A sales cadence covers all the steps and touchpoints you use when reaching out to prospects, including calls, emails and social media interactions. A thoughtful cadence keeps prospects engaged and helps guide them through the decision-making process. Without one, you may appear disorganized, and your outreach may feel disjointed to your prospects.
VanillaSoft’s Shawn Finder says a well-planned sales cadence offers numerous benefits, including increased efficiency and better tracking of sales activities. How should you go about creating a sales cadence? Read on. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we share Finder’s tips for creating a cadence that keeps your sales pipeline full.
Clarify your target audience. You need a different sales sequence for every buyer persona, Finder says. While fewer calls and more personalized emails may work best for C-level executives, mid-level professionals may respond well to an equal number of emails, calls and social media touchpoints.
Use the right communication channels. Following the guidance above, make sure to include various communication channels. This way, Finder says you can identify what each of your prospects prefers and use the information to fine-tune your sales sequence.
Emphasize your unique selling point. According to Finder, the success of a sales cadence depends largely on a clearly articulated value proposition. You must be able to identify and explain the distinctive benefits of working with you.
Set your ideal duration and spacing. The duration of your sales cycle is the length of your sales sequence from the first touchpoint to the last, Finder says. There’s no single magic timing, but most sales cadences last 2 to 4 weeks. This can vary, though, depending on factors like your target audience and the complexity of your sales process. Finder recommends using a mix of short and long intervals to balance persistence and respect for the prospect’s time.
Provide the right content. Don’t expect great results if you send the same message with every outreach. According to Finder, you’ll experience much more success if you tailor your content for each segment, communication channel and outreach attempt. He advises focusing on delivering valuable content that resonates with each segment. Don’t send the same thing over and over but instead vary your content by providing materials like blogs, case studies and testimonials.
Instead of sending generic messages or reaching out at random times, use a strategic approach. A thoughtful sales cadence goes a long way at showing you care more about addressing your prospects’ needs than simply making a sale.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Shawn Finder is the GM of sales at VanillaSoft, a cloud-based sales engagement platform.
