters rank very high on the list of
effective B2B lead generation methods …
right behind inside sales and
telemarketing.
MOLTO CONTENT
There is no question that content is important.
7

WIIFM? CONTENT
We believe the most effective use of content
whether in crafting emails, white papers,
eBooks, webinars or at any of the touch points
in the lead nurturing sequence, is to always be
adding value for your prospect.
Instead of “reaching out to check in”, try
“reaching out to add value”.
Instead of "talking and selling", try "listening
and understanding."
Instead of “always be closing”, how about
“always be helping”?
8

WHAT CONTENT?
The most effective content is
the most personalized
Small companies and start-ups often don’t
have budget or resources to create much
content, but quantity matters far less than
personalization and quality.
The key to effective content is relevance and
value as perceived by the recipient.
9

WHAT CONTENT?
Content will vary depending
upon where you happen to be
in the outreach sequence …
eBooks and White Papers are appropriate near
the top of the funnel while webinars represent
richer (and more expensive) enticements and
belong further down as prospects are
qualified.
Demos’, POC’s, trials, etc., are the most
expensive and belong at the small end.
10

WHAT CONTENT?
White papers, blogs and eBooks are
the easiest and most cost-effective …
Remember, you are trying to establish brand
authority and awareness.
Cute videos can be entertaining but soon lose
their identity as everyone gloms onto the same
tools and all videos start to look alike.
Different is better.
11

WHAT CONTENT?
While they are all useful, white papers,
blogs and eBooks should be used at
different points in the outreach sequence …
The eBook should be your entry point into the content
marketing funnel.
It should be used to present an idea,
issue or trend relevant to your stuff.
The purpose of the whitepaper is to drill down into that
subject and explore the detail and finer points within it
and is most appropriate at a later touchpoint. Blogs build
and sustain your brand authority,
12

WHAT CONTENT?
You don’t have enough cash to create effective
videos and podcasts.
Webinars are the most effective funnel-bottom
sales activity you can use. But the key is to never go
to the webinar too early in the cycle. You want
qualified interest first before you drop the webinar.
Whatever you are selling, this is the spot for your
founder or engineering guy to jump in, do the
demo, answer questions, so you can close the deal.
It’s not about brand authority at this point.
It’s about how your stuff solves their problem.
Videos, Podcasts, Webinars, oh my …
13

PAIRING CONTENT
After all, one of the precepts about prospect
outreach is, “Always add value at every touch
point.” What better value can you offer a
prospect than content that can help them
address or even solve a problem?
Content is even better when paired …
with a managed outbound program
14

BRANDING
to differentiate itself than it is for IBM.
One sells flavored water and wants you like the
taste. The best they can do is liken Coke drinkers
to images consumers relate to.
The other sells a variety of technology services
and wants you to trust them to know best about
computer stuff. They use tons of content to
reinforce their brand authority.
Which one are you?
A few words about brand management.
It is much more difficult for Coca-Cola
15

BRANDING
Your brand authority results from your market
perception as the expert and/or leader in your space.
The good news is that this perception can easily be
created and nourished through clever content . The
other good news is that it is completely under your
control and best yet, it costs very little.
This content paired with your multi-channel outreach
activities will rapidly create and enforce brand
awareness and authority
If you are like IBM, you have a big …
Advantage.
16

BRANDING
Your brand enhances your credibility with
customers, your industry, and the marketplace as a
whole.
As you build your credibility, you also build
recognition, loyalty, and competitiveness.
The customer journey and buying experience is
integrated, and you’ll find that your credibility has a
direct connection to customers’ ease of purchase.
Customers want to buy from companies they like,
know, and trust. If you’re brand is credible, you’re
far more likely to get the sale.
Building a strong, well-known brand is
critical to success.
17

SOCIAL
In the customer journey,
Social shows up a lot…
But you don’t have to use them
all. LinkedIn ranks highest in
effectiveness among B2B social
outreach (by a lot).
18

SOCIAL
How to leverage LinkedIn …
1. Join the allowable limit of groups and then join sub-groups to
increase your span and spread your influence
2. Make frequent status updates – twice daily increases your
social brand impressions resulting in 1st level contact
conversion
3. Maximize touchpoints – your first level network
announcements are great opportunities to engage
4. Engage profile views – anyone checking your profile is a
potential prospect
5. 2nd and 3rd level contacts – are a rich source of engagement
through their LinkedIn groups and by using commons you can
establish your connectivity
6. Advanced search develops additional data points - to learn
more about your prospects and drive email updates
7. Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator - extremely useful for both ABM
and individual lead generation marketing but not free and can
be addictive
As you may have guessed,
spending all of your time on
LinkedIn will be tantalizing, but it
won’t lead to closed sales.
19

