Because salespeople only have a set amount of time in a week, it’s critical that sales activities are as effective as possible. For prospecting efforts, this means a focus on buyer-adjacent prospecting. Jeff Hoffman emphasized the importance of buyer-adjacent prospecting in a recent article on prospecting. This strategy leverages existing relationships to identify new prospects. Many salespeople are familiar with the term “warm calling”. Warm calling can mean reaching out to someone through a referral or introduction or even after an initial intro call. Further, reaching out to someone who has already expressed interest Research has consistently shown this strategy is more effective than cold calling. In fact, cold calling has on average an abysmal 2% success rate while warm calling is over 30%.
Warming up a lead
In order to take a lead from ice cold to warm, there are a few strategies sales experts suggest. First, get an introduction. This is the most obvious but can also be the most difficult. Additionally, some salespeople take this approach too far. As an ask after someone isn’t interested in the sale, they request names of other people who might be interested in their service. Not only does this approach put the person in an awkward position, it also can produce subpar leads. Conversely, when a person is pleased with the service a salesperson has provided, they are more than happy to make a recommendation to friends and family. To create a system that encourages referrals, focus on a few key steps:
- Reference the value you place on referrals before you start the sales process.
- Provide incredible service to everyone you interact with.
- Connect clients with an easy way to refer others to you (your CardTapp app comes in handy here).
- Ask for a referral after the sales process is complete.
Other ways to connect
Introductions don’t necessarily need to come in the form of a referral. In fact, there are many other “buyer-adjacent” opportunities salespeople can use to connect. Consider interests or activities of the lead you’re trying to “warm up”. If you can find a mutual connection, the prospecting journey becomes easier. Whether a community group, alma mater, or hobby, finding a point of connection is a quick way to make prospecting efforts more effective.
Additionally, pursuing a permission-based marketing strategy can build a pipeline of warm leads. Offering valuable content that prospects want to access is a great way to build a good foundation for a successful sales journey. Personalized communication creates more receptive potential buyers which saves salespeople time and energy.
Meet each prospect where they are
The primary objective of building a pipeline of warm leads is more effective prospecting. The warmer the lead, the easier it is to get them into the sales funnel. Ultimately, being able to identify the needs and interests of leads is a key part of converting the sale. To fully leverage the CardTapp platform, make sure you are monitoring app users’ activity in the app. The tools and resources they access can give great insight into how you should pursue or continue the sales process.