Photo by Eve Bronzini
Imagine this: you’re a small business owner with an amazing product or service. You’ve invested time and effort into building a solid social media presence and a user-friendly website. You believe that by simply existing online, customers will flock to you.
But here’s the reality check: inbound marketing is great for generating interest, but it won’t necessarily create customers, especially if your product costs over $1,000. The secret sauce to real growth? You have to pick up the phone and make outbound sales calls.
The myths of inbound marketing
Inbound marketing creates customers. Many business owners believe that inbound marketing alone will create customers. The truth is that inbound marketing generates leads and interest, but it doesn’t close deals. Those leads may never convert into paying customers without an active sales process.
Social media presence equals sales. It’s easy to think that a strong social media presence will automatically lead to sales. While social media can create awareness and engagement, it rarely drives direct sales, especially for expensive items. You need more than likes and shares to build a sustainable business.
The cost of relying solely on inbound marketing. Relying solely on inbound marketing can be costly. You’ll spend money on ads, content creation, and social media management, but you may not see a significant return on investment. Unless you have an aggressive outbound sales effort, you’ll be wasting time and money creating leads that never get followed up.
The reality of outbound sales
Outbound sales create customers. Unlike inbound marketing, outbound sales are proactive. You reach out to potential customers, understand their needs, and offer solutions. This direct approach increases the likelihood of closing deals and generating revenue.
Building relationships. Outbound sales allow you to build personal relationships with potential customers. A phone call or face-to-face meeting can make a lasting impression and build trust, which is crucial for converting leads into paying customers. Remember, you don’t make sales until a client knows, likes, and trusts you.
Control over the sales process. With outbound sales, you have more control over the sales process. You can tailor your proposal to each prospect, handle objections in real time, and help your potential customer learn why your solution is different. This level of control is invaluable for small business growth.
Why outbound sales matter
Higher conversion rates. Outbound sales typically have higher conversion rates compared to inbound marketing. When you reach out to a prospect directly, you’re more likely to understand their needs and offer a tailored solution that converts.
Faster sales cycles. Outbound sales can shorten your sales cycle. Instead of waiting for leads to come to you, you’re actively pursuing them. This proactive approach can lead to quicker decision-making and faster sales.
Targeted approach. Outbound sales allow you to target specific prospects who are a good fit for your product or service. This targeted approach ensures that you’re spending your time and resources on high-quality leads that are more likely to convert.
Steps to incorporate outbound sales
The first step in incorporating outbound sales is to define your target audience. Understand your ideal customers, their pain points, and how your product or service can solve their problems.
Once you know your target audience, build a list of prospects. Use tools like LinkedIn, industry directories, and social media to find potential customers who fit your criteria.
Your sales pitch should be concise, compelling, and tailored to your audience. Focus on the benefits of your product or service and how it can solve your prospects’ problems. Practice your pitch until it feels natural and confident. Most importantly, understand what problem you’re solving for your customer. Without this information, you’ll sound just like everyone else in your industry.
Make the call. The most important step is to pick up the phone and make the call. Introduce yourself, explain why you’re reaching out, and start a conversation. Remember, the goal is to build a relationship, understand their needs, and offer a solution.
All salespeople hate this. No one likes calling strangers, even seasoned pros who make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Remember, nothing will happen to talk to your prospect. Nothing happens until a sale is made.
Follow up. Follow-up is crucial in outbound sales. If a prospect isn’t ready to buy, don’t give up. Send a follow-up email or make another call to check-in. Persistence often pays off in sales. You will probably have to make five to nine contacts before you ever sell anything. Persistence is key in making sales. I know that almost every good customer I’ve gotten has taken at least five, if not fifty, phone calls before we closed a deal.
Remember those salespeople who make hundreds of thousands of dollars per year? They make that money because they’re persistent and follow up. Are you willing to do this yourself or at least force your sales team to do this for you?
Measuring outbound sales success
Key metrics. To measure the success of your outbound sales efforts, track key metrics such as the number of calls made, the number of appointments set, and the number of deals closed. These metrics will give you a clear picture of your sales performance.
One of my favorite mantras is that which gets measured gets done. If you want to know how effective and efficient your sales efforts are, you must have metrics that tell you what’s going on. This is especially true if you have a sales team. You must monitor their activity and sales is really just an activity game.
Analyzing results. Regularly analyze your sales data to identify trends and areas for improvement. Look for patterns in successful calls and appointments and use that information to refine your approach. Work on your sales pipeline to recognize what steps in your sales process move a potential client closer to an engagement with you. And, recognize what isn’t working and stop doing that which isn’t working.
Outbound sales is a continuous process of learning and improvement. Stay open to feedback, experiment with different approaches, and always look for ways to improve your sales technique.
Common Mistakes in Outbound Sales
Lack of Preparation – One common mistake in outbound sales is a lack of preparation. Before making a call, research your prospects and understand their needs. A well-prepared sales presentation is more likely to succeed.
Being Too Pushy – While persistence is important, being too pushy can turn prospects off. Focus on the problem you’re solving and ask lots and lots of good questions. You will never be seen as pushy when you ask great questions.
Neglecting Follow-Up – Neglecting follow-up is another common mistake. Many sales are lost because the salesperson didn’t follow up. Make sure to stay in touch and nurture your leads until they’re ready to buy. It’s all about persistence. Without it, you’ll be sure to have way fewer sales than you should.
Combining inbound and outbound sales
Balanced approach. The most effective sales strategy combines inbound and outbound sales. Use inbound marketing and outbound sales to generate leads and interest to close deals proactively. This balanced approach ensures a steady flow of new customers.
The best example I see with this is HubSpot. If you download one of their content pieces from their website, one of their sales team will contact you in minutes. Even though HubSpot is known for inbound marketing, its entire success is based on outbound sales. Doesn’t it make sense that if the number one inbound sales company uses outbound sales, you should also?
Leveraging inbound data. Use data from your inbound marketing efforts to inform your outbound sales strategy. For example, if a prospect downloads a whitepaper from your website, follow up with a call to discuss how your product or service can help them further. Just use the HubSpot model.
Creating a seamless experience. Ensure a seamless experience for your prospects by aligning your inbound and outbound sales efforts. Consistent messaging and a smooth transition between marketing and sales can enhance the customer experience and increase conversion rates.
A final thought
Outbound sales are the secret sauce to small business growth. While inbound marketing generates leads and interest, outbound sales actively create customers. Or, to say this simpler, inbound marketing creates awareness and outbound sales creates customers. Of the two, I hope you want customers more than awareness. If that’s true, get out there and make some sales.
