There are many tools for lead generation, but I want to share one of the most effective strategies we’ve used over the past six years.
B2B Cold Outreach Playbook
Tools: Cold email outreach, cold calling
Step 1: Collect Target Audience Contacts
You’ll need:
- First and last name
- Company name
- Job title
- Email address
- Mobile phone number
Optional: Look for sales triggers, like the technology your potential client uses, participation in industry conferences, company revenue, or hiring volume in a specific area.
Tools for collecting contacts:
- All-in-one outreach tool: Instantly. You can find contacts here and send email campaigns (Step 2).
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Great filters and updated databases.
- Data providers: Platforms like Lusha, RocketReach, UpLead, or Nymeria.io. Choose the best one for your industry based on price and quality.
For now, focus on finding email addresses—no need to search for phone numbers yet.
Step 2: Launch Cold Emails
Write an email sequence for your target audience.
Quick tips for cold emails:
- Subject line: Personalize it by including the company name, value, or pain point. Our top-performing subject line is: [Your Company] x [Your Client’s Company]. It’s been consistently delivering a 40-70% open rate for years.
- First email:
- Option 1: Make a pitch about your service and check if it’s relevant. Expect a 3-5% positive reply rate.
- Option 2: Ask if it’s relevant and find the decision-maker. This often gets more replies but may lengthen your funnel slightly.
- Email sequence: Use 3-5 emails for Europe and 15-20 emails for the US. Each email should test a hypothesis (e.g., invite to a webinar, request for a reference list, a project quote, or a consultation).
- Track performance: Monitor open rates and replies. Instantly has this functionality.
Step 3: Add Cold Calls
This is where the real power kicks in.
Choose a stage or trigger to start calling. Examples:
- Email 1 with a pitch deck: Call everyone who opened the email, especially those who clicked the link.
- Email 1 (finding the decision-maker), Email 2 (offer): Call those who opened both emails.
- Email 5 (webinar invite): Call those who opened it but didn’t reply or register.
Outsource telemarketing to the Philippines: Ideal for the US market due to low costs ($6-10/hour), excellent English, and time zone compatibility. Most have experience in this region. Find candidates here: Upwork Search for Telemarketers in the Philippines.
Export the audience from Instantly based on your trigger and provide the email sequence you already sent. At this point, you may need to collect phone numbers if they’re missing.
Sample Cold Call Script
This script delivered a 20% conversion rate for booking meetings:
- Introduction:
“Hi, my name is [Your Name]. Am I speaking with [Client’s Name]?”
(If yes, continue.) - Follow-up:
“I sent you an email about [briefly mention your offer], but I haven’t received a reply. Could there be an issue with the email?”
(Let the client respond.) - Pitch:
“Let me quickly explain. [CTA: For example, ‘We’re hosting a webinar this Thursday on [topic]; can you join?’ or ‘We’d like to discuss a pilot project with your company. Can we book a meeting?’]”
(Telemarketer schedules the meeting.) - Close:
“Great! See you at the meeting. Thank you!”
Note: Most call centers in the Philippines have their own phone systems, so you only pay for their time. If you work with individuals, you may need a virtual phone system, but it’s inexpensive.
The structure may vary slightly depending on your industry, but the core process remains the same.
Share this playbook with your Head of Sales, VP of Sales, or CCO. Let’s hope 2025 brings you many more clients! If you need help, feel free to reach out—I’m here to assist.
