5 steps to successful outbound lead generation

Every organization needs to generate the right leads. But how do you successfully reach out to potential clients? How do you make sure you approach the right people, and how do you know when your campaign is successful? At Sqales, we use 5 steps to ensure that our outbound lead generation is a success.

1. Define your ideal customer profile

Before you start reaching out to potential customers, it is essential to define your ideal customer profile (ICP). Defining your ICP is all about who would benefit most from your solution(s). An excellent way to find out who your ICP is is by analyzing your current customers. In which segment are most of your customers? Are there specific sub-target groups within this segment? What problem do we solve for these customers? If this has not yet been done, it is also very valuable to conduct interviews with these current customers and to zoom in on their experiences with your solution and services.

2. Research the relevant personas/stakeholders

Once we have compiled a list of potentially interesting customers, the next step is to map out the relevant personas and stakeholders within the organization in question. In an ideal world, we would sit directly with the person in charge, who is authorized to make decisions and sign the contract. In practice, this rarely happens. Usually, you find yourself navigating various influencers. These influencers, together with the final decision-makers, form the DMU (Decision Making Unit). In order to be successful, you have to do thorough preliminary research into the needs and pain points of these various personas. Why would they want to work with you? What does this mean to them personally? And, equally important, why would they not want to engage with you?

3. Personalize your outreaches

Once the different buyer personas have been mapped out, we can start drawing up personalized outreaches. It is essential to really personalize each outreach and focus on the person you are addressing. Automated or semi-automated messages are easily spotted and always backfire. You will have a much greater chance of success if the prospect feels that you have immersed yourself in their role within the organization and the challenges they face. Finally, always make your message human and authentic!

4. Define your goals and build in structure

Before starting your project and activities, the most crucial task is to define your goals. Without predefined goals, there is no frame of reference for success. Ideally, you should set both long- and short-term goals, after which you can figure out a structured way of working to achieve these goals. Always keep in mind things such as; the duration of your lead generation campaign, the size of your lead lists, the hours available, budgeting, the employees you want to deploy, etcetera.

5. Reflection and fine-tuning

Using data and correctly analyzing your results is becoming more and more important within the sales and marketing process. For a successful outbound campaign, it is essential to track and adjust the results of your outreaches. What is your conversion on the first outreach? What is our conversion on the follow-up? Are emails having the desired success, or are you having more success through phone acquisition? Are the appointments valuable in the end, or do we need to adjust our message or approach? Make sure to evaluate your process continually and to adjust things where necessary. Always use different strategies and compare the results (A/B testing). Eventually, the goal is to work towards a structure and approach that generates the highest possible (positive) conversion and brings you closer to your predefined goals.

At Sqales, we develop and execute successful lead generation campaigns for our customers on a daily basis. Are you interested to learn more? Feel free to contact us. We are always open to discuss your needs over a good cup of coffee!‍