Persistence is a powerful tool: it can get an elusive prospect on the phone or push a drawn-out deal over the finish line. But there’s a fine line between persistence and pestering, and it’s one sales professionals have to be careful to toe.
Staying consistently visible and engaging is key to winning a competitive edge and building trust with potential customers. If a rep’s communication is too frequent or not relevant to their needs, however, it risks overwhelming the prospect and damaging their perception of the brand.
Top-performing sales pros understand the delicate dance this demands. Katie Spencer, an account executive at Klaviyo, makes a point of creating value with every interaction so her messages offer something to prospects rather than asking something of them.
Making a prospect’s needs the star of the conversation instead of focusing on the product demonstrates thoughtfulness and a genuine desire to engage.
As Dale Carnegie wrote in How to Win Friends and Influence People, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
Personalization is Klaviyo’s bread and butter — it’s helped the company win over 100,000 customers globally and driven more than $100 billion in sales — so it’s no surprise that segmenting and targeting are also central to Spencer’s approach. While this may take more time upfront, it pays dividends in driving conversations and ultimately closing deals.
Read on for more strategies for turning prospects into partners.
Klaviyo helps businesses harness customer data to deliver more effective marketing campaigns.
How do you ensure you reach out to prospects frequently enough to stay top-of-mind while not fatiguing them with over-communication?
It’s important to strike the right balance between staying top of mind and avoiding overcommunication fatigue. Here are some ways I think about thoughtful outreach:
- Segment your prospects. Divide your prospects into different groups based on their interests, needs or buying stage. This allows you to tailor your communication frequency and content to each group. Provide relevant and targeted messages rather than blasting the same message to every prospect.
- Prioritize quality over quantity. Instead of bombarding prospects with frequent but generic messages, focus on delivering high-quality interactions. Provide valuable insights, industry trends or resources that are specifically tailored to their needs. Become a trusted advisor.
- Opt for a multi-channel approach. Utilize various communication channels, such as email, phone calls, social media or in-person meetings. By diversifying your channels, you increase the likelihood of reaching prospects in their preferred method of communication. My personal favorite is a Loom video. It shows you went the extra mile and can send engaging and helpful content.
By positioning yourself as a valuable resource, you increase the chances of staying top of mind.”
If a prospect is non-responsive, how do you pivot your approach to outreach so that you remain top-of-mind?
Here are a few strategies that I use to remain top of mind:
- Change up your communication channels. If you've been sending emails with no response, try reaching out on social media or sending a personalized video message. Shake things up by using different platforms to capture their attention.
- Inject humor into your outreach. Break the ice with a witty subject line or a funny anecdote related to their industry or pain points. Share a humorous GIF or meme that resonates with their interests.
- Offer something of value. Instead of solely focusing on your product or service, provide useful resources, tips or industry insights. Show that you genuinely care about helping them overcome challenges. By positioning yourself as a valuable resource, you increase the chances of staying top of mind.
- Show genuine interest. Take the time to research and understand their business. LinkedIn is a great place to find information.
- Leverage mutual connections. If you have common contacts or mutual acquaintances, mention them in your outreach. A shared connection can create a sense of familiarity and increase the likelihood of a response.
What tips would you share with other sales professionals who want to strike the right balance between frequent outreach and not overwhelming their prospects with over-communication?
First, get to know your prospects and how they prefer to be contacted. Segment and prioritize them based on their needs. Then, personalize your messages to show you understand their challenges. Always provide value in each interaction to keep them engaged. Keep an eye on their engagement signals to adjust your approach. Lastly, seek permission to stay in touch and ask for feedback to continuously improve.
