The State of Outbound Sales in 2024

Hear about challenges of outbound sales and the most effective channels from the experts.

You might have also noticed that outbound sales are making a comeback these past few months. Naturally, we wanted to get down to the bottom of this recent rise in popularity and figure out the best way to approach this sales strategy.

To achieve that, we reached out to some of our expert friends and asked them about what’s happening in the world of outbound sales in 2024. Please, show some love to these experts if you’ve enjoyed their tips, and let’s get started.

P.S. Can't decide between inbound and outbound sales? Take a look at our article here.

When should companies implement outbound sales?

Outbound is a good tactic when you have little to no inbound pipeline. So early-stage startups can successfully implement cold outreach as a part of their GTM strategy. At the same time, keep in mind that outbound alone won’t be enough to build a healthy and consistent flow of leads.

What are the most effective channels for outbound sales in 2024 for B2B?

It’s a mix of channels. For us, it’s mostly LinkedIn and email. We use social media to “warm up” our prospects with personal interactions, get to know them better, and later, if it’s 100% a good fit, we might contact them via email with a business pitch.

How to stand out of the crowd from the tons of cold emails and messages?

Reach out with a genuine interest to help, tailor your messaging to each ICP, personalize where possible to establish human connections.

How has AI and automation impacted outbound sales strategies in 2024?

I see both positive and negative effects of AI and automation.

On the positive side, salespeople can now work more efficiently and spend more time with their customers. However, the amount of generic mass-emails is no joke (and even forced email providers to push back with some more restrictions).

What’s the biggest challenge of outbound sales?

Right now, it’s standing out. With all the AI and automation tools, the inboxes have never been as crowded. So you need to get creative to catch the prospect’s attention.

What common errors do salespeople make in outbound sales, and how to fix them?

For me, the main problem I see in cold emails is irrelevance — whether it’s an ambiguous subject line, a vague value proposition and benefits, or poor targeting.

To fix it, make sure to niche down and target very specific ICPs you know everything about and tailor your messaging to their specific interests and needs.

When should companies implement outbound sales?

Having an outbound selling motion is almost table stakes for any revenue-generating company. Even when you have a strong inbound motion, starting to think about, and starting to structure, a light outbound motion is important to start testing what works, as inbound can slow down or even "dry up" at any point. This is the time to start building that motion and playbook.

What are the most effective channels for outbound sales in 2024 for B2B?

We've definitely seen the continued success of communities, social media, and even targeted events, but there is so much noise even in those channels. Relevant, value-driven outreach where your target personas are and where they like to be engaged will never get out-dated. Customer marketing/ referrals is often a channel that I see not leveraged enough, too. Your customers who are seeing ROI and value in your solution are your best outbound sellers!

How to stand out of the crowd from the tons of cold emails and messages?

Be different. Be unique. Try different things. Try things that no one else is doing. And, of course, be relevant. Personalization is not enough. You need to be relevant to the person you are reaching out to. And leverage introductions and referrals whenever you can, as a warm introduction goes a LONG way.

How has AI and automation impacted outbound sales strategies in 2024?

With so many advances in technology and the abundance of data, companies should be leveraging these capabilities to improve their outbound sales.

With the right accounts, the right contacts, and the right messaging at the right time, sellers should be equipped with the right resources and tools to be effective and efficient. And the analytical capability available should enable teams to have deeper insights — earlier — to adjust and pivot where necessary. Selfishly, this is where I think having a strong Revenue Operations function and infrastructure can unlock a great deal of this value.

What’s the biggest challenge of outbound sales?

The market is constantly evolving. What buyers want/ need is also changing. I would say the biggest challenge is to stay relevant, which requires constant and consistent evaluation of your outbound strategy and tactics. Having a strong pulse on the market, reassessing your buyer's needs and challenges, and iterating on your messaging and approach as an ongoing practice will be critical to staying relevant.

What common errors do salespeople make in outbound sales, and how to fix them?

The most common error is using the same generic template for all prospects, regardless of company and regardless of persona. Using the same canned messages as everyone else and talking about you, your company, and what you do vs. taking the opportunity to talk about the why, the relevant challenge/ pain, and how you can help solve it. We talk about this poor messaging so much — but I still see half a dozen of these in my email inbox every single day.

