• Make Your Website Work As Hard As Your Sales Team
    Feb 6 2025
    Is your website truly working as hard as your sales team? In today’s competitive digital landscape, your website isn’t just an online brochure—it can be one of your best salespeople. Podcaster and influencer Sam Dunning joins The Sales Gravy Podcast to discuss the Caveman Grunt Website Test, why effective SEO strategies are never a one-and-done exercise, and how to build and how to maximize website performance for consistent sales growth. If your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to apply Dunning’s key strategies to turn your website into a dynamic, lead-generating sales machine. Key Takeaways: Caveman Grunt Website Test: Follow the “We do X that solves Y” formula for clarity and effective conversion. Understanding Customer Pain Points: Craft landing pages that directly address customer pain points using simple, jargon-free solutions. Leveraging Podcasts for Lead Generation: Use podcasting to build authority, get referrals, and increase inbound traffic. Turn Your Passions Into Profit: Experiment with activities you enjoy to see if they can be monetized, and give them three months to generate results. SEO is a Long-Term Commitment: Don’t treat SEO as a one-time task. Ongoing optimization, including backlinks, keyword updates, and metadata improvements, is key to keeping your website visible. https://youtu.be/y3-ALV67iT4 1. SEO Strategies are Not Dead Sure, the introduction of AI optimization has some professionals running to figure out the algorithm for getting high rankings from AI platforms like ChatGPT or even Google’s AI overviews. But as far as we know, for Google – which still dominates the landscape – the same effective SEO strategies make for high rankings on AI overviews. That means overall you still need to focus on Google’s EEAT format: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust. If you decide that SEO is worth your time then the best place to start is coming up with what your potential customers will be searching for to solve their problem. Consider: Industries where you’ve already seen success selling your products or services Companies or organizations that can afford your solutions What those companies might currently have cobbled together to solve their problems 2. The Caveman Grunt Website Test: A Simple Formula for Success Does your website pass the Caveman Grunt Test? The premise is simple: If a caveman visited your website, would it be immediately clear what problem you solve and how you solve it? Keep your messaging straightforward—avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity. Tip: Focus on the "We do X that solves Y" formula for a clear value proposition. Too many businesses miss out on potential conversions by overcomplicating their website copy. Simple, direct language can drastically improve your conversion rates. 3. The Importance of Identifying and Addressing Customer Pain Points The most successful websites address specific pain points right away. Your landing pages should immediately highlight the problem your customer faces and present your solution in a simple, jargon-free manner. Here’s what to include: Clear, Benefit-Focused Headlines that speak to your customer's pain point. If you confuse, you lose. Trust Signals like customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies. Explainer Videos or step-by-step guides to show how your product or service solves the problem. Why this works: Customers are most likely to convert when they feel you understand their challenges and have effective solutions. Ensure that your landing pages and home page are designed to address these pain points quickly 4. Using Podcasts to Build Authority and Generate Leads Once you’ve optimized your website for clarity and customer pain points, it’s time to extend your reach. Podcasting is a powerful tool for building your brand, establishing authority,
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    32 mins
  • How Sell to My Customer When They Need to Sell to Their Customer First (Ask Jeb)
    Feb 4 2025
    Ask Jeb: How to Sell When Your Customer Has to Sell First Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I’m Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day. Today, we took a call from Zack in Defiance, Ohio. Zack faces a unique challenge that may sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first. In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack’s solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy. 1. Recognize the Real-World Obstacles Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it’s easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it’s crucial to acknowledge a few realities: Your Customer’s Motivation: They’re laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they’re assured of a win. Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you’re waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions. Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition. Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour. 2. Be a Genuine Partner, Not a Peddler It’s tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven’t secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership: Build Real Relationships Invest time getting to know your buyer on a personal level. Talk about local sports teams, industry news, or shared hobbies. Real rapport fosters loyalty. When your customer finally wins their deal, they’ll feel comfortable turning to a friend—you—for the solution they need. Offer Strategic Expertise If your offering requires complex configurations or specialized knowledge, step in as a consultant. For instance, share best practices on how to optimize a design, or explain how to streamline a process. By helping them present stronger bids or more compelling proposals, you become integral to their success. Stay Responsive If they’re scrambling to nail down specifics for a bid, be the easiest person on their call list. Quick turnaround times and thorough answers showcase that you’re a reliable partner. Nobody wants a vendor who goes dark when the pressure is on. 3. Avoid Becoming a “Quote Factory” One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” that does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it’s true you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out. Track Buying History Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns. Have Candid Conversations Let them know your time and expertise aren’t free. You’re happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads. Prioritize Strategic Deals
