How can you warm up prospects before calling them?

1 Identify your ideal prospects

The first step to warming up prospects is to know who you are targeting and why. You want to focus on the prospects who are most likely to benefit from your solution, have the authority and budget to make a decision, and are in the right stage of the buyer's journey. You can use tools like LinkedIn, CRM software, or lead generation services to find and segment your ideal prospects based on their profile, behavior, and needs. This will help you tailor your message and value proposition to each prospect and avoid wasting time on unqualified leads.

2 Research your prospects

The second step to warming up prospects is to research them and their company. You want to learn as much as you can about their pain points, goals, challenges, preferences, and interests. You also want to understand their industry, market, competitors, and trends. You can use sources like their website, social media, blogs, podcasts, news articles, or industry reports to gather relevant and timely information. This will help you craft a personalized and compelling pitch that shows that you care about their situation and have a solution that can help them.

3 Reach out via email

The third step to warming up prospects is to reach out to them via email. Email is a non-intrusive and effective way to introduce yourself, offer value, and create curiosity. You want to write a short, clear, and catchy email that captures their attention, addresses their pain points, and invites them to take action. You can use techniques like personalization, storytelling, social proof, or urgency to make your email stand out and resonate with your prospects. You also want to include a clear and specific call to action, such as booking a call, downloading a resource, or replying to a question.

4 Engage on social media

The fourth step to warming up prospects is to engage with them on social media. Social media is a great way to build trust, credibility, and rapport with your prospects. You can use platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook to follow, like, comment, share, or message your prospects. You want to provide value, insight, and feedback, not spam or pitch them. You can also join groups, forums, or communities where your prospects hang out and participate in discussions, answer questions, or share content. This will help you establish yourself as an authority, a resource, and a friendly contact.

5 Get a referral

The fifth step to warming up prospects is to get a referral from someone they know and trust. A referral is one of the most powerful ways to warm up prospects and increase your chances of getting a positive response and a meeting. A referral can come from a mutual connection, a satisfied customer, or an influencer in your industry. You can ask for a referral by explaining why you think your prospect would benefit from your solution, how you can help them, and how you would appreciate an introduction. You can also offer incentives, rewards, or recognition to your referrers for their help.

6 Follow up

The sixth and final step to warming up prospects is to follow up with them until you get a response or a call. You want to be persistent, but not annoying, and follow up with a purpose, not a nag. You can use different channels, such as email, phone, text, or social media, to follow up with your prospects and remind them of your value proposition, offer, or call to action. You can also use different formats, such as videos, testimonials, case studies, or webinars, to follow up with your prospects and provide more value, proof, or education. You want to follow up at least three times, spaced out by a few days, and always end with a clear and specific next step.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?