Why is a sales cadence the holy grail for every salesperson? A salesperson has a lot of things going on at once. Different leads at different stages of interest..different channels to tailor messages for… It’s impossible to keep track of and drive revenue out of all these efforts without a strong sales cadence. So let's dig into this blog. Because you’re going to learn all about what a sales cadence is, why you need it and how you can create it.

 

What is a sales cadence?

To put it technically, a sales cadence refers to a structured sequence of sales activities and touchpoints that we follow when engaging with potential customers. It's a strategic approach to managing and nurturing leads through various stages of the sales process. And the ultimate goal is to increase the chances of converting leads into customers by maintaining consistent and meaningful interactions.

Imagine you're trying to sell something to people. A sales cadence is like your game plan. It's how you decide when and how to talk to them. Instead of just calling or messaging randomly, you have a cool sequence of steps. You're not bugging them, you're giving them info and being friendly. The goal? Turning these potential buyers into actual customers by staying connected and showing you care.

A typical sales cadence has a series of touchpoints, which are interactions with the prospect, such as emails, phone calls, social media messages, and more. These touchpoints are spaced out over a specific timeframe and are designed to provide value, address the prospect's needs, build rapport, and ultimately guide them towards making a purchasing decision.
 

Benefits of a sales cadence

Hmmm, sounds like a lot of work. Is it worth it? Heck, yes. Think of sales cadences as your secret recipe for winning over potential customers. They're like a well-thought-out plan that helps you reach out to leads and turn them into happy customers. Using cadences has some cool perks.

 

1. Keeping Things on Track: Cadences make sure you're talking to your leads consistently, so they remember you. No more worrying about forgetting to follow up! Cadences help you follow up with leads at the right time. You won't bug them too much or too little – just the right amount.

2. Personal Touch: You get to send messages that feel like they're made just for each lead. It's like chatting with a friend, not a robot.

3. Different Ways to Reach Out: You can use emails, calls, and even social media to connect. That way, you catch your leads wherever they're hanging out.

4. Building Relationships: Not everyone is ready to buy right away. Cadences let you build a relationship over time, kind of like planting seeds that grow into strong customer connections.

5. Answering Questions: If leads have doubts or questions, cadences help you address them step by step. It's like guiding them from "not sure" to “I'm in!”

6. Getting Smarter: You'll learn what works best through data. This means you can tweak your approach to get even better results over time.

7. Saving Time: Cadences help you manage your time better. You can set up messages in advance, so you focus on selling instead of constantly wondering who to contact next.

8. More Sales: When you do cadences right, you increase your chances of turning leads into paying customers. It's like turning more "maybes" into “heck yes!”

9. Meeting More Leads: Cadences work for lots of leads at once. So you can expand your network and connect with more potential customers.

10. Building Trust: With cadences, you're not rushing things. You're gradually building trust and showing leads that you're the real deal.

So there you have it – sales cadences are your trusty sidekick to make selling smoother, more personal, and way more effective. 

 

Benefits of a sales cadence

How to build a sales cadence

Now that you know why you need it, let’s figure out how to actually build a sales cadence. Building a sales cadence is all about creating a structured and well-timed sequence of touchpoints to win over your prospects. Let’s go step by step. 

Step 1: Define Your Target Audience and Segmentation

Identify your target audience and segment them based on criteria like industry, company size, role, pain points, and buying behaviors. This segmentation will help you tailor your cadence to different groups of prospects.

Step 2: Choose Communication Channels

The whole point of a sales cadence is to expand your multi-channel efforts. Determine the communication channels you'll use to reach your prospects. This could include emails, phone calls, social media, video messages, and more. Select channels that align with your prospects' preferences and the nature of your product/service.

Step 3: Set Cadence Duration

Decide on the length of your sales cadence. A typical cadence can span anywhere between 2 to 8 weeks, with touchpoints spaced at specific intervals.

Step 4: Define Touchpoints

Plan the specific touchpoints within your cadence. These touchpoints can include emails, phone calls, LinkedIn messages, and other forms of communication. 

Step 5: Personalization and Customization

Personalize each touchpoint based on your prospect's needs, pain points, and previous interactions. Stay far away from generic messages and show that you've done your research.

Step 6: Monitor and Adjust

Regularly track the responses and engagement from your cadence. Use analytics to understand what's working and what isn't. Adjust your cadence based on the feedback and outcomes you're observing.

Step 7: A/B Testing

Experiment with different subject lines, messaging, and timing for your emails and other touchpoints. A/B testing can help you optimize your cadence for better results.

Remember that building a successful sales cadence requires patience and adaptability. Not all prospects will convert, but a well-structured and personalized cadence can really drive up your chances of engaging and converting leads into customers.

 

How to build a sales cadence

Common touchpoints in a sales cadence

Before we get into actual examples, let’s quickly go over the different types of touchpoints you’re likely to find in any successful cadence. 
 

