Episode Summary
Talking to a bad seller feels like getting a call from your self-centered ex — they only want to talk about how amazing they are. No one wants to be that person.
Instead, great enterprise prospecting starts with qualifying the company, quantifying the problem, and building a solid hypothesis.
But beyond that, how do you book the meeting in real time?
On this episode of B2B Power Hour, we’re getting super practical and sharing five proven strategies that start more conversations and book more meetings.
For instance, what if your closed lost accounts aren’t so lost after all? Turning back the clock to understand why they didn’t buy and what’s changed can actually convert them here and now.
And what about those MQLs lying dormant in your CRM that weren’t really even qualified in the first place? We talk about how you just might be able to use humor and a good story to resurrect the dead.
Understand the underestimated prospects you might be missing out on and how to reach the right people at the right time with the right message. (Who knows? You might even get some points on how to use GIFs in your outreaches more effectively.)
We also dive into the importance of structuring your day. Learn about the greatest enemy of a solid power hour and how to make the most of your focused prospecting time before it starts and after it ends.
Plus, learn why momentum matters for prospecting results and how you should think about ongoing versus new conversations. While your tactics and channels are important, having a repeatable prospecting process is where you’ll find success — and we tackle that, too.
B2B Power Plays
Top takeaways from this week’s conversation
⏱️Set up your prospecting power hour for success.
Structuring your day and consistently implementing an airtight process is foundational for effective prospecting. Your tactics and channels matter, but repeatable processes like power hours will take you across the finish line.
Context-switching is the enemy of focus — so set up your power hour to avoid it. Spend 30 minutes prepping and scrubbing your list beforehand to make sure it’s in good shape. Then, you’re ready for your focused hour of outreach to your list of ideally 25 to 50 individuals, which comes out to five to 10 people per account.
A word of warning: Don’t run prospecting power hours back-to-back. Instead, take 10 to 15 minutes to reflect on the calls and mentally play back what you did well and what you could do better. That’s where momentum and growth come from.
📝Build better lists — and know how to approach each type of prospect.
Run your power hour with intention by building lists thoughtfully. Understand who you’re contacting and why you’re contacting them — and use these five strategies to give your prospecting a boost:
- Capitalize on “hot and ready” leads. These leads are ready for help, and they’re primed for outreach — so they might even show up inbound. Look out for signs of their intent like viewing your LinkedIn profile, and move on them quickly.
- Don’t discount closed lost accounts. Look back at accounts that are six months to five years old, and learn why they didn’t buy. Then, consider what’s changed since. Have you added new features or changed your pricing in ways that might sway them back? Split them into narrow lists, and lead with a hypothesis around getting them to purchase again.
- Use social to listen to your ICP’s pain points and complaints. Respond with comments that express understanding, and ask a question to continue the conversation. Better yet, crack a joke that pokes fun at the state of affairs.
- Revive your dead MQLs. Revisit those who offered their email in exchange for an industry report or webinar, and start a conversation by offering additional insights or joking about their dropoff. (When done well, GIFs help with this.) But do not go in for the pitch too soon.
- Let credibility lead to referrals. Use mutual connections to start a conversation with trust by finding a point of commonality. Ask for intros with questions like, “Who do you know that’s in the same boat?”
🤝Credibility is the secret to social selling that sticks.
On social, credibility is the master key that will unlock your sales success. It helps you get introductions and referrals, and it determines whether a buyer is willing to hear from you post-introduction.
Credibility comes from the answers to these four questions:
👉 Can I trust you?
👉 Are you a good person?
👉 Can you actually solve my problem?
👉 Are you as good as you say you are?
If you ask someone to make an introduction and they can’t answer these questions (because they don’t really know you), you’re not going to get the kind of introduction you want — the kind that builds trust.
Episode Highlights
Inflection points from the show
[4:49] Context-switching = the enemy of focus: Before beginning your power hour, take 30 minutes to review your list so you can avoid jumping between tasks or channels later on.
[5:30] Prospecting is a long game: You won’t feel the impact of your prospecting consistency right away — it takes about 30 to 180 days. But momentum is where you’ll see results.
[13:37] Working smarter, not harder: Nick shares his story of how momentum helped him step out of the hustle and stop wearing burnout as a badge of honor.
[17:47] Princess Leia leads: “Hot and ready” leads know they need help — and you need to reach out to them quickly.
[27:35] Closed but not lost: Look back at your closed lost accounts to learn why they didn’t buy — then identify what’s changed that could convert them now.
[30:34] Ear to the ground: Head to Google and social, and listen to people complain or describe their pain. Your job as a seller is to connect the dots and reach out in a meaningful way.
[35:39] Care to comment?: Approach commenting on social the same way you’d talk to your best friend: Look for commonality and camaraderie.
[37:31] Reviving the dead: Take a crash course in turning long-lost MQLs into intrigued parties by building a narrative.
[44:16] Sellers’ secret weapon: Referrals and introductions can be the ultimate connector — but only if they come from a place of trust.
[45:14] You can trust me: Your credibility is the key to success on social — it determines whether your prospect is open to hearing from you in the first place.
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