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    12 mins
  • First Month Sales Goals Gut Check
    Feb 2 2025
    On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it’s time for a gut check. First we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next we need to take stock of our first month sales performance and make adjustments. We’re just a little more than 30 days away from our new year intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we’d make positive lasting changes in our lives. It’s Easy to Slip Off the Track You’ll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it’s easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It’s easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone. The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It’s just human nature. Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly Let’s say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers. You’ve been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals. I’ll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide. This was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when the year started. I know that if I don’t stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I’ll continue down this negative path — because it’s easy. Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today, to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions. Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year. Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline. Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track. Evaluate Your First Month’s Performance Against Your Sales Goals Next, step back and evaluate your first month’s sales performance. As you do, you’ll likely find one of three scenarios: You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water. You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you’re capable of much higher performance. You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped. Great Sales Month If You Crushed it, and you’re on the top of the ranking report fantastic, congratulations! But be very careful not to let off the gas. It’s likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather. Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you. Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don’t end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March. In other words, you’ve set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished and keep the pedal to the metal! Average Sales Month If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you’ve got more in the tank — then it’s time for some honest self-reflection. Ask yourself:
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    10 mins
  • How to Embrace Conflict in Sales feat. Brian Parsley
    Jan 30 2025
    Insights into embracing conflict, staying mindful, battling internal doubt, and communicating effectively from motivational speaker and co-founder of The Constance Group Brian Parsley. Key Takeaways Conflict Isn’t the Enemy: Whether it’s internal (“me-me”) or between you and others, conflict can be a catalyst for growth if handled with empathy and awareness. Self-Awareness Is Critical: Recognize when you’re slipping into negative self-talk or procrastination. Do one uncomfortable thing on purpose to regain momentum. Mindfulness Works: A short pause before responding can prevent knee-jerk reactions and help you focus on problem-solving instead of point-scoring. Communication Styles Differ: Tailor your approach to the other person’s style, and clarify misunderstandings by asking what they actually heard. Find a Coach or Mentor: Don’t underestimate the value of someone else’s perspective. A coach sees the “swing flaws” in your sales approach that you might never notice on your own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2049xdXQ5Ac Why Conflict Is Everywhere in Sales Sales is an inherently conflict-laden profession. You’re asking people for time and resources, you’re persuading them to make decisions, and you’re often balancing multiple interests—your client’s, your company’s, and your own. The tension stems from: -- Negotiations with buyers who might have competing priorities. -- Internal pressures from bosses or teammates who expect certain results. -- Personal conflicts within yourself — especially if you’re unsure of your own capabilities. The Three Types of Conflict Conflict can be broken down into three categories: Me vs. You Conflict – Disagreements between individuals (customers, peers, bosses). Me vs. Job Conflict – Situations where your personal values clash with your job role or tasks. Me vs. Me Conflict – Internal struggles, such as procrastination or fear of failure. The“me vs. me” conflict might be the most insidious, because it can sabotage your motivation, self-esteem, and willingness to accept feedback. The “Me-Me” Conflict: Your Biggest Obstacle Many sales professionals fail because they lose the internal battle with themselves in “me-me” conflict. They know they should spend an extra hour prospecting, turn off the TV a little earlier for a fresh start the next morning, or follow up diligently with new leads. Yet, fear of failure or simple inertia holds them back. How “Me-Me” Conflict Snowballs Letting small tasks slip—like hitting the snooze button or blowing off a follow-up call—quickly turns into a domino effect: You skip a small task or ignore a responsibility. Guilt or anxiety sets in, making you more emotionally reactive. This emotional reaction, often anger or irritability, spills over into other areas of your life—leading to more conflict, and sometimes even lower productivity. Overcoming Internal Doubts Through Awareness The ultimate tool to combat negative self-talk and “me-me” conflict is awareness. Here’s a simple yet powerful strategy: do something uncomfortable on purpose, like making a difficult prospecting call. By choosing the harder path in small, manageable increments, you train your brain to seek out the dopamine rush of achieving a win. Each small success can become addictive—in the best way—helping you build the self-confidence to tackle bigger challenges. Practical Tip: When you notice you’re about to avoid something important—like a call block—stop and say, “This is hard, but I’m doing it anyway.” That small statement of intent can be enough to reset your mindset for action. Why Self-Talk Shapes Your Sales Results In sales, negative self-talk is especially damaging because of the constant rejection and fast-paced environment. One bad day can lead to a downward spiral: -- One lost deal leads to “I’m not good enough.” -- One tough call leads to “They’ll never buy from me.”