1. Initial Outreach Email: An introductory email to introduce yourself, your company, and briefly outline how your product or service can solve the prospect's challenges.

2. Follow-Up Email: A follow-up email you send after the initial outreach to reiterate your value proposition, address any questions or concerns, and express continued interest.

3. Phone Call: A direct cold call to establish a more personal connection, discuss the prospect's needs, answer questions, and provide more information about your offering.

4. LinkedIn Connection Request: Sending a personalized connection request on LinkedIn to establish a professional network and engage with the prospect in a more social context.

5. Other Social Media Engagement: Interactions on social media platforms, such as commenting on the prospect's posts, sharing relevant content, or sending direct messages to initiate conversations.

6. Value-Added Content: Sharing educational content like blog posts, whitepapers, industry reports, or videos that provide value to the prospect and showcase your expertise.

7. Personalized Video Message: Recording and sending a short video message to add a personal touch and make your communication stand out.

8. Text Message (SMS): Sending a text message to provide a quick update, check-in, or share a relevant piece of information.

9. Voicemail: Leaving a professional and engaging voicemail if the prospect doesn't answer your call, summarizing the key points you'd like to discuss.

10. Webinar or Web Conference: Inviting the prospect to a live webinar or virtual presentation to provide in-depth information about your product or service.

11. Case Study or Success Story: Sharing a real-world example of how your product or service has solved a similar problem for another client, showcasing its benefits.

12. Demo or Presentation: Offering a live demonstration or presentation of your product or service to show its features and benefits in action.

13. Proposal or Quote: Sending a formal proposal or quote tailored to the prospect's needs and highlighting the value they'll receive.

14. Negotiation and Objection Handling: Engaging in conversations to address objections, negotiate terms, and provide any additional information required.

15. Final Follow-Up: A final outreach to inquire about the prospect's decision-making process, address any remaining concerns, and emphasize the urgency of taking action.


Here's the scoop: when you're crafting your sales cadence, make sure to adapt it to your target audience, industry norms, and what your prospect actually likes. 

 

Salence cadence examples

Ok, now it’s time to look at an actual example of what a great sales cadence looks like. Let’s go week-by-week and build this out.

 

Week 1: Initial Outreach and Establishing Value

- Day 1: Send an initial personalized email introducing yourself, your company, and a brief value proposition that directly addresses a common pain point for SMBs.

- Day 3: Follow up with a phone call, referencing the email and asking if they have any questions or challenges you can help with.

- Day 5: Connect on LinkedIn and send a connection request with a brief message mentioning your previous interaction.

  

Week 2: Providing Insights and Building Rapport

- Day 8: Send a follow-up email containing a link to an informative blog post related to the industry's challenges and solutions. Show that you understand their pain points.

- Day 10: Share a relevant industry report or whitepaper that provides valuable insights, positioning yourself as a knowledgeable resource.

- Day 12: If they haven't responded, send a short and friendly follow-up email, acknowledging that they're likely busy but expressing your continued interest in helping.


 

Week 3: Demonstrating Value and Nurturing the Relationship

- Day 15: Offer a personalized demo of your software solution, highlighting how it can address their specific challenges. Provide a few available time slots for the call.

- Day 17: Share a customer success story that showcases how a similar SMB benefited from your software. Highlight the results and value achieved.

- Day 19: Send a final email, emphasizing the urgency of their business needs and how your solution can make a difference. Offer to answer any remaining questions and provide a direct contact.


Remember, the effectiveness of a sales cadence depends on your ability to tailor it to your specific product, target audience, and industry. Regularly check back in with your data to make adjustments based on the feedback you receive from prospects' interactions.

 

Sales cadence best practices

Now that you know what it looks like, time to get started with your own sales cadence. But before you do, remember to keep these best practices in mind.

Understand Your Target Audience: Before creating a sales cadence, thoroughly research and understand your target audience's pain points, needs, and preferences. Tailor your touchpoints to address their specific challenges and interests. If you're selling a software solution for small businesses, research their common pain points like time management, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Tailor your messaging to address these specific challenges.

 

Segment Your Leads: Group your leads into segments based on factors like industry, company size, or role. This allows you to create more personalized and relevant cadences for different segments. Divide your leads into segments like "Retail," "Healthcare," and "Tech Startups." Create separate cadences for each segment, focusing on industry-specific benefits of your product.

 

Map Out the Buyer's Journey: Consider the stages your prospects go through before making a purchase. Align your touchpoints to match each stage of the buyer's journey, from awareness to consideration to decision-making. At the awareness stage, send an email with a blog post about industry trends. In the consideration stage, provide a comparison chart of different solutions. In the decision-making stage, offer a personalized demo.

