Prospecting tools and platforms can help you find and reach out to your ideal customers, but they can also backfire if you use them incorrectly. In this article, you'll learn what are the most common mistakes to avoid when using prospecting tools and platforms, and how to fix them.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to use prospecting tools and platforms without a clear idea of who you want to reach. This can lead to wasting time and money on irrelevant or unqualified leads, or worse, annoying potential customers with unsolicited messages. To avoid this, you need to define your target audience based on their demographics, psychographics, pain points, goals, and challenges. Then, you can use prospecting tools and platforms to filter and segment your leads according to these criteria.
One way to do this is to study your current client base. Learn how your ideal current client looks like, and find "twins" i.e. prospects with identical demographics
Social proof ideas - when you tell customers how you’ve helped others with the same pain points or float an idea that’s been successful with other customers it automatically builds trust in what you are selling.
Many people are using AI to write their content. If you post it verbatim, Google and the other search engines will know what you did and will not appreciate it. Use AI tolls only as guides. Personalize them for your ideal prospects.
Use a well-integrated sales enablement tool which helps you to leverage both social media outreach as well as email, SMS and dialer.
Analyse your prospect, client base and lost leads. Identify attributions and what attributions you are missing. Share with all departments who are working with prospects and customers in your organisations and get their input. Understand to who your organisation should target based on your goals. Don’t forget to also include who you should not target. For instance, don’t try to market or sale the same product your customer is already utilising, and understand when a current customer is eligible for a new offering.
Another common mistake is to send generic or spammy messages to your prospects, hoping that some of them will respond. This can damage your reputation and lower your response rate, as most people can spot a mass email or a cold call from a mile away. To avoid this, you need to personalize your outreach based on your prospects' needs, interests, and behavior. You can use prospecting tools and platforms to collect and analyze data about your prospects, such as their industry, role, company size, location, social media activity, and website visits. Then, you can use this data to craft personalized messages that address their pain points, offer value, and show empathy.
One of the ways we have tried to avoid sounding generic or spammy is to demonstrate industry knowledge in an email. We have looked at issues/events within and industry and crafted our email to discuss how a clients product or service relates to that topic and how it can help. It demonstrates that we have done our research prior and can often help your email stand out
If this is strictly cold outreach, do an introduction of yourself/the company. Make this seem personalized of this is who we are and here's why we do what we do. You can even tell them why you reached out to them because of x,y,z criteria. Don't be looking to sell anyone through these emails. Build a story, something that peaks their interest but leaves them on a cliffhanger. Give value to them above all else of the skills you have, knowledge you've gained or industry specifics. Give it freely and willingly without an ask. At the end of the day the business is made of people, people make the business. Be human
A third common mistake is to give up on your prospects too soon, or to follow up too sporadically. This can result in missing out on opportunities, as most prospects need multiple touchpoints before they are ready to buy. To avoid this, you need to follow up consistently and strategically with your prospects, until they either become customers or opt out. You can use prospecting tools and platforms to automate and schedule your follow-up sequences, such as emails, calls, texts, and social media messages. Then, you can use these tools and platforms to track and measure your follow-up performance, such as open rates, click rates, reply rates, and conversion rates.
One thing I've found helpful is to remember that it can take 7 attempts on average to connect with a prospect. In today's tech-savvy world, you can harness the power of automation to streamline your follow-up process. Tools like Outreach, SalesLoft and HubSpot enable you to schedule follow-up Sequences/Tasks in advance, ensuring that no prospect slips through the cracks. By automating your follow-ups, you free up valuable time and ensure that your engagement is consistent and reliable.
Utilizing your CRM to schedule follow-up reminders can significantly propel your business. When following up, ensure your messages meet these criteria: Be Authentic: Avoid overly scripted or AI-generated content; let your genuine interest show. Be Clear & Concise: Stick to the point to respect the recipient's time. Include a Strong CTA: Begin and end your message with a clear Call-to-Action to guide the next steps. A well-executed follow-up can make all the difference in lead conversion
The money is made in the follow up. The more technology comes around the easier we can do follow up. Automations, email campaigns, triggers, workflows, sms, conversational AI can handle almost all follow up and response. The key as this is implemented to all business's will be to maintain the human aspect, the personal touch, the humanity. Implement the tools, use them, but most of all take the time to craft the messages that are in your style of writing.
A fourth common mistake is to stick to the same prospecting strategy, regardless of the results. This can limit your growth and prevent you from discovering new ways to improve your prospecting effectiveness. To avoid this, you need to test and optimize your prospecting strategy regularly, based on data and feedback. You can use prospecting tools and platforms to conduct A/B tests on different aspects of your prospecting strategy, such as your target audience, your outreach channels, your message content, your subject lines, and your call to action. Then, you can use these tools and platforms to analyze the results and identify what works best for your prospects.
