Removing Hope From Outbound Sales To Increase Conversion

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Shawn Rhodes is a former combat correspondent in the US marine corps, a nationally-syndicated columnist with The Business Journals, and an international sales expert. He is the author of three books, including the recently released Bulletproof Selling: Systemizing Sales For The Battlefield Of Business.

Shawn joined the Predictable Revenue podcast to discuss how and why we should be building systems into our outbound sales process.

The problem with relying on hope in outbound sales

Many sales development reps (SDRs) are used to relying on hope over strategy. Without proper systems in place, each sales call becomes a “fly by the seat of their pants” scenario, which isn’t conducive to booking meetings or employee satisfaction.

SDRs are unable to predict what their commission will be, and they end up in a cycle of feast or famine. This leads to burnout and the high turnover rates that have become all too common in outbound sales.

In contrast, having a systemized outbound sales process takes the pressure off SDRs. They can rely on predetermined processes rather than improvising each call. Although there will always be some level of unpredictability with sales development, systems can remove much of the stress that comes with that role. 

How to remove hope from your outbound sales process

From a leadership perspective, the best way to enable your outbound sales team to succeed is to give them a basic system. Your SDRs should always know who to reach out to next and exactly what they’re supposed to do on each call. Give them a process to follow (ie. “do these things in this order”). 

The best way to do this is to create a document of best practices, whether that’s in Google Sheets or your CRM. A good CRM tool will allow your team to build intelligence in one central location. This is especially important for longer sales cycles when data needs to be gathered over several calls and meetings.

It’s important to revisit these processes over time, to evaluate what could be improved and eliminate steps that are no longer relevant. Aim to conduct a systems review at least every quarter.

Expect the unexpected

Even with lots of advance planning, there are a hundred ways for a sales call to go wrong. The important thing isn’t to eliminate these mistakes, but to learn from them and improve upon them for next time. Conducting a debrief after each call allows you to plan for future outcomes.

Try asking yourself or your SDRs these three questions after each call with a qualified lead:

• What I should have known going into that call that I didn’t know?
• What should I have known about that prospect that I could have found out in pre-call research?
• What could my company have done for me as a salesperson to better prepare me for that call?

Although the last question may be uncomfortable to ask, it’s the most important. If your sales development reps don’t have access to the training or resources they need, they’ll never reach their numbers–and that has a direct effect on your company’s bottom line.

Tips for implementing outbound sales systems

Some SDRs may be reluctant to implement systems at first. Many salespeople join the profession because they’re attracted to freedom and dislike following strict guidelines.

That’s why it’s crucial you communicate with your team and explain the benefit of following any systems you introduce. Having a plan mapped out ahead of time allows the salesperson to focus on the call or meeting at hand; instead of worrying about what comes next, they’re able to give the prospect their undivided attention and create a custom solution. 

The 4 critical elements of every outbound sales system

Every system needs a trigger event to kick off the process. For example, the prospect enters a certain part of your funnel or enters their buying window. This is where the system begins.

The next step is to define a series of repeatable actions that come after the trigger. What are five things that need to happen to make this part of the sales process a success? If you’re unsure, try running through a mock sales call with a mentor to see if you’re missing any key steps.

Now that you’ve built a system, it’s time to test it. Is the process working? Are there too many steps or not enough? Look for ways to refine and improve the system over time.

Lastly, find a way to measure the effectiveness of the system. Track key metrics like conversion rates and the number of meetings booked.

Example of an outbound sales system in action

• Trigger: an SDR gets an account name approved by their AE
• Repeatable actions: identify the key decision-maker and qualify them as a buyer by asking a series of specific questions about budget, timeline, etc. before scheduling a meeting with the AE
• Test: evaluate how smooth the SDR to AE handoff is and where there might be room for improvement
• Measure: track conversion rates and show rates for the meetings booked

Final thoughts on outbound sales systems