No B2B cold calling program is an island. It is imperative to have a strong cold calling program, and it couldn’t be possible without support from best practices and the right tools—ones you may already be equipped with and not even realize it. Here is how to begin using email marketing for cold calling.
Using Email Marketing as a Sales Tool
A simple way to support your cold calling program is to utilize innovative email features and email marketing functionalities. With approximately four billion global users in 2020, email is one of the most widely used systems of messaging—yet most companies utilize it every day without considering it a tool.
Thanks to new capabilities added to email systems constantly, there are numerous ways you can leverage emails as a powerful method of follow-up after making cold calls or leaving voicemails for prospective customers.
Today, email tools can make follow-up tasks simple for you and engaging for your recipients. If your company utilizes a customer relationship management (CRM) system, this can make it even easier to create and send follow-up emails in a timely manner. As we know, timing is key when it comes to follow-up messaging for B2B and complex sales.
We’ve outlined 6 ways you can leverage email marketing with a cold calling program to boost your sales efforts and increase your ROI.
1. Take advantage of your CRM for email marketing.
The average return on technology investment for companies that use a CRM is $8.71 for each dollar spent. If you aren’t utilizing a CRM like HubSpot, now might be the time.
Most CRM tools include the ability to create templates and don’t hesitate to use them. Templates serve as one of the biggest time-savers for your already busy sales team, and can ensure that your emails are sent immediately following a call because you do not need to start from scratch each time.
Create several templates geared toward specific industries you are calling; this ensures that your emails are targeted and customized, rather than appearing like a generic follow-up.
To add an even more personalized touch, save space at the top of each template where you can reference the topics discussed during a call or referenced in a voicemail. This will show your recipients that you’re paying attention to their needs and are not simply sending irrelevant carbon copies of emails to everyone you contact.
For more information about best practices for sales calls and voicemails, visit our post on Sales and Voicemails – Best Practices for B2B Cold Calling.
2. Update your email marketing game.
Email today is more than just a tool for messaging. You can now include elements like videos, graphics, snippets, and mini demos. If there is a short video that can clarify the subject rather than an attachment of documents, use it!
Videos can be placed inline so they are immediately viewable when a marketing email is opened, and can generate up to 300% more clicks than emails without. You can use GIFs—animated image files that play in a loop— to effectively convey a complex topic, such as a quick growth chart formula.
Personalization can truly set you apart from other companies. People expect personalization, so be sure to find ways to make an email as unique to the recipient as possible. Creating a personalized subject line or greeting is a good place to start; in fact, emails with personalized subject lines have 50% higher open rates than those without. Adding personal touches within an email, like referencing a previous conversation or message, shows that you are looking to establish a relationship with the recipient, not just a transaction.
Make an effort to provide recipients with a seamless experience if they wish to contact you. There is software available that makes it easy to connect, make an appointment, view a calendar, and more, so don’t just leave your number at the closing of a sales email. Show that you want to make it easy for recipients to connect with you in whatever way works best for them.
3. Use your assets.
92% of B2B buyers are more likely to proceed with a transaction after reading a trusted review. If you have assets on hand like case studies, customer stories, or positive reviews, consider including them in an email or link to a great interview with a happy customer.
Most prospects prefer to conduct independent research before moving forward, so make it easy for them. Prospects vet companies by researching other customers’ experiences. Positive reactions from previous or current clients add credibility to your name while increasing a prospect’s trust in your abilities.
Additionally, content pieces that provide value for clients and prospects, like white papers, articles, or blog posts, are also great resources to include in your marketing emails. One of our most popular blogs is about resources for salespeople, which is content we choose to share often because it offers valuable information to customers.
Including this kind of information provides prospects with an easy path to find business solutions, exhibits that you are a leader in the industry, and establishes trust because you are providing prospects with a resource that aims to do nothing other than to help them.
4. Track what is (and isn’t) working.
Utilizing a CRM that tracks email opens and activity provides valuable insight that can help you understand which elements of your email strategy are working and what could use some adjustment.
If, for example, you find that your emails have a low open rate, consider changing up the send time or the subject line by adding personalization. Or, if you are not receiving any phone calls or emails in response, you may decide to add an option for recipients to set up an appointment with you to make it easier for them to connect.
If you can’t see the numbers, it’s difficult to understand what’s performing well and what needs to be changed. The ability to track your email performance makes a significant and positive impact on your outreach and follow-up strategy.
5. Enhance the prospect’s email experience.
High-ticket B2B sales often require a phone call as the best way to qualify leads. However, you can still leverage email marketing. Email can enhance a prospect’s experience, increase the number of touches, and improve your chances of connecting.
The same principles of cold calling also apply to marketing emails: just as scripted calls don’t have a place in quality lead generation, bad emails don’t either. Use the tools you have as a way to personalize emails and send them in a timely manner.
6. Improve trade show follow-up.
Now that the majority of trade shows have gone virtual, the same pre-show and post-show methods we’ve always adhered to are more important than ever. Without the face-to-face interaction of in-person trade shows, it can be difficult to connect with prospects.
We have found that combining calls and following up with consistent and persistent marketing emails will help you establish the connections and relationships that you hope to get out of these events, ultimately maximizing your trade show ROI.
Cold calling + Emails = A Recipe for Success
Implementing a cold calling program is an effective way to improve B2B sales efforts, and leveraging email marketing in combination with calls can maximize your sales success.
If you have questions about how to get started with a cold calling program, we can help. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.