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    37 mins
  • How to Motivate Salespeople to Prospect Consistently (Ask Jeb)
    Jan 28 2025
    If you’ve been banging your head against the wall trying to get your team (or yourself!) to prospect consistently, these tips are for you. In this episode, I answer a question from Paul in Rancho Cucamonga, California, who’s building and leading a remote sales team in the logistics industry and needs to find a way to get his salespeople to prospect consistently . Then I tackle a follow-up question from a sales leader at one of our live events on how to keep his salespeople motivated to prospect every day. Paul’s Challenge: Driving Consistent Prospecting Call Blocks Paul leads a medium-sized logistics company with reps spread out in California, Utah, and El Salvador. He’s already done a great job by running a book club around my book, Fanatical Prospecting, but he needed practical tips for ensuring his team actually implements daily call blocks. Here’s the advice I shared: Make Prospecting a Daily Conversation As a leader, you need to talk about prospecting every single day. Yes, you’ll feel like a broken record, but that repetition is crucial for setting expectations. “Show Up” for the Call Blocks If your team was all in one building, you’d simply gather them on the sales floor and power through. Remotely, you can replicate this by scheduling a set time (e.g., 8:00 a.m. PT) and getting everyone on a video call. You can’t stand next to them physically, but you can still see them, and they can see you. It’s social pressure and moral support rolled into one. Run High-Intensity Sprints (HIPS) Instead of asking for hours of uninterrupted calling, break it into short bursts—10, 15, or 20-minute sprints. Let them pause to catch their breath, then go again. Keep a virtual whiteboard and track dials, contacts, and appointments in real time. Make it fun and competitive. Overcome the Complaints Reps might moan about being “micromanaged,” but if you keep it fun and energetic, they’ll often appreciate the structure. Focus on results, not just the dials. Question: How Do I Motivate My Salespeople to Keep Prospecting? We also addressed a question from a leader who was attending one of our Sales Gravy Live events. Their team struggles to maintain high call numbers consistently. They might hit 100 dials a day for three days, then crash back down. The sales leader asked: “How do we keep our reps pumped for prospecting?” Here’s the Reality Check Nobody Truly “Loves” Prospecting: Prospecting is hard, and most of us won’t naturally get excited about it. But we do get excited about closing deals, landing appointments, and hitting our numbers. You Must Be a Teflon Sales Leader: Stay relentlessly focused on prospecting, day in and day out. The moment you relax your standards, the team will follow suit. If you don’t treat prospecting as a top priority, neither will they. Be like teflon: no excuses stick. Lead by Example Get out on the “floor” (or on the Zoom call) and make calls with them. Don’t hide in your office. When they see you doing the work, they’ll know you mean business. Use the Power of HIPS Those high-intensity sprints work just as well here. Run “power hours” with quick breaks in between and track your team’s progress publicly. Leading Prospecting Activity Is an Infinite Game Let’s face it: prospecting is often the least-liked activity in sales. It’s easy to push aside because it involves repeated rejection, logistical juggling, and tight discipline. Yet it’s the lifeblood of any thriving pipeline—no prospecting, no leads, no deals, no revenue. And if you have a remote team, like Paul does, you’re dealing with additional hurdles: time zones, limited supervision, and diminished peer pressure. It’s all too easy for your reps to skip their “call block” if you’re not right there to keep them accountable. As a sales leader, you can’t just “fix” prospecting once and forget about it. The moment you move on, your team will start slacking. You have to show up, be present,
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    15 mins
  • The Hardest Part of Asking is Shutting Up (Money Monday)
    Jan 26 2025
    As humans, we naturally fear rejection and do everything possible to avoid it. We’re social creatures at our core, and being rejected feels like we’re being shunned, banished, or kicked out of the group. In fact, the two biggest human fears are rejection and death—and as strange as this may sound, in our hearts we fear rejection more than we fear death. This, by the way, is a huge problem in sales because, as a sales professional, it’s your job to go out into the world, find rejection, and bring it home. And even though objections are not really rejection, it can still feel that way. It’s the fear of rejection that makes selling so difficult for most people—and why most people will never do your job. Sales is such a lucrative career choice simply because it’s a rejection-dense job. Companies are willing to pay big bucks to rainmakers who can control their emotions, face rejection head-on, and find a way to win. Ask and You Shall Receive The good news is that if you fear rejection and want to avoid it at all costs, the easiest way to do so is to never ask for anything. Of course, if you don’t ask, you won’t get. You might steer clear of the pain of rejection for a while, but sooner or later it’ll catch up with you when you find yourself unable to provide for your family, missing your mortgage payment, or stuck in a dead-end job. These things, I’ve found, hurt far worse over the long run than rejection. There’s a verse in the Christian Bible, Matthew 7:7, that goes, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Now, I recognize that Jesus isn’t talking about sales in this verse, but he could be. You’ll often hear it expressed as, “Ask and you shall receive.” If you think about that for a moment, you’ll notice that asking comes before receiving. In other words, asking is the beginning of receiving. If you want something, you have to ask first. Ditch Your Wishbone