Dear SaaStr: How Can I Get Outbound Going From Scratch in 30 Days?
Achieving outbound success in 30 days is challenging, but possible with focus.
Here’s a month-long plan to refine your outbound strategy and schedule initial meetings:
1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP):
Focus narrowly. Identify your best potential buyers by industry, company size, role, and pain points. Reverse-engineer existing customer profiles if any, or choose a niche you understand with strong assumptions.
– Example: Target mid-market SaaS companies, focusing on VPs of Sales or Revenue Operations in companies with 50–500 employees.
2. Use an Enrichment Tool to Build an Initial List:
– Create a list of 50–100 high-quality prospects fitting your ICP. Enrich details with contact info, LinkedIn profiles, and relevant insights (e.g., recent funding, hiring trends).
– Personalize at scale using workflows to generate tailored insights for each prospect (e.g., reference a recent blog post they authored or a company milestone).
3. Craft Initial Messaging:
– Write 2–3 highly personalized email templates. Address their pain points and your solutions. Keep it brief and direct.
– Example: “Hi [First Name], I noticed [specific insight about their company]. Companies like [similar customer] have used [your product] to [specific result]. I’d love to discuss how we can help achieve the same for you.”
1. Launch Your First Campaign:
– Send your first 50 emails using tools like Mixmax or Apollo.io for automated follow-ups. A simple cadence could be:
– Day 1: Initial email.
– Day 3: Follow-up with a new angle.
– Day 7: Final reminder.
2. Monitor Your Qualified Connect Rate (QCR):
Check how many prospects respond and agree to a meeting. A 5% or higher rate indicates progress. If lower, adjust your messaging or ICP.
3. Experiment with Channels:
– Include LinkedIn outreach. Send connection requests with a brief, personalized note. Upon connection, follow up with a message akin to your email.
1. Evaluate Results:
– Identify what’s effective. Are certain segments or messages excelling? Focus on these.
– Example: If VPs of Sales in funded SaaS companies show interest, concentrate there and expand your list.
2. Grow Your List:
– Use tools like Clay, Apollo, or Zoominfo to source another 100–200 prospects based on successful segments. Maintain personalization—don’t trade quality for quantity.
3. Refine Your Cadence:
– Test varied follow-up strategies. Try a 5-touch sequence over 14 days for one group and a 3-touch sequence over 7 days for another.
1. Use Warm Intros:
– Utilize any connections to target accounts, such as LinkedIn or mutual contacts. A warm intro can significantly boost response rates.
2. Persistently Follow Up:
– Don’t hesitate to follow up multiple times. Persistence is key in outbound. Ensure each touchpoint adds value through relevant case studies, blog posts, or insights.
3. Schedule the Meetings:
– Upon receiving interest, quickly arrange the meeting. Use an AI scheduling assistant to manage logistics.
Final Thoughts:
In 30 days, aim to validate your outbound strategy.
Securing even 5–10 meetings indicates you’re on course. Subsequently, refine and scale.
Outbound requires tenacity, but consistent discipline and focus yield results.