If your connect rate is 1%. Stop dialing. Fix it.
Even if you’re hitting quota.
Read time: 2 min
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This week, I had a call with a rep launching an outbound motion.
He’s ramping, already hitting quota, and I told him:
Stop dialing until you fix this.
Here’s what happened:
He reached out because he wanted to book more meetings on the phone, asking about scripts, what to say, etc.
Instead of diving into tactics, I flipped it:
Are you hitting quota?
Which channels are working for you?
What’s your connect rate?
Etc
He said he’s hitting quota with email and LinkedIn but getting nothing from calls.
Then he dropped this:
“I only get 3 connects.”
I thought, “3 connects a day? Not great, but okay.”
But no, 500 calls in 2 weeks.
3 connects.
That’s a 0.6% connect rate.
Compared to the US average of 5%, that’s painfully low.
Quick note: This rep is the only one doing outbound at his company in the US, so we compared his numbers to the US average. If your company already has data, use your own average. For example, I know companies targeting CISOs at 10k+ employees account where the connect rate is just 1%.
I told him straight up:
You’ve got 2 options.
Option 1:
Stop making calls.
Focus on email + LinkedIn instead.
Calls aren’t working for now, and 500 dials for 0 meetings isn’t worth the effort.
Option 2:
Fix your connect rate and keep all channels running.
He chose Option 2.
Here’s the checklist we went through to boost his connect rate:
Switch to a new provider for verified numbers.
Try a different dialer.
Leave voicemails.
Track call outcomes.
Call each prospect 5 times over 4 weeks.
Bypass gatekeepers.
Check if your number is flagged as spam.
Use alternate numbers if flagged.
By the way, want to boost your connect rate? Check out my 9 Tips to Get a 13% Pick-Up Rate with Your Cold Calls here.
The lesson?
Sometimes the problem isn’t what you think.
This rep thought his talk track was the issue. But with a 0.6% connect rate (vs. the 5% US average), fixing his pitch wouldn’t move the needle.
First, fix the connect rate. Then worry about the conversations.
Here’s the math:
At a 0.6% connect rate, you need 1,667 calls to book 1 meeting.
At a 5% connect rate, you only need 200 calls to book that same meeting.
That’s just for 1 rep.
Now imagine you’ve got a team of 10 with the same problem. That’s a huge and expensive gap to fix.
Takeaway
Don’t just assume you know what’s broken. Take a step back, analyze your outbound channels, and compare your metrics or conversion rates to the US average or your team’s average. If something’s lower than it should be, fix that first.
Sometimes the answer isn’t just “make more calls” or “smile and dial.”
See you in the next newsletter.
Cheers,
Elric
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