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Thank goodness you don't need outbound sales anymore

by joe golfer
7 replies
Outbound sales is for old people who started selling in the 70s and 80s. I mean, they had internet, sure, at like 10 universities, not for business people.

In today's high-speed internet, social media world you can rely on inbound sales and lead a more productive life working with happy, friendly pre-qualified leads.

Not so fast, Inbound lover.

I think it depends on your service, the size of your company and the prospects you target.

As an example, Jason Lemkins is in the SaaS (Software as a Service) space. He writes, "Inside sales is terrific. Warm leads are great. Live trials of easy-to-use-and-deploy web services really have changed the game.

And yet …

The reality is, by revenue, this isn’t the way the majority of the world buys.

The majority of the world gets exposed to a vendor — vs. searching for one. And probably doesn’t do an active trial, on their own. Doesn’t opt into a funnel. The majority of the world, by revenue, wants to lean back and get a one-on-one demo. And maybe, even, buys without ever really even using the product much, or at all.

And the higher you sell up in an organization, the less free trialin’ is going. SVPs only do so many free trials, trust me, having been a VP in the Fortune 500. If you wanted my budget in the F500, dude, you had to sell to me."

Inbound or Outbound Sales? The Answer is Yes | saastr

You may not be in the software business, but my guess is your business is similar regarding inbound/outbound. Inbound leads are great. But to sell higher in the organization, sell faster and sell more, you'll need to go old school.

And here's a cherry on top: Outbound sales is a lot of fun. Yes, you are allowed to have some fun. It's your business and your life. Enjoy your time on stage.
#anymore #goodness #outbound #sales
  • Profile picture of the author Talltom1
    Joe,

    Awesome post. Sending you a PM
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  • Profile picture of the author jamesfreddyc
    Up until recently our entire customer base is the product of phone prospecting. We simply have put our energy into outbound reach but we recently joined a web service that is building a marketplace for SaaS.manufactureres, vendors, resellers and retail customers. I look at it as a jumpstart of exposure.without organic effort.

    My expectation is guarded but there seems to be opportunity to tap into existing VAR channels.
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  • Profile picture of the author joe golfer
    You're right, James, inbound IS important. At a minimum, having great content supports your outbound efforts as you can seamlessly weave the material into your presentation on the phone or in person. These days, if you don't have good content that helps prospects, you're are a major disadvantage. In the B2B space especially, the first inbound contact is often not the decision maker, therefore you need selling skills to cover the right bases. So whether inbound or outbound starts the car, good selling will drive you over the finish line.
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    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author erakor
    this makes a lot of sense
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  • Profile picture of the author chaotic squid
    I'm a big proponent of inbound marketing, but you really have to have a mix of both inbound and outbound to be successful, great post.
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    • Profile picture of the author joe golfer
      Originally Posted by chaotic squid View Post

      I'm a big proponent of inbound marketing, but you really have to have a mix of both inbound and outbound to be successful, great post.
      I agree. Inbound is very important. In some tech spaces, traditional sales staff are being reduced because so much research is being done online by buyers. Some blogs refer to it as the "consumerization of corporate buying." So you have to have great content marketing.

      But it's not enough, as you said. At a certain point, often people need guidance and help beyond what the content provides, and a good outbound salesperson is the solution.
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      Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
      - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author internetmarketer1
    Agreed. Getting people to contact your business not only generates more revenue, but it makes you work less to get those clients. It is very tough when all you do is send outbound phone calls and emails. It can waste your time if you also don't have a strong phone script or the correct way to email businesses the right way.
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    Tired of Google?! Exhausted from all the rehashed trash?!
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