One common mistake is sticking to the same prospecting strategy, hindering growth. To avoid this, regularly test and optimize your approach. Utilize prospecting tools for A/B tests on target audience, outreach channels, content, subject lines, and calls to action. Analyze results to discover what works best for your prospects.
I like to say split test everything. Most people think you have to come up with the perfect picture, the perfect copy, the best subject lines and CTA's. It's not true. Put some time in to create a dozen variations, but don't overly criticize how great it is. Reality is, you have no idea how great or bad it is anyways. You need to run the ad, run the email campaign, run the text campaign. Then get the data and let your customers tell you what they like.
A fifth common mistake is to use the wrong tools and platforms for your prospecting goals, or to use too many or too few of them. This can affect your efficiency, productivity, and quality of your prospecting efforts. To avoid this, you need to use the right tools and platforms for your prospecting goals, and to integrate them seamlessly. You can use prospecting tools and platforms to perform different functions, such as finding leads, verifying contacts, enriching data, sending messages, managing relationships, and tracking results. Then, you can use these tools and platforms to sync your data and activities across different platforms, such as your CRM, your email, your calendar, and your social media.
Prospecting tools and platforms can be powerful allies for your lead generation, but only if you use them wisely and avoid the most common mistakes. By following the tips in this article, you can improve your prospecting skills and results, and grow your business.
1. Each time I find a new tool by chance, I save it in my folder and check them (free trials, credits, etc) 2. When needed I attend demos 3. Compare them by features, pricing, database, and integration options Making the right choice is the key!
I've found it's helpful when using a new tool, to set a goal and deadline based on the monthly renewal of that tool, while making an effort to maintain any new data in an additional document. While you are doubling up on your effort for the month, you won't find yourself loosing quality information if you decide to move away from that tool. Leaving you to decide simply on the utility of the platform, rather than needing it based on your access to the information gathered while using the tool.
Utilizing systems are as great as the understanding of the user using the system. The system can only do and act on what the user inputs. This is where it's good to not go overboard on systems/tools or partner with someone who knows how to effectively teach, manage and operate these systems. Putting them to use and effectively operating them is completely different then having 10 different tools that you don't even know what half the features are of the first 2 systems. The goal's of the tools remain the same, to help increase efficiency and optimize the business. If it retracts from this it's too complicated, too time consuming to learn or not the right tool for you.
Founder @ Growth Science | Growth Strategist | AI Consultant | Seinfeld Trivia World Champ
I've seen startups overspend on sales & marketing software. Here are some best practices I've learned after implementing software stacks for startups: 1. DO NOT buy Salesforce. While it's a great CRM, it's complex and expensive. Consider using free tools like Hubspot CRM, Engagebay, or Freshsales instead. You can always switch to Salesforce later. 2. Ensure your platforms integrate seamlessly. Don't rely solely on Zapier to connect your software. Look for tools that have native integration with each other before making a purchase. 3. Find FREE tools! There are many sites with huge directories of tools. You can filter your search so only those with free plans surface. I'd recommend checking out toolfinder.co as they've got great info.
Use a variety of tools and platforms: Don't rely on just one prospecting tool or platform. Use a variety of tools to reach your target audience through different channels. Segment your data: Segment your lead data based on factors such as industry, job title, and interests. This will allow you to send more targeted messages. Use triggers and workflows: Triggers and workflows can be used to automate tasks such as sending follow-up emails and scheduling calls. This can save you a lot of time and effort. Track your results: Track your prospecting results to see what's working and what's not. This will help you to improve your campaigns over time.
Set specific goals to measure your success or failure. I’ve found email open rates, click-through-rates and first meetings completed are the best initial metrics to measure. Run A/B campaigns with varying subject lines, content.
Don't try to overcomplicate your processes, having platforms and tools designed to record every bit of info, include a hundred different fields and take ages to update may seem like a really thorough, detailed approach if analytics and reporting are your focus but you sink so much time in the management and upkeep then you move away from the important bit, getting you pitch out and generating business!
Diving In Without A Strategy: Tools are invaluable, but absent a tailored strategy aligning with your business and marketing aims, they yield generic outcomes akin to an unoptimized CRM. Strategy should be the precursor, with the platform optimized accordingly, not vice versa. Over-reliance on Automation: While automation is efficacious, its alignment with actionable, relevant business goals is crucial. It's a double-edged sword that could foster complacency and divert focus from core campaign objectives if not calibrated rightly. Neglecting to Optimize: The ‘set it and leave it’ mentality is detrimental. Post-setup, continual evaluation of these platforms is imperative to ensure seamless operation and escalating results.