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November 2, 2023
A sales cadence is a structured timeline of sales activities and methods that sales representatives follow to engage leads. It outlines the steps and touchpoints taken to convert a lead into a customer. Having a well-defined sales cadence is essential for running a smooth and efficient sales process.
The purpose of a sales cadence is to maintain consistency, monitor and measure progress, speed up conversions, and enable scalability. It ensures that sales representatives follow specific procedures and eliminates potential bottlenecks in the sales process. A sales cadence typically involves multiple channels and touchpoints to engage with prospects. Common channels include email, phone calls, social media, video calls, direct mail, SMS/text messaging, LinkedIn InMail, and webinars/virtual events. The choice of channels depends on the target audience and the nature of the product or service being sold.
It is generally believed that it takes at least, 6 to 8 touches before generating a valid lead. This means that multiple interactions are required to build trust and establish a relationship with prospects. Each touchpoint serves a specific purpose in moving the prospect closer to a conversion.
Sales cadences can vary depending on the type of sales process. Complex sales processes, such as enterprise sales, may involve multiple touchpoints over an extended period of time, often several months. Transactional sales cycles, on the other hand, require fewer touches done over a shorter period, typically days or weeks.
A Sales Cadence isn’t just there for the sake of process, it has some real value:
1. Consistency and Efficiency
Sales cadences bring consistency and efficiency to the sales process. By defining a set of steps and activities, sales representatives can follow a structured approach to engage with prospects. This ensures that no leads fall through the cracks and that every prospect receives the necessary attention. With a well-designed sales cadence, sales teams can streamline their outreach efforts and maximize their productivity.
2. Personalization and Relevance
While consistency is important, personalization is equally crucial in sales. Sales cadences allow sales representatives to tailor their outreach based on the prospect's needs, preferences, and stage in the buying journey. By incorporating personalized messaging and relevant content, sales teams can create a more meaningful connection with prospects. This personalized approach increases the chances of engagement and conversion, as prospects feel understood and valued.
3. Optimal Timing and Follow-up
Timing is everything in sales. Sales cadences help sales representatives determine the optimal timing for each touchpoint and follow-up. By spacing out the touchpoints strategically, sales teams can avoid overwhelming prospects with too many messages or appearing too pushy. Additionally, sales cadences ensure that no prospect is left without proper follow-up. Consistent follow-up is essential for nurturing relationships, addressing objections, and ultimately closing deals.
4. Data-Driven Decision Making
Sales cadences provide valuable data and insights that can inform decision making. By tracking the performance of each touchpoint and activity, sales teams can identify what works and what doesn't. This data-driven approach allows sales representatives to make informed adjustments to their cadences, optimizing their outreach strategies for better results. Sales cadences also enable sales managers to monitor the performance of their team and provide targeted coaching and support.
5. Scalability and Replicability
Sales cadences are scalable and replicable. Once a successful cadence is established, it can be replicated across the sales team, ensuring a consistent and standardized approach to sales outreach. This scalability is particularly valuable for growing sales organizations or teams with multiple sales representatives. Sales cadences provide a framework that can be easily adopted and adapted by new team members, ensuring a smooth onboarding process and maintaining a high level of performance.
In conclusion, sales cadences play a vital role in driving sales success. They bring consistency, efficiency, personalization, and optimal timing to the sales process. By leveraging data and insights, sales teams can continuously improve their cadences and achieve better results. Implementing well-designed sales cadences can transform sales outreach from a haphazard process to a strategic and effective approach, ultimately leading to increased conversions and revenue.
Remember, every sales organization is unique, and it's important to tailor your sales cadences to your specific industry, target audience, and sales goals. Experiment, analyze, and refine your cadences to find the optimal approach that works best for your team.
*Note: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice
We’ve trawled the web and across social media so you don’t have to! Here is a breakdown of the 5 best outbound sales cadences we’ve come across and why they work so well.
Our first sales cadence example comes to us from Sales Hub CEO Max Altschuler. His is a widely-cited sales cadence and works great as a reference for teams just starting their outbound journey.
Day 1: Email/InMail
Day 3: Email in the morning, Call in the afternoon
Day 5: Call in the morning, Call with a voicemail in the afternoon
Day 7: Email in the morning, Call in the afternoon with a voicemail
Day 10: Email and call in the morning
A very simple cadence with a total of 10 touch points spread over 10 days. It also has the advantage of making use of three key channels of email, phone and social. The touch points are also spaced close together with the benefit of getting a response quicker. Utilizing voicemail can also be powerful as it lets the prospect know who’s calling and may result in a subsequent email open or call answer.
On the other hand, this sales cadence could be improved by using a lot more touch points, remember it can take up to 16 touch points to produce a valid lead. The cadence also does not consider other channels or mediums which may be beneficial. SMS, Whatsapp or leaving recorded video messages on LinkedIn can be powerful tools.
Related: Should you use a power dialler in your cadence?
Our second sales cadence example comes to us from Close.com. It’s been designed for those selling a service or consulting. It’s worth mentioning that as selling services covers a huge range of business types, the cadence may need tweaking.
Here’s a basic sales cadence for service-based businesses reaching out to new leads:
Day 1: Phone Call
Day 2: Email
Day 4: Phone Call & Voicemail
Day 6: Email
Day 11: Phone Call
Day 16: SMS
Day 20: Phone Call & Voicemail
Day 30: Phone Call & SMS
Day 35: Breakup Email
A lengthier cadence with 12 touchpoints over 35 days. This cadence also utilizes 5 channels, adding SMS and voicemail - both can be powerful as they aren’t restricted by spam folders. Using a breakup email is also a very important step, in some cases you may be able to get a referral or at the very least, a resounding no.
