6 lessons I've learned about outbound in 2023
(And their key takeaways)
Read time: 3 min
Hello, as we enter the last month of Q1, I hope you had a wonderful February.
February was a decent month for me professionally. Our team hasn't met our quota yet due to various reasons, but we've made significant progress.
By the way, I'm considering recording an episode about everything I'm learning and improving upon in SDR leadership.
In February, we officially launched our outbound team and started booking our first demos.
Additionally, I took some time to reflect on my experiences in 2023 regarding outbound sales, specifically at Castordoc and Agorapulse.
From these reflections, I've extracted six pivotal lessons.
These lessons have not only transformed my approach and boosted my efficiency but also offer valuable insights for anyone aiming to enhance their prospecting skills.
A longer format of this newsletter is also available in audio and video on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcast.
Here are my 6 Lessons and Takeaways for 2023:
Rethinking LinkedIn
The Account-Based Shift
Understanding Business Impact
The Importance of a Point of View
Embracing AB Testing and Analytics
Leveraging AI for Efficiency
My 6 Lessons and Takeaways
1. Rethinking LinkedIn
I'm seeing a lot of people on LinkedIn pushing for SDR teams to post on LinkedIn.
It has always been a powerhouse for prospecting, but it's not just about having a personal brand.
I learned that success could come from using LinkedIn as a prospecting channel.
Reaching out directly to prospects, optimizing your profile is key.
My experience showed me that even without a constant presence, strategic, targeted outreach can yield impressive results.
Takeaway:
Don't get hung up on building a massive personal brand.
Instead, focus on crafting a profile that speaks directly to your ICP, and buyer personas and use LinkedIn wisely to connect.
2. The Account-Based Shift
Shifting my focus from individual prospects to the broader account landscape was a game-changer.
Initially, I'd spend hours personalizing messages for single contacts, or spend time researching prospects with 0 info you can leverage.
However, by understanding the account as a whole, I speed up my research, saving time and increasing my outreach's relevance.
Takeaway: Deep dive into accounts first to uncover relevant insights that you can use across multiple prospects within the same organization.
3. Understanding Business Impact
Understanding the distinct impacts of our solutions on end-users, executive levels and the business at large deepened my conversations.
It's crucial to articulate not just how a product fits into the user's day-to-day but also its broader business value.
Takeaway:
Tailor your message to highlight the dual benefits of your solution, enhancing its appeal to decision-makers:
Above the line
Below the line
4. The Importance of a Point of View
I learned this from the podcast episode with Mike Wander: the importance of having a strong point of view on how you can help before reaching out.
Based on your research, observation, and the common challenges faced by your prospects.
Takeaway:
Your outreach should reflect a deep understanding of the prospect's business and offer a clear perspective on how you can help.
5. Embracing A/B Testing and Analytics
Embracing a scientist's mindset toward prospecting, I began experimenting with various outreach strategies, learning from each touch.
This approach allowed me to refine my methods CONTINUOUSLY, leading to more effective prospecting efforts.
Because the first time I heard about A/B testing was on the podcast of John Barrows, but I only A/B tested subject lines.
Where A/B testing is a constant process
Takeaway: Regularly test and analyze your outreach strategies.
Small tweaks can lead to significant improvements in response rates and engagement.
6. Leveraging AI for Efficiency
Initially skeptical, I found AI tools, like ChatGPT, invaluable for researching and crafting personalized messages.
AI not only saved time but also improved the quality of my outreach, helping me secure my biggest opportunity to date at Castordoc.
My favorite AI tools: are ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Clay.
Takeaway: AI can be a powerful ally in crafting your approach and scaling your prospecting efforts.
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These lessons represent more than just tactical shifts; for me they are the 20% efforts, to get 80% of the results.
Experiment, learn from your experiences, and continually adapt.
The world of outbound is always evolving.
A longer format of this newsletter is also available in audio and video on
Spotify
YouTube
Apple podcasts
As soon as you're ready, I can help you in 3 different ways:
Promote your product or yourself to 3,700+ subscribers by sponsoring this newsletter. If you are interested, reply to this email, or send me an email at bonjour@elriclegloire.com
Work with me 1-1: I help build SDR teams and outbound GTM strategy. Reply to this email, or send me an email at bonjour@elriclegloire.com
Check my podcast, where I interview top-performing SDRs and share prospecting tips that work best today, you can watch the episodes on YouTube, and Spotify.