 

Diversify Your Communication Channels: Use a mix of communication channels such as email, phone calls, social media, and even direct mail if appropriate. This ensures you reach prospects through their preferred channels. In addition to emails and calls, connect with prospects on LinkedIn. Share relevant industry articles and engage with their posts to build a social rapport.

 

Provide Value in Every Interaction: Every touchpoint should provide value to the prospect, whether it's through helpful content, insights, or personalized recommendations. Avoid overly self-promotional messages. Send a prospect a downloadable e-book on something like "10 Strategies for Boosting Sales." This showcases your expertise and provides actionable insights they can actually use.

 

Set Clear Objectives: Define the goals of each touchpoint in your cadence. Whether it's to schedule a demo, address objections, or share a case study, having clear objectives keeps your outreach focused. Your objective for the initial email might be to schedule a 15-minute call. State this clearly in the email and provide a link to your calendar for easy scheduling.

 

Space Out Touchpoints: Don't overwhelm prospects with too many touchpoints in a short span. Space them out to give them time to digest the information and respond. Send an initial email, then follow up with a call after a few days. If there's no response, wait another week before sending a personalized LinkedIn message.

 

Personalization is Key: Customize your messages based on the prospect's industry, role, and any information you've gathered about them. Personalized messages demonstrate your genuine interest. Mention a recent industry event or news related to the prospect's company in your email. This shows that you've done your homework and are genuinely interested.

 

Use Automation Wisely: While automation tools can help streamline your cadence, use them judiciously. Say no to robotic or generic messages, and always add a personal touch. Use an email automation tool to send follow-up emails, but always personalize the opening sentence based on the prospect's previous interaction.

 

Listen and Adapt: Pay attention to prospect responses and adjust your cadence accordingly. If a prospect shows more interest after a certain touchpoint, emphasize similar approaches in the future. If a prospect expresses interest after receiving a case study, prioritize sharing more success stories in subsequent touchpoints.

 

Be Persistent, Not Pushy: Persistence is important, but avoid coming across as pushy or aggressive. Respect the prospect's timeline and preferences. After leaving a voicemail, send a follow-up email acknowledging that you left a message and offering to connect at their convenience.

 

Measure and Optimize: Continuously track the effectiveness of your cadences. Monitor open rates, response rates, and conversion rates to identify what's working and make improvements. Track email open and click-through rates. If you notice that emails with certain subject lines have higher open rates, replicate that approach in future emails.

 

Continuously Learn: Stay up-to-date with sales and communication trends. Attend workshops, read books, and learn from experienced colleagues to enhance your sales skills. Attend a sales workshop to learn about the latest sales techniques and communication strategies. Apply what you've learned to refine your cadences.

 

Collaborate with Marketing: Collaborate with your marketing team to align your cadences with the broader marketing strategy. Utilize marketing-generated content to enhance your outreach. Coordinate with marketing to access a recent industry report. Incorporate relevant statistics and insights from the report into your emails to provide valuable information.

 

Practice Empathy: Put yourself in the prospect's shoes and understand their challenges and concerns. Show genuine empathy in your communication. In your emails, acknowledge the challenges your prospect's industry is facing and express your understanding of their need for a solution.

 

Build Solid Sales Cadences with Outplay and become a revenue generating machine

Building a multi-step sales cadence that spans for weeks and weeks might sound daunting - but not if you have the right partner. Let Outplay share the load. 

Outplay is a sales engagement platform that helps you automate and streamline your sales outreach efforts by building the perfect sales cadence and running it like a well oiled machine. Here's why it's your secret sauce:


Easy Setup, Big Impact: Outplay is designed to be super user-friendly. You don't need to be a tech whiz to get rolling. It's all about getting you up and running without the headache.
 

Time-Saver Extraordinaire: Imagine setting up tons of emails, calls, and follow-ups one by one. Outplay takes care of that for you. You'll save time and energy to focus on what really matters – nailing those sales!

 

Personalization Pro: Building connections is key, and Outplay lets you make every message personal. You can add little details that matter to your prospects, making them feel like you're chatting, not selling.
 

Mix It Up: You're not limited to just one channel. Outplay lets you reach out through emails, calls, LinkedIn, and more. It's like having a bunch of cool tools in your sales toolkit.
 

No Follow-Up Fumbles: Forget about stressing over remembering to follow up. Outplay keeps track of that for you. You can keep the convo going smoothly without dropping the ball.
 

Learn and Grow: Curious about what's hitting the bullseye and what needs a tweak? Outplay gives you the lowdown on how your cadences are doing. It's like having a magic mirror that guides you.
 

Grow Without Limits: As you level up, Outplay scales up with you. It's perfect for juggling lots of leads and prospects without breaking a sweat.

 

So what you waiting for? Time to become a revenue generating machine with Outplay. Start today with a free trial or talk to our experts for a personalized demo. 

 

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