Far too often, we become rain barrels. We sit and wait. We hesitate and hope. We wish our prospect or customer would do the job for us, but they don’t—because it doesn’t work that way. If you want to sell more and earn more, you need to ditch your wishbone and grow a backbone. It’s up to you to ask. Asking is the beginning of receiving, so you won’t get the appointment, the next step, the information, access to the decision-maker, or a buying commitment unless you ask. And the truth is, on the other side of asking, there’s always the potential for objections and rejection. There’s always the chance you won’t get what you asked for. That’s just how asking works. The Hardest Part of Asking: Learning to Shut Up This is why the hardest part of asking is learning how to shut up afterward. You need to allow space for silence to do its work and for objections or questions to be put on the table. It’s hard to shut up when you’ve put it all out there and left yourself vulnerable to rejection. That awkward moment after you ask can feel like an eternity as you brace for a “no.” To protect yourself from hearing a rejection, you might start talking, and talking, and talking—deluding yourself into believing that as long as you keep talking, your prospect can’t reject you. The problem is, in that moment of emotional weakness, you come across as insecure and untrustworthy. You introduce objections that didn’t previously exist. You start blabbing on and on about features and benefits, terms and conditions, your dog, or what you had for lunch—until your stakeholder, who was ready to say yes, gets talked into saying no by you. Your insecurity in that moment of vulnerability invited rejection. Why Silence Is Your Secret Weapon Here’s the most important rule of asking: After you ask, you must shut up. Despite the alarm bells going off in your adrenaline-soaked mind—despite your pounding heart, sweaty palms, and fear—you have to bite your tongue, sit on your hands, mute the phone,
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    9 mins
  • The Key Traits and Practices of Effective Sales Leaders feat. Markus Neukom
    Jan 23 2025
    Sales Leadership is a continuous journey of self-awareness, connection, and growth. By cultivating courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can navigate challenges effectively and inspire their teams to reach new heights. Through active listening, thoughtful decision-making, and a focus on personal and collective improvement, leaders create environments where individuals and teams can thrive. In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Keith Lubner is joined by Markus Neukom to delve into the key traits and practices of effective sales leaders, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and authenticity. Key Takeaways: - Courage in Leadership: Effective sales leaders need the courage to act on their potential without fear of success or failure. This courage often differentiates genuine leadership from insecure or arrogant behaviors. - Emotional Intelligence Development: Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness. Leaders must understand themselves before they can effectively lead or enhance team dynamics. - Leadership as a Learned Skill: Leadership is not an innate talent but an art form that requires intentional development and refinement. - The Importance of Listening: Listening, including using all senses, is a critical skill for sales leaders. It fosters understanding, prevents assumptions, and enables effective conflict resolution. - Slowing Down for Effectiveness: Leaders benefit from slowing down to observe and connect with others, which ultimately leads to faster and more accurate outcomes. - The Shift Toward Authenticity: Modern sales leadership demands authenticity, as younger generations of employees and clients value genuine and transparent leadership styles. - Reframing Imposter Syndrome as a Sign of Growth: Imposter syndrome is a signal that you're pursuing something meaningful, despite lingering self-doubt. Recognizing it as a sign of growth can help leaders and professionals push forward with confidence and authenticity. - Challenges for Women in Leadership: Women face unique challenges, including workplace toxicity and imposter syndrome. Encouraging authenticity rather than adopting stereotypical traits is crucial for their success. - Intuition vs. Gut Feeling: Leaders are encouraged to trust their intuition, which transcends learned gut feelings and is often a more reliable guide in decision-making. - Conflict Resolution Through Coaching: Executive coaching plays a vital role in resolving workplace conflicts by emphasizing observation, asking questions, and active listening. - Self-Care Practices for Leaders: Practices like meditation and structured routines can help leaders manage stress, prevent burnout, and achieve a higher level of personal and professional effectiveness. https://youtu.be/h5OLDcbI66c Sales Leadership thrives on self-awareness, connection, and a commitment to growth. These principles shape how leaders inspire their teams, handle challenges, and foster an environment of trust and collaboration. By focusing on key qualities like courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can create positive and lasting impacts in their organizations. Courage as a Foundation Courage is essential for effective leadership. It allows leaders to take risks, embrace uncertainty, and act decisively. Leaders must have the bravery to act decisively and embrace their potential without fear of success or failure. Overcoming these fears requires bravery to step out of comfort zones and pursue opportunities for growth. Courage also plays a role in admitting when help is needed or answers are unclear, which fosters an environment of honesty and collaboration. Emotional Intelligence Starts Within Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a crucial skill for understanding and managing emotions, both in oneself and in others. The foundation of EQ is self-awareness—knowing personal strengths, weaknesses, and triggers.
