How to create a great prospecting list

Debdutta observed that many SDRs receive prospect lists from managers without understanding the reasoning behind the selections. This leads to two problematic approaches:

1. Using generic outreach (often ignored)

2. Spending excessive time researching each prospect individually

To address this, Debdutta suggests a three-step approach for building effective prospecting lists:

1. Understand the buyer persona: Know your target audience's characteristics and pain points.

2. Identify the ideal customer profile (ICP): Define specific attributes of companies likely to benefit from your product.

3. Use buyer intent signals: Utilize these to provide context for your outreach.

He provides an example for his company, Aligned: Target 100 US-based Sales Managers currently hiring AEs, using Salesforce or HubSpot, with 100-500 employees.

Debdutta recommends using AI to find best-fit accounts and automate research. This approach helps in writing better emails, improving cold calling confidence, and achieving better results overall.

Cold calling script from Chris

Chris shared a cold call script that has reportedly led to over $30 million in ARR. The script follows a structure called "PEAR":

1. Pitch: A brief, 15-second introduction that includes:

   • Your name and company

   • A specific benefit or result you've achieved for a similar client

   • A question to gauge interest

2. Explore: If the prospect shows interest, ask questions to understand their current situation and challenges.

3. Align: Explain how your solution addresses their specific needs based on the information gathered.

4. Request: Ask for the next step, such as scheduling a demo or follow-up call.

Chris emphasizes the importance of active listening and adapting the conversation based on the prospect's responses. He also notes that this script is most effective when combined with thorough research and personalization for each prospect. Access the complete script through his post.

Challenge: 5 meetings in one day

Isa set himself a challenge to see how many meetings he could book in one day. He successfully booked 5 meetings for the upcoming weeks and offered 5 key tips that helped him achieve this:

1. Use the phone: Calling is more effective than email or LinkedIn outreach for booking meetings quickly.

2. Research prospects: Understand the prospect's business and how your solution can help them before calling.

3. Consider timing: Follow up on past opportunities, as situations may have changed after 6-9 months.

4. Use your network: Ask happy customers for referrals and keep track of promoted contacts.

5. Create friendly competition: Cold calling as a team can make the process more enjoyable and motivating.

Isa also added a bonus tip: Celebrate your achievements when you meet your goals.