Personalisation in sales: Elevating your outreach to new heights

In the world of sales, personalisation has become a game-changer. Gone are the days of generic pitches and one-size-fits-all approaches. Today, successful sales professionals understand the effectiveness of tailoring their outreach in building meaningful connections with prospects and driving conversions.

In a recent episode of The Sales Syndicate Podcast, Jamie Pagan, Marketing Director at Selligence, chatted with Sophie Ellis, Account Executive at Lunio, to discuss the power of personalisation in sales and share actionable tips for incorporating it into sales strategies.

Personalisation is vital in sales because it builds relationships. Tailoring messages to individual prospects shows a genuine interest in their needs, significantly increasing connect rates, engagement, and conversion rates for business growth.

In this article, we will cover:

1. The evolution of personalisation in sales
2. Elevating your sales outreach to new heights with personalisation
3. The power of voice notes in sales and prospecting
4. The power of personal branding and social selling
5. Using humour as a sales strategy: a perfect example

The evolution of personalisation in sales

Personalisation in sales has come a long way since the days of cold calling and generic messaging. Today, sales reps are taking a more consultative approach, focusing on building genuine connections with prospects through tailored outreach. This shift has been fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced businesses to adapt and become more efficient.

The rise of social media has been a game-changer for sales professionals, providing multiple channels for research and outreach. By leveraging personal information and interests, sales reps can now create messaging that resonates with prospects, increasing the chances of engagement and conversion. However, it's important to keep in mind that not everyone is comfortable with all forms of communication, so it's crucial to understand individual preferences.

Sophie said:

Elevating your sales outreach to new heights with personalisation

Why is personalisation so important in sales? The answer lies in its ability to build relationships. When messages are tailored to individual prospects, it demonstrates a genuine interest in their needs and challenges. As a result, personalisation can significantly increase connect rates, engagement, and conversion rates, which ultimately drives business growth.

Sophie is no stranger to the impact of personalisation. Drawing from her own experiences and successes, she sheds light on the critical role it’s played in sales outreach, emphasising the need for concise yet genuine connections.

Personalisation goes far beyond simply adding a prospect's first name to an email. It's about understanding their unique context, needs, and pain points, and tailoring your communication to address them effectively. Before reaching out, conducting thorough research is essential. Platforms like social media, company websites, and tools like Selligence and LinkedIn can provide valuable insights into your prospects, enabling you to personalise your outreach in a meaningful way.

One powerful tactic for personalisation is incorporating a personal touch into your outreach. Whether it's through a tailored voice note or a video message, these bespoke forms of communication foster better relationships, capturing the recipient's attention and sparking engagement.

Sophie herself has achieved remarkable success by leveraging personalisation techniques. In her first few months with Lunio, she booked three big brand meetings using just two touchpoints: a voice note and a follow-up message that humorously referenced her Midlands accent.

Effective personalisation also involves tailoring the content of your pitch or proposal to the individual. Highlighting specific benefits that resonate with their needs and objectives showcases your understanding of their unique challenges and positions your offering as a valuable solution.

As with any strategy, it's important to experiment with different approaches to personalisation and track their effectiveness. What works for one prospect may not work for another, so continuously refining and adapting your tactics based on feedback and results is crucial. By learning from both successes and failures, you can fine-tune your personalisation strategies and maximise their impact.

The power of voice notes in sales and prospecting

In the world of sales and prospecting, finding new and innovative ways to make meaningful connections is essential. Sophie has discovered the effectiveness of voice notes on LinkedIn and how they play a significant role in booking meetings with big brands.

With their unique ability to pique curiosity, voice notes have proven to be highly successful in capturing attention and enticing recipients to listen. Sophie herself admits that she wouldn't be able to resist listening to a voice note due to the inherent curiosity it evokes. This psychological factor, known as the fear of missing out (FOMO), plays a vital role in drawing potential clients into the conversation.

While cold calls have traditionally been the go-to method for reaching out to prospects, Sophie has found that voice notes on LinkedIn offer a unique advantage. She acknowledges that, in terms of conversion rates, cold calls still reign supreme. However, she emphasises that voice notes serve as a valuable complement to the cold-calling process. By interacting with prospects beforehand through voice notes, she warms up the conversation and establishes a connection, which ultimately enhances the efficacy of her cold calls.

Interestingly, Sophie notes that it's not always the first voice note that gets a response. In fact, it's often the second or third voice note that elicits a reaction, highlighting the importance of persistence and follow-up. Sophie typically sends around 10 voice notes each day to maximize her chances of engagement.