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    46 mins
  • How to Get CEOs to Answer Cold Calls (Ask Jeb)
    Jan 21 2025
    Ron wants to know how to get CEOs to actually answer his cold calls (or at least respond). He runs a recruiting firm and finds that his cold calls to top executives often go unanswered, and it’s driving him nuts. He wants to know if there’s a better way to break through all the noise—or if he just needs to buckle down and make more calls. On this Ask Jeb podcast episode I give Ron specific strategies for connecting with hard-to-reach prospects like CEOs. Why Sales Feels Harder Than Ever Let’s face it: sales is tough, and it’s not getting any easier. With an explosion of AI-driven messages and automated outreach, our prospects—especially C-suite executives—are tuning out more than ever. We call this phenomenon the “great ignore.” If you don’t stand out from the torrent of spam, you will get lost in the shuffle. Ron’s question—“Do I just need to make more calls, or is there some next-best method?”—is a dilemma many of us face. The short answer? It’s both. You do need volume, but you also have to differentiate. If you’re just another voice in the crowd, you’ll be ignored, no matter how many dials you make. Tactic #1: Multi-Threading (Don’t Just Call the CEO) A key point I shared with Ron is the power of multi-threading. That means calling multiple people in the organization—not just the CEO. While the CEO might be the ultimate decision-maker, other stakeholders, like the COO or HR director, might be easier to reach. These people can also give you valuable intel on hiring needs, budget constraints, or timing. Call the CEO: Leave a compelling message or send a short, punchy email. Call Other Stakeholders: Dig for inside info on immediate hiring needs or open reqs. Use That Intel: Let the CEO know, “I’ve spoken with your COO; you’re looking for a VP of Sales. I have a candidate you need to meet…” This top-down, bottom-up approach helps you gather context, build rapport, and earn the right to talk to the CEO by proving you’re not just randomly dialing. Tactic #2: Leave Voicemails—But Make Them Count Ron admitted he’s not always sure whether to leave voicemails. Most of us have left hundreds of voicemails and gotten very few callbacks, so it’s tempting to skip them. But here’s the thing: in today’s world, voicemail transcripts often end up in a prospect’s email inbox or text messages. Keep It Short: No more than 30 seconds. Make It Compelling: Name-drop a role you know they’re hiring for or highlight your unique solution in a single sentence. Use a Teaser: “I’ve got the perfect candidate for your open VP of Sales position—let’s talk.” Even if they don’t call back immediately, they’re hearing your name and your pitch. Over time, that repetition can pay off—especially if you combine voicemails with other forms of outreach. Tactic #3: Build Sequences That Tell a Story The real magic is in creating a multichannel sequence over 30 to 60 days. It’s not just “call once and cross your fingers.” Instead, plan multiple touches that tie together: Voicemail #1 Follow-Up Email (within 24–48 hours) LinkedIn Connection Request or DM Voicemail #2 (referencing your email) A Handwritten Note or Card (really stands out) Voicemail #3 (referencing the note) Be creative. Use each step to reinforce the last, rather than just repeating the same “Hey, it’s me again!” message. Tell a story or highlight different benefits at each step. Show them you’re genuinely interested in their business—not just cold-calling from a script. Tactic #4: Know Your Prospect’s Buying Window Sometimes the CEO won’t respond because there’s no immediate need for your product or service. For Ron, if they’re not hiring, they won’t care about a recruiter. That’s okay—it doesn’t mean you should vanish. Keep Dripping: A low-frequency sequence keeps you on their radar. Listen for Signals: Maybe they just received funding or they’re expanding into a new market.
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    17 mins