The cadence could still add more touchpoints and is heavily reliant on phone calls. This requires highly accurate contact data and well trained SDRs to pitch succinctly.
Brandon Huang, an SDR at Yotpo, shares his 22-day sales cadence that helps him get a response:
Day 1: Email
Day 3: Phone
Day 4: Email
Day 7: Phone
Day 7 Email
Day 10: Phone
Day 12: Email
Day 14: Phone
Day 16: Email
Day 19: Phone
Day 21: Phone and Email
Day 22: Nurture or Repeat
Why does this cadence work? Primarily, a gradual intensity: The cadence starts with less frequent touches and gradually increases the frequency of outreach. After the initial 22-day sequence, there's a "Nurture or Repeat" step, which is crucial for maintaining engagement and potentially re-engaging prospects who haven't responded yet. It’s important to work with Marketing at this stage to make sure the nurture sequence provides useful information and content.
It could be argued that while the cadence starts with less frequent touches, it rapidly increases the frequency of outreach. This could be perceived as too aggressive by some prospects, potentially leading to negative reactions or a higher likelihood of being marked as spam.
The cadence also solely relies on phone and email, adding more channels can increase your chances of getting through to a prospect.
An example cadence courtesy of Cognism, is unique and full of pattern interrupts.
Day 1: LinkedIn connection message
Day 1: Email
Day 1: Phone call
Day 3: Personalized email with Video link
Day 6: LinkedIn voice note
Day 9: Phone call
Day 12: Email
Day 20: LinkedIn Research (e.g. like/comment on an article)
Day 30: Breakup email
This is one of our favorites. 9 touch points, over 30 days, may seem a little on the low side, but the variance in channels and touchpoint styles more than makes up for it.
Attaching video links to emails and or LinkedIn messages is something not being done by many SDRs. It also requires a degree of personalization so the message always lands better (tools like Sendspark, Vidyard, Loom and Vidu can help with this).
We think adding a voicemail step to one of the phone calls would finish this cadence off perfectly.
Yesware studied 33 million tracked email activities to put together what they reckon is the most effective cadence for email reply rates.
Here’s what they came up with:
Day 1: Phone Call
Day 2: Email
Day 5: Phone Call
Day 7: Phone Call
Day 12: Email
Day 14: Email
Simple right? 6 touchpoints over 14 days, 3 emails and 3 phone calls.
If you find that email is a channel that works well for your outbound already, this might be a cadence to consider. Short and simple, this cadence will keep SDRs highly focussed on the core message and desired outcome.
For us, we think this could be improved with more touchpoints, and spread over a longer period of time.
In an outbound sales cadence, there are various channels and touchpoints that can be used to engage with prospects. The specific channels and touchpoints to include in a sales cadence depend on factors such as the target audience, industry, and the nature of the product or service being sold. However, here are some common channels and touchpoints that can be effective in an outbound sales cadence:
Email is a widely used channel in outbound sales cadences. It allows for personalized messaging and can be easily automated for efficient outreach. Emails can be used for initial introductions, follow-ups, sharing relevant content, and addressing specific pain points or objections.
Phone calls provide a more direct and personal touchpoint in a sales cadence. They allow for real-time conversation and the opportunity to build rapport with prospects. Phone calls can be used for initial outreach, follow-ups, and conducting discovery or qualification calls. It’s important to select a phone system that can seamlessly connect to your CRM.
Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook can be valuable channels for engaging with prospects. Sales representatives can use social media to connect with prospects, share relevant content, and initiate conversations. Social media can also provide insights into a prospect's interests and preferences, allowing for more personalized outreach.
Video calls, through platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, offer a face-to-face interaction with prospects, even if it's virtual. Video calls can be used for product demonstrations, in-depth discussions, and building stronger relationships with prospects.
While less common in today's digital age, direct mail can still be a unique and impactful touchpoint in a sales cadence. Sending personalized letters, brochures, or small gifts to prospects can help grab their attention and leave a lasting impression.
Text messaging can be an effective channel for quick and concise communication with prospects. It can be used for appointment reminders, sharing time-sensitive information, or following up on specific actions.
LinkedIn InMail is a messaging feature within the LinkedIn platform that allows for direct communication with prospects. It can be used to send personalized messages, share relevant content, and initiate conversations with targeted prospects.
A variation on simply leaving a text message, using the voice note feature can be a brilliant way to get through to a prospect. It shows genuine personalisation and effort. At the very least, it usually gets a reply!
Attaching video links to emails and or LinkedIn messages is something not being done by many SDRs. It also requires a degree of personalization so the message always lands better (tools like Sendspark, Vidyard, Loom and Vidu can help with this).
Hosting webinars or virtual events can be an effective way to engage with prospects and provide value-added content. Sales representatives can invite prospects to attend these events as part of the sales cadence, allowing for further interaction and relationship-building.
It's important to note that not all channels and touchpoints will be suitable for every sales cadence. It's crucial to understand the preferences and communication preferences of your target audience and tailor your outreach accordingly. Additionally, it's essential to track and analyze the performance of each channel and touchpoint to optimize the sales cadence over time.
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