Podcast episode
Prospecting with some personality and permission-based selling (Sarah Brazier, SDR turned AE at Gong.io)
30 Minutes to President's Club26 Aug 202027 min
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Join the most tactical sales newsletter in the world: https://hubs.ly/Q01-R33G0 Four Actionable Takeaways: Write like a human - especially in your Linkedin DMs. No over-formal language. Leverage up by reaching out to ICs, then getting referrals to the VPs Tell them it’s a cold call, then ask permission to sell before ya start selling. Use permission-based selling in your upfront contract. Get the buy-in on the agenda. Sarah Brazier’s Path to President’s Club: Account Executive @ Gong Advisor @ Aligned, Chili Piper, and Ramped Instructor @ Sales Impact Academy RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal 30MPC Training: 30mpc.com/training
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I think this is something that some people never do and some people just kind of like forget to do. But if there is somebody who is downloading content, who is engaging with your company's LinkedIn page, or is tied to the decision maker, but isn't this decision maker, you should strategically leverage up. “Connect with them, start a conversation, gather as much information as you can from them,” and then use it to get the meeting that you want. Nice. What's number two? Peruse earnings calls. One of the things that has helped me develop my business acumen the most and understand company pain is by using tools like Centio, Cheetah IQ, Seeking Alpha, and using those
And that takes maybe 15 to 30 minutes to research. build out a sequence around. From that, I need to add at least 20 people. If I had a minimum of 20 per sequence that I wanted to add to it, otherwise, it's not worth the time investment. So 20 people. So I need to go figure out who those sales leaders “Hopefully, they're in the CRM, but I want to cross-check and sales navigator.” I'll make sure I have the right titles and then dump them into that sequence and hit send. So minimum of 20 people are getting that, probably closer to 40. That means that I have then 40 LinkedIn touches and 40 dials off the bat, because the first email I send, I always follow up with a LinkedIn touch and a call. And so that dictates a big chunk of the day.
build out a sequence around. From that, I need to add at least 20 people. If I had a minimum of 20 per sequence that I wanted to add to it, otherwise, it's not worth the time investment. So 20 people. So I need to go figure out who those sales leaders are. Hopefully, they're in the CRM, but I want to cross-check and sales navigator. “I'll make sure I have the right titles and then dump them into that sequence and hit send.” So minimum of 20 people are getting that, probably closer to 40. That means that I have then 40 LinkedIn touches and 40 dials off the bat, because the first email I send, I always follow up with a LinkedIn touch and a call. And so that dictates a big chunk of the day. And then there are things that happen throughout the day that fill in the gaps.
I'm curious about those LinkedIn touches that you're talking about, because you're sending that intro email and then you're touching somebody on LinkedIn. And this is an area that I still haven't gotten my head around the best way to do it. Are you just sending a connect request with no message? Are you sending a super tailored message in the request? Are you doing an in-mail? What's that LinkedIn outreach look like? “Just to stand out in the immediate, having a note is really important.” But I also decline any note that's just like, Hey, Sarah, I want to tell you about my product or something that's really generic. I prefer when someone writes something that showcases their personality and the fact that they actually took the time to understand at least a little bit of who I am as a person.
I'm curious about those LinkedIn touches that you're talking about, because you're sending that intro email and then you're touching somebody on LinkedIn. And this is an area that I still haven't gotten my head around the best way to do it. Are you just sending a connect request with no message? Are you sending a super tailored message in the request? Are you doing an in-mail? What's that LinkedIn outreach look like? “Just to stand out in the immediate, having a note is really important.” But I also decline any note that's just like, Hey, Sarah, I want to tell you about my product or something that's really generic. I prefer when someone writes something that showcases their personality and the fact that they actually took the time to understand at least a little bit of who I am as a person.
Just to stand out in the immediate, having a note is really important. But I also decline any note that's just like, Hey, Sarah, I want to tell you about my product or something that's really generic. I prefer when someone writes something that showcases their personality and the fact that “they actually took the time to understand at least a little bit of who I am as a person.” So I thought if that's how I feel about it, then a C-level executive or a VP of sales or someone who is getting bombarded by SDRs all the time, they're going to want that, but even more because they're probably going to be way more annoyed than I am when people don't send me notes because I'm nobody.
No, I think that's the tackiest thing to do. I also sent one earlier today to someone who is not a decision maker, but she's downloading a bunch of our content. And I said, she lives in Austin. I said, you live in a cool city. I live in a cool city. “You're an AE. I'm an AE. We have 12 mutual connections open to networking.” This transitions into the leveraging up thing because you did it on LinkedIn and you did it to me. And it's actually part of the reason that we're here today. So can you talk about the leveraging up? And maybe you can talk about it in the little of the context of what we've done and then also other ways that you might leverage up.
No, I think that's the tackiest thing to do. I also sent one earlier today to someone who is not a decision maker, but she's downloading a bunch of our content. And I said, she lives in Austin. I said, you live in a cool city. I live in a cool city. “You're an AE. I'm an AE. We have 12 mutual connections open to networking.” This transitions into the leveraging up thing because you did it on LinkedIn and you did it to me. And it's actually part of the reason that we're here today. So can you talk about the leveraging up? And maybe you can talk about it in the little of the context of what we've done and then also other ways that you might leverage up.