When using voice notes, it's essential to maintain conciseness and get straight to the point. Sophie suggests beginning voice notes with the recipient's name, followed by a short and focused message. Something like…

A basic voice note structure

1. [PROSPECT NAME], I notice you're doing [ROLE].
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2. I know I can help with [PROBLEM YOU SOLVE].
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3. Let me know if that sounds interesting.

A super simple voice note script

1. Hey
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2. Just wanted to send a quick note to introduce myself.
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3. I notice that you're in [PROSPECT ROLE] for [PROSPECT COMPANY].
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4. I appreciate you might not have heard of [YOUR COMPANY], but I wanted to ask if you've explored [PROBLEM YOU SOLVE] before.
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5. I think this is something we can really help with in terms of [EXPECTED RESULTS].
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6. Let me know if that sounds interesting.

This approach ensures that the recipient's attention is captured right from the start, increasing the likelihood of engagement and response. By condensing the message to only what is needed, rather than unnecessary fluff, you demonstrate respect for the recipient's time and make it easier for them to digest and respond.

The benefits of personal branding and social selling

In today's highly competitive business landscape, personal branding and social selling have emerged as critical factors for success. In fact, research indicates that 70% of salespeople who actively use social media for personal branding and social selling often exceed their targets by up to 20%.

A key aspect of personal branding is ensuring that your personality shines through on professional platforms like LinkedIn. By adopting a conversational tone and avoiding formalities that feel unnatural, Sophie has been able to create genuine connections with her audience. This approach allows her personality to come across, fostering a stronger and more relatable personal brand.

Consistency in posting is also crucial for success. Regularly sharing valuable content, insights, and updates not only keeps your audience informed but also positions you as a thought leader in your industry. By consistently showing up and delivering value, you build trust and credibility among your connections and potential clients.

Using humour in sales outreach: a perfect example

In the world of sales, standing out from the crowd is crucial to success.

You may have seen a LinkedIn post doing the rounds recently, in which an SDR based in the United States shared a call recording after connecting to Area 51’s ‘secret phone line’ instead of his target prospect. If you want a good laugh and want to hear the wildest cold call you've ever heard, listen to this full call.

Having seen this post, Selligence’s very own Arran Nicholson decided to share it to his own network. The post quickly gained attention and generated positive feedback from fellow sales professionals and prospects alike. Inspired by the positive response, Arran seized the opportunity to reach out to those who interacted with his post. Once connected, he called each prospect, opening the call with ‘Hi, it’s Arran calling from Area 51.’

What were the results, we hear you ask? Well, he ended up booking a few demos.

In a world saturated with generic pitches and sales techniques, a well-placed touch of humour can break through the noise and create a memorable connection. Humour has the power to disarm, build rapport, and make a lasting impression. However, it's important to strike a balance and gauge the appropriateness of your audience. What works for one prospect may not work for another.

Sales reps can draw inspiration from Arran’s success story by embracing their creativity and embracing unconventional approaches. By infusing comedy into their outreach efforts, reps can cut through the monotony of traditional sales tactics and create genuine connections that lead to meaningful business opportunities.

Top tips

1. Conduct thorough research: Before reaching out to prospects, invest time in researching their social media profiles, company websites, and other relevant platforms. Understanding their unique context, needs, and pain points enables you to tailor your communication effectively.
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2. Incorporate a personal touch: Stand out from the crowd by adding a personal touch to your outreach. Use voice notes or video messages to capture attention and spark engagement. Tailor your message specifically to the recipient, showcasing your genuine interest in their needs and challenges.
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3. Customise your pitch or proposal: Highlight specific benefits that resonate with the prospect's needs and objectives. By showcasing your understanding of their unique challenges, you position your offering as a valuable solution.
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4. Experiment and track results: Personalisation is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Continuously experiment with different personalisation techniques and track their effectiveness. Learn from both successes and failures, refining your strategies to maximise impact.
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5. Embrace creativity and humour: Don't be afraid to inject creativity and humour into your outreach efforts. A well-placed touch of humour can break through the noise and create a memorable connection. However, be mindful of your audience and gauge the appropriateness of your approach.

Key takeaways

In conclusion, personalisation has transformed the sales landscape, going beyond cold calling and generic messaging. Sales reps now need to prioritise building genuine connections through tailored outreach, demonstrating a genuine interest in their needs.

By embracing personalisation, incorporating voice notes, leveraging personal branding, and embracing creativity and humour, sales reps can stand out, build genuine connections, and create meaningful business opportunities. It is crucial to continuously experiment with different personalisation techniques, track results, and adapt strategies based on feedback.

By following these top tips and finding the right balance, sales professionals can elevate their sales outreach to new heights and achieve remarkable success.