Outbound Lead Generation

[IlyaGoncharov]

Hi guys, the last few weeks I was struggling with the outbound lead generation strategy. Right now we are doing LinkedIn and emailing using our database. What else can we implement to make more leads? We are a SaaS company that has a super cool tool to improve sales training. Thank you in advance.

 

[fisicx]

Advertising. Rank on google. Letters in the post. Cold calling. Trade shows. Free demos

Loads of ways to get leads.

 

[IlyaGoncharov]

Advertising. Rank on google. Letters in the post. Cold calling. Trade shows. Free demos

Loads of ways to get leads.

Thanks for the reply. I am working as BDM so I am not dealing with marketing. I was thinking besides cold calling, do you know a tool or maybe an approach that can help me?

 

[fisicx]

No. If you want leads you have to work hard at finding and then engaging with. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. It means hours and hours of google searches looking for sales organisations who might be interested in training. Or training organisations, they might want a free demo.

 

[fisicx]

Remember as well you are an unknown company offering an untested product to people who already deliver training. It’s not going to be easy.

 

[IlyaGoncharov]

No. If you want leads you have to work hard at finding and then engaging with. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. It means hours and hours of google searches looking for sales organisations who might be interested in training. Or training organisations, they might want a free demo.

Hmmm ok, I will still try to find a different approach because I believe that the sales industry is pretty developed so people did their research and mistakes before. The question is if they will share it with me.

 

[fisicx]

Why would they want to share anything with you? And yes, the whole industry is very developed with a whole range of training resources. You claim your tool will improve sales training but unless you know how training is currently done in the UK you are just guessing.

 

[fisicx]

Looked at your site and it’s full of marketing guff. Nothing that would entice me to book a demo. I don’t actually believe your hype.

 

[IlyaGoncharov]

I thought this forum is made to share thoughts between salespeople and that's why I thought I can get help here.

 

[fisicx]

Very few salespeople here. Most are business owners.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Very few salespeople here. Most are business owners.

I'd disagree (kind of)

Most business owners are sales people

@IlyaGoncharov - in common with most of these 'best method' requests, you are looking for an easy answer to a complex question.

Start by asking yourself these 3 questions:

- Who - exactly - is your perfect customer? (if the answer is 'any business', then you have created yourself an impossible task)
- Where do they gather - virtually, physically or metaphorically.
- Why are they likely to be excited by your product?

The answer to those questions will help to answer your original question.

 

[fisicx]

Most business owners are sales people

Yes they are. But his product is aimed at sales teams. The product features automated onboarding (for example).

 

[intheTRADE]

You actually have on the face of it, if it works, a decent looking useful tool - especially with the amount of home working now the norm amongst organisations who will be your prospects - Sell on this fact that it is great for monitoring the progress of home workers

Your software has 4 uses and as such I would split your target prospects to which use they would require - I wouldn't be approaching a prospect trying to sell the full shebang

Newcomer Onboarding - Target new start ups/actively recruiting firms. Use LinkedIn to identify the recruiting managers/trainers and send soft InMails/download Apollo and use the LinkedIn extension to extract verified email addresses to make initial contact (use case studies of existing clients using it for new starter training) followed up with a call which is now less cold - Only pitch this part of the software

Knowledge Check/Recurring Training - Again the same approach as above, however, targeting organisations with X number of staff, say 50+, as anything below this I can't see companies paying for. Target Head of Training/Coaches and Team Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders - Use case studies

Channel Partner Training - Same approach to reach out but target industries that utilise channel partners - Most Energy Brokers for example have channel partners that will have a use for this. Again target Trainers/Coaches and Channel Partner Managers and Directors - Use case studies

Once you're in with a company that's when you attempt the cross sell to them of the other uses of the software

Define what you are contacting them about Something like this needs the softly softly approach. Don't go in for the sale, offer the no obligation demo. These people are busy, tell them how long the demo is a stick to that time. Don't say it is 20 minutes then take an hour of your time. Send demo time confirmation date, send demo reminder on the morning/afternoon before and reiterate you will only take X amount of minutes of their time. Agree a date to follow up for decision/more questions, usually within 48 hours if possible.

As with an new service offering, find out about their business, their current processes, their current challenges and tailor your answers based on how your software can resolve each point

Good Luck

 

[fisicx]

@intheTRADE - but this is no different to the umpteen other onboarding applications. When I was contracting I've had to sit through dozens of the things. They all do pretty much the same thing: slides or videos followed by some sort of assessment.

 

[intheTRADE]

@fisicx I totally agree there are a load of these applications out there. Some great, some shocking.

That however doesn't mean new ones can't enter the market and gain traction. There's thousands of every industry, Web developers, digital agencies, roofers, solicitors, cleaners etc.

Lead generation in any industry is numbers and relationship building game. Knock enough doors and you will speak with decision makers who will listen to you. The OPs job is to then sell on whatever their benefits be. Be it price, application, support.

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Thanks for the reply. I am working as BDM so I am not dealing with marketing. I was thinking besides cold calling, do you know a tool or maybe an approach that can help me?

Noted you are not "dealing with marketing", who is? Work with them to create a coherent and attractive proposition - it will give you a steer on where to look for leads

If you want leads you have to work hard at finding and then engaging with. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes.

This! There is no quick fix - it will hard work and time to find out what works best for you. You will probably need to try a few things before hitting on the right one.

 

[fisicx]

Lead generation in any industry is numbers and relationship building game. Knock enough doors and you will speak with decision makers who will listen to you.

I think the OP was looking for some sort of tool that did all the hard work for them.

 

[MBE2017]

I think the OP was looking for some sort of tool that did all the hard work for them.

Agreed, the same applies to almost everyone else. As rightly mentioned, there is no easy simple method, no magic pill, it is just hard work, and making the most of the opportunities you uncover when they come along.

I would say the easiest way to double your sales, look at yourself, do everything better than you do now.

Everyone is in sales, most just do not realise they are, even a good cleaner of an office helps create a good initial impression to visitors, right down to your delivery guy when he drops the goods, to credit controllers chasing the money, it all has an overall effect.

As for this tool, it will come down to making good relationships with the right people, and proving its worth.

 

[Kenny Blair]

Have you looked at tools like Apollo and Outreach ?

You still need to craft an engaging email, but these tools automate the process of sending the email, then a reminder after a number of days and can add steps like LinkedIn connection and telephone call.

It would allow you to get more prospects into the sales funnel.

They also carry prospect data that can be more complete than LinkedIn, and easier to manipulate in bulk.

 

[Nyx004]

you should test different possibilities to figure it out what works best for your business, need some strategy to follow them. can try cold calls too.

 

[SEODEV#338055]

@fisicx hit the head of the nail with the hammer that sinks all nails.

Google.

Love it. Hate it. People are searching.

Improve your website and help them find you.

Outbound sales is not easy.