Yeah. So the phone rings. Ring, ring. And you say, hi. Hello. And I say, hey Arman, this is Sarah Brazier with Gong on a recorded line. Have you been? Sure. Yeah, I've been fine. How are you? I'm doing great. Thanks for asking. Hey, I know that there is no good time for a cold call, “so I can keep it super brief. Is it cool with you if I tell you the reason why I called” and then you can tell me if it makes sense for you to either hang up on me or continue the conversation? I know you guys over at Gong. What's going on? Yeah, yeah. Totally. Yeah. Well, I was gonna ask if I can give you the high level of what we do. But I don't know anything about Carter right now. But I'd say something like, hey, I noticed that
I was like, what the hell is going on? This how have you been thing has come from somewhere. And they were looking at your script, right? And then after that, you're doing another thing where you're being disarmingly blunt again. And so you're basically saying, yo, I don't know you, right? And so what's the psychology behind that there? You don't pitch to somebody who doesn't give you permission to pitch. “And so if you say, hey, can I tell you why I called?” And then you get to decide if you hang up on me or not. You're still controlling the conversation. I'm still very much an authority in the conversation. And I can push and pull it the way I want it to go. But it gives the prospect a sense of autonomy, which is what I think is what all humans crave.
But I want to make sure that it's really their decision. My feelings have nothing to do with this. It's like, do you want to hear about this thing? Yes or no? Well, it's true. I see a lot of salespeople. They'll cold call somebody. And then that person will say, oh, not interested, or they'll hang up on them. And they'll think, oh, I guess that account wasn't a good fit. I'm going to take them off my list. “But there's 2 parts to the cold call.” There's the actual getting to the point where they are listening, not just hearing, listening to your value proposition. And then there's the actual value proposition. Does it resonate with them at all? If you can't get past the first part, you're just another telemarketer. And they are not actually listening or hearing what you're saying. So it's useless.
My feelings have nothing to do with this. It's like, do you want to hear about this thing? Yes or no? Well, it's true. I see a lot of salespeople. They'll cold call somebody. And then that person will say, oh, not interested, or they'll hang up on them. And they'll think, oh, I guess that account wasn't a good fit. I'm going to take them off my list. But there's 2 parts to the cold call. “There's the actual getting to the point where they are listening, not just hearing,” listening to your value proposition. And then there's the actual value proposition. Does it resonate with them at all? If you can't get past the first part, you're just another telemarketer. And they are not actually listening or hearing what you're saying. So it's useless. So in my mind, you have to get them to buy in and commit to the conversation, whether it's the contextual lead that Armand does.
Because I find that everybody modifies a little bit for their style. This is sort of what it sounds like. Hey, guys. So it sounds like we've got like 30 minutes left on the calendar. Does that sound about right to you guys? Yep. Looks right. Okay, cool. And it's cool with you if we record this call? Yep. I'll go with me. Awesome. Sweet. “I feel like it might make sense to just set a brief agenda and then we can go from there.” Obviously, I reached out to you because I think that there could be a good fit between our company and yours. I really do have some questions right now around your business priorities, your roles, and what you're trying to achieve moving through 2020. Obviously, I'm sure you have some questions for me around how Gong can be helpful in those cases.
Be true to you. Be your best self. Are you a 10 today? And if you want to buy gong, everybody go be a qualified opportunity or qualified meeting or some nonsense like that. And hang on for a 60 second recap email coming up soon. Cheers. You know, our top four takeaways from the episode with Sheriff Brazier include number one, right? “Like a human, especially in your LinkedIn DMS, no over formal language.” Number two, leverage up by reaching out to ICS and then get those referrals up to the VPs. Number three, tell them it's a cold call. Yo, it's a cold call. Then ask for permission to sell before you start selling. And then number four, use that same permission based selling in your upfront contract. Get them to buy into the agenda.
Be true to you. Be your best self. Are you a 10 today? And if you want to buy gong, everybody go be a qualified opportunity or qualified meeting or some nonsense like that. And hang on for a 60 second recap email coming up soon. Cheers. You know, our top four takeaways from the episode with Sheriff Brazier include number one, right? “Like a human, especially in your LinkedIn DMS, no over formal language.” Number two, leverage up by reaching out to ICS and then get those referrals up to the VPs. Number three, tell them it's a cold call. Yo, it's a cold call. Then ask for permission to sell before you start selling. And then number four, use that same permission based selling in your upfront contract. Get them to buy into the agenda.
Number two, leverage up by reaching out to ICS and then get those referrals up to the VPs. Number three, tell them it's a cold call. Yo, it's a cold call. Then ask for permission to sell before you start selling. And then number four, use that same permission based selling in your upfront contract. “Get them to buy into the agenda.” Nick, how do people help us out? So this week I've really enjoyed reading everybody's sweet reviews on iTunes. And if you haven't given the show a text review, maybe writing Nick is the best host ever. Go ahead. Give us a review. Let people know that you like the show and we'll see you next week on 30 minutes to president's club.