When it comes to generating leads and connecting with your target prospects, there’s still nothing quite as impactful as a human-to-human telephone conversation. All the marketing automation tools and technology in the world can’t replace the power of the human voice as a means of building relationships with potential buyers.
But telephone conversations aren’t the only piece of a successful B2B lead generation and appointment-setting campaign.
Getting busy decision makers to answer their phone can sometimes be a challenge. That’s why VSA Prospecting utilizes a multi-channel approach as part of our lead generation cadence that also includes sending emails and dropping voicemails when the time is right. Lately, we’ve also started to include text messaging for clients who request it.
Statistically, it takes about eight prospecting touchpoints to connect with a target customer, with the odds of success increasing with each follow-up attempt (at least until the law of diminishing returns starts to take effect). Since every prospect responds differently, combining multiple tactics can dramatically improve a program’s success rate.
Here are some of the ways texts, emails, and voicemails can complement a lead generation cold-calling campaign:
Text messages
SMS marketing platforms have their limitations (the number of characters, occasional deliverability issues), but they also have a huge advantage over other lead generation strategies in that the message is almost guaranteed to be seen by the recipient.
Unlike emails, which can remain unopened in crowded inboxes for days or longer, text messages have a 98% open rate, according to statistics compiled by SMScomparison.com. And 83% of millennials open SMS messages within 90 seconds of receiving them. Receiving a text message also feels more personal than receiving an email, so a text notification is more likely to immediately grab a decision maker’s attention.
This isn’t to say text messages are always more well-received than emails, but they are more likely to be read. Using both communication methods in tandem can increase the chance of a response.
VSA has occasionally utilized SMS messaging for clients in recent years and implemented it as part of a current client’s campaign. Though the texting portion of the program did not produce the desired results in this case, SMS messaging has become a viable lead generation tool and one that we expect to continue to incorporate for certain programs moving forward.
Emails
Emails are a crucial part of almost all VSA lead generation campaigns. Whether we’re sharing requested information with a prospect, confirming an appointment, attempting to reschedule a dropped appointment, or reaching out to prospects we haven’t been able to connect with by phone, a well-executed email campaign can greatly impact a program’s success and help turn cold leads into warm ones.
The average cold email response rate is only between 1 and 5%, but that doesn’t mean sending them is a futile endeavor. For one thing, an email can build brand awareness; even if a prospect doesn’t respond, an email increases their familiarity with your company name. Knowing that a prospect has opened an email or clicked on a link provides our Business Development Representatives with an opportunity to personalize any subsequent phone conversations. Email chains also make it easier to document all correspondence with a prospect.
Some prospects are simply easier to reach by email than by phone. With one current client, we don’t have easy access to decision makers’ phone numbers, so communicating via email is not only helpful, but essential.
Voicemails
Leaving a B2B voicemail message can sometimes feel like a waste of time. According to various statistics, a first-time voicemail message has only about a 10% response rate, or less. But considering how many cold calls go to voicemail (80%, according to a 2019 survey by RingLead), it’d be foolhardy to avoid leaving messages entirely.
The key is to know when to leave messages, how often to leave messages, and what to say when you do leave a message.
When to leave a message: VSA’s primary strategy is to only leave messages when we know we’ve reached a decision maker’s direct mailbox. There are exceptions; for example, if we reach the voicemail of another person at the company who we’ve previously had a productive conversation with. But we rarely leave messages in a general mailbox.
How often to leave messages: This is tricky. You don’t want to become a nuisance, but you also want to minimize the number of fruitless calling attempts. Generally, we leave no more than one voicemail a week, although the frequency can change, based on the content of previous conversations. Statistically, every message you leave brings you one step closer to a response; according to Sales Hacker, first-time voicemails from sales reps have an 11% response rate, compared to 22% for second messages and 33% for third messages.
What to say on a voicemail: This subject deserves an entirely separate article, but here are three quick tips: 1) Have a script (you don’t want to stumble over the reason you’re calling; 2) Keep it short (10 to 15 seconds is ideal, especially for first contact); 3) Give the prospect reason to care. Ideally, they’ll be intrigued enough to call back, but at the very least, you’ll pique their interest enough that they’ll be more willing to listen if you reach them in the future.
Conclusion
For more than 21 years, VSA has primarily taken a phone-first approach to lead generation, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. In the words of bestselling author and renowned sales expert Jeb Blount, “The phone is the easiest and fastest means of engaging in conversations with and setting appointments with high-quality prospects.” We wholeheartedly agree!
But we also know that having phone conversations with decision makers isn’t the only way to help our clients fill their pipelines and grow their businesses, so we’re never going to ignore other proven methods of communication.
Just as no two of our clients’ offerings are exactly the same, no two lead generation campaigns are identical. All our programs are customized to fit our clients’ needs, based on a thorough onboarding process, detailed data analysis and reporting, and ongoing collaboration.
If you’d like to learn how we can help you grow your business, contact us here, schedule a meeting with us, or call us at 856-240-8100. However you prefer to communicate, we’re always ready to talk.