Personalized emails …
… are a critical sales activity and should be paired with
outbound calling as a key component of your outreach.
Personalize the subject line and messaging content and
each subsequent email should act as a chain link in the
continuing conversation you are having with prospects.
Personalized emails improve click-through rates by
14% and conversion rates by 10% - Aberdeen Group
If you can’t personalize, don’t bother
sending.
EMAIL
20

CADENCE MATTERS
The startling reality …
… is that the majority of sales require an average
of 8 touches to close.
This is great news for you however.
WHY?
21

Because …
… 80% of your competitors have quit after the 3rd
touchpoint … just as you are getting to know your
prospect, understand their pain and establishing
trust and a lasting relationship.
Eight out of ten sales happen right
after the 5th contact.
CADENCE MATTERS
22

CADENCE MATTERS
There are many ways to sequence touch …
… the key to success is that you adopt a plan …
and have enough firepower behind the outreach
to test and validate what works and what doesn’t
quickly and efficiently.
The goal is to develop a model that is perfect for
your markets and your offering.
It requires a combination of calling,
personalized emails, social touches
and content arrayed across set
increments of time.
23

SALES BASICS
Sales fundamentals haven't changed in 150 years.
You still have to talk with your prospects.
In fact, sales statistics tell us that
in order to sell just one thing, you
will need to make a final
presentation to 5 prospects.
24

To reach that stage with 5 prospects …
You will need 25 meetings plus a
handful of touchpoints
Touchpoints are emails and
social media contacts
(Aberdeen Group says it takes an
average of 8 touches through the funnel
to close a deal)
OUTBOUND SALES
25

You will need 250 conversations
In order to get 25 meetings
Plus a combination of 1,250 emails and
social touches
At a 10% conversation to meeting
conversion rate¹.
¹Aberdeen Group Sales Performance 2017
OUTBOUND SALES
26

In 2017, the average sales development rep made
46 dials a day² - if you had one SDR dialing, it
would take 136 days – if you had 5 reps, it would
take 27 days – or 5 weeks – and it would cost
$35K³ – for that 1 sale.
Hmmm …
You will need to make 6,250 dials
In order to have 250 conversations
OUTBOUND SALES
²Inside Sales Metrics – The Bridge Group 2018
³Avg. SDR Total Annual Comp = $72K – Inside Sales Metrics – The Bridge Group 2018
27

1 Sale requires 4 Presentations
4 Presentations requires 25 Meetings
25 Meetings requires 125 Conversations
125 Conversations requires 6,250 Dials
1 Sale takes 8 Touchpoints
1 Sales Rep averages 46 Dials a Day
1 Sales Rep averages 50 emails a Day
How can I get there from here?
Let’s do the math ….
SALES MATH
28

THE SALES ATTACK
An effective Outbound Sales Program
Fundamentals:
1. A cleansed target market list (critical)
2. Some content or ideas about content development
3. A sequencing roadmap (know when you’ll do what)
4. A social touch plan (what and when)
5. Finalized messaging and call scripts
6. eMail templates and/or an AI-powered producer
7. An automated dialer service
(we strongly recommend ConnectandSell)
1. Objectives and metrics to know how you did, when
to adjust, and what to change
29

OPTION A
Build your own Sales Development Team
Pro’s:
Control: Hiring, Training, Messaging, Performance
Con’s:
Expensive: Base + Commission = $72K x Headcount
Tech Stack/Training Cost: Avg. Annual $25K/Rep
Management: Need SDR Leader = $129K
Ramp: Average 3.3 months
Productivity: 46 Dials/day + 50 emails/day
Turnover: Avg. Tenure = 1.4 years
All Inside Sales Metrics – The Bridge Group 2018
30

OPTION B
Outsource Your Sales Development
Pro’s:
Low Cost (Fraction of DIY)
No Training/Ramping/Management Required
High Calling Production (Phone Technology)
High Personalized email Production (AI-email)
No HR or Commitment– Turn on and off as required
May include Content Development
Con’s:
No direct control over hiring, messaging, training
31

OPTION C
Some Combination of the Two …
But … Do Something!
Inbound leads will not save you. You need to create
outbound leads. No one is waiting at their desk for
you to call. No one is hoping that you will sell them
something.
You need to reach your prospects. You need to talk to
them about their problem and your offering. You need
to touch them many times and they need to trust you
and believe that what you are selling them will solve
their problem.
All of that has to happen before you can make a sale.
What are you waiting for?
32

THE END
Thanks for taking the time
If you have any questions, comments or rants to share
or if we can help in any way, please let us know.
Call me at 505-795-8855 or visit us at
www.uberconnectforce.com
401 Florence Street
Palo Alto, CA 94301
33

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