- The Clever Letter
- Posts
- The most effective cold outreach strategy in 2023
Read time: 3 minutes
Welcome To The Clever Letter!
Every Saturday, we’ll share an actionable lead generation guide that’ll help get your first (or next) 100 customers so you can take your business to the next level. This newsletter will remain Free forever. We hope you enjoy!
Today, I want to introduce you to a great way to book more sales calls.
It's called 'Value-First Cold Outreach.'
Sounds complicated (and a bit cliché)…
It’s actually super simple.
Every heard of the law of reciprocity?
It’s the idea that says people usually feel good when someone does something nice for them. Making them more open to doing something nice in return.
In marketing, giving something valuable to possible customers can make them more likely to do something you want…
Like… responding to your message!
Let me explain.
What is Value-First Cold Outreach?
In a nutshell, Value-First Cold Outreach is about giving before you ask.
Instead of starting a conversation with, "Hey, wanna buy my stuff?" (which we all know can be a little pushy)…
It's about saying, "Hey, here's something helpful for you. If you need more, I'm around!"
By offering value first, you build a relationship and trust, which makes people more likely to listen to what you have to say.
Five Ways to Do Value-First Cold Outreach:
Share Insightful Blogs: If you're reaching out to a digital marketing firm, send them an original blog post about the latest SEO trends. Say something like, "Hey, I wrote this guide on SEO trends for 2023. Thought it could be helpful for your team. Let me know if you find it useful!"
Offer Free Audits: Let's say you're in the IT services business. Offer a free audit of their cybersecurity measures. You could write, "I noticed a few common cybersecurity loopholes companies often overlook. If you'd like, I can do a quick, no-charge review of your systems and give some tips. Interested?"
Webinars or Virtual Workshops: If you offer financial services, how about inviting potential clients to a free webinar on tax saving strategies? "Hi, we're hosting a free webinar on tax saving tips for businesses this Friday. It's packed with practical info. Would love for you to join us!"
Free Templates or Tools: Let's say you're into HR services. Share a free employee satisfaction survey template. "Hi, we've created this employee satisfaction survey based on our extensive work in the HR field. Feel free to use it. It might help you get some valuable feedback from your team."
Give a Compliment and Suggest a Strategy: This works for all fields. Compliment them on something they're doing well and suggest a way to make it even better. "Your web design portfolio is impressive! One thing that could make it stand out even more is implementing accessibility features. Here's a guide we've put together on how to do it."
It might seem weird not to be salesy right off the bat.
But trust us, putting the other person's needs before your own really pays off in the long run!
Moving Forward: Transitioning the Conversation
So you've shared value and got a response.
Awesome!
Now comes the crucial part - steering the conversation towards understanding if they have a problem your service can solve.
Here's how to do it:
Be Appreciative: Start by thanking them for their response and engaging with your shared value. This can help foster a positive atmosphere for the conversation ahead.
Ask Open-Ended Questions: Now, it's time to understand their needs better. Instead of asking yes/no questions, ask open-ended ones that encourage them to share more. For example, if you're in cybersecurity services, you could ask, "What kind of challenges is your company currently facing with cybersecurity?"
Listen Actively: Pay attention to their response. Their pain points are potential areas where your service can come in handy. Show empathy and reassure them that these are common challenges many companies face.
Suggest a Solution: After you've fully understood their problem, suggest how your service could help. Remember to maintain the value-first approach. Say, "From my experience, a comprehensive security audit often reveals overlooked vulnerabilities. If you're open to it, we can schedule one for your team."
Propose a Follow-up: Don't rush to close the deal. Instead, propose a follow-up meeting or call to discuss in more detail. Something like, "I'd love to explore this further with you and see how we can better secure your systems. Can we set up a time to chat next week?"
Remember, the transition should feel natural and not forced.
Your potential client should feel heard, understood, and comfortable to proceed with you.
And that's your guide to Value-First Cold Outreach!
Try it out, and let's turn those connections into customers!
See you next week!
Whenever you are ready, there are 3 ways we can help you:
Cold Email Lead Generation - Get booked sales calls with your ideal clients on a pay-per-lead basis. No monthly fees. You only pay a fixed fee whenever you response from your ideal customer. Click here to learn more.
LinkedIn Content Service - Want to build an audience of 10,000 engaged prospects? Get attention-grabbing LinkedIn content done-for-you that scales your personal brand and drives interested prospects to message you. Click here to learn more.
LinkedIn Paid Advertising - Want to get in front of prospects you never thought possible? Our irresistible LinkedIn Ad funnels will help you grow your business rapidly. Click here to learn more.
n