When should companies implement outbound sales?

If you're thinking about implementing outbound sales, it's essential to think strategically. Before deciding, consider your market position, growth stage, and the nature of your products or services. But, I think these are the most common scenarios when a company might decide to increase its outbound sales efforts:

• Product-Market Fit Achieved: When a company has successfully validated its product or service and achieved a solid product-market fit, it can confidently begin implementing outbound sales strategies to accelerate growth.
• Targeting Specific Segments: Outbound sales work great when a company wants to target particular businesses or customer groups. Personalized outreach can have a significant impact on conversion rates.
• Entering New Markets: When trying to expand your business into new areas or types of customers, you can use outbound sales to make a name for yourself and find new leads. With outbound sales, you reach out directly to potential customers and build relationships that can lead to future growth.
• Complex Sales Processes: Outbound sales are great for products or services that need more explanation or take longer to sell. This way, we can take a more hands-on approach to guide potential clients, which helps us to build relationships and trust with them.
• When Inbound Isn't Enough: If the inbound marketing strategy is not generating enough leads or the leads are not good enough, companies should try and go on the other side of the road - outbound sales - to reach more qualified prospects and fill the gap.
• Leverage Data and Insights: If you're a company with access to detailed market and customer data, you can use outbound sales to make your message and outreach strategies more personalized. By doing this, you can focus on leads most likely to convert.
• Competitive Markets: When the market is super competitive, waiting for customers to come to you may not be enough or an extraordinary strategy. Yet, outbound sales can help you stand out from the crowd by reaching out to potential customers directly and showing them how awesome you are.
• High Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): Investing in outbound sales is brilliant for businesses with long-term customers. The cost of getting a customer through outbound sales might seem high, but it's worth it in the long run because it will generate a lot of revenue.Scaling: Once you've got a solid inbound marketing and sales process, it's time to think about adding outbound sales to take things up a notch. This kind of strategy can help you boost your sales efforts and achieve more rapid growth.

What are the most effective channels for outbound sales in 2024 for B2B?

Things are changing in B2B sales as sales teams try new approaches to reach their audience, like social media, email marketing, or virtual events. Some channels seem to work better than others, so here are my choices for businesses to focus on:

• LinkedIn remains, for me, the gold standard for B2B outreach, thanks to its professional network and advanced targeting capabilities. Leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help pinpoint your ideal prospects.
• Despite the noise, personalized and well-researched email campaigns continue to deliver. Even more, nowadays, tools that offer advanced segmentation, automation, and personalization have made emails more practical.
• Nowadays, there is hype around AI, and opinions are divided on whether to use it or not. Yet, platforms that use AI to identify and engage prospects based on their online behavior and buying likelihood are becoming increasingly popular. And they are worth giving a chance to try.
• Yes, in a digital world, the tactile impact of a well-thought-out direct mail piece can cut through the clutter and still grab attention.

How to stand out of the crowd from the tons of cold emails and messages?

To make your cold emails and messages stand out, you need to personalize them and offer something valuable. Personalization means more than just using a name; you should know about the recipient's business challenges, successes, and industry trends.

To make a difference, provide something of value upfront, like an insightful article, a case study, or an exclusive invite to a webinar. You could also try out formats like video emails or interactive content to catch the prospect's eye in a crowded inbox. Don't be bored with your follow-up approach; vary the type and format of content to ensure the conversation stays fresh and engaging.

How has AI and automation impacted outbound sales strategies in 2024?

AI and automation are a double-edged sword in outbound sales.

On one hand, they make sales strategies much better. They help sales teams connect with prospects and close deals more effectively by giving precise targeting, personalized communication at scale, and efficient lead generation. Predictive analytics and automated workflows ensure that sales efforts are timely and strategic, which helps to optimize resource allocation and maximize engagement opportunities.

On the other hand, relying too much on these technologies can make customer interactions impersonal, raise data privacy concerns, and require sales professionals to learn new skills. There are also technical dependencies and ethical considerations surrounding AI algorithms that make things more complex. It's important to balance these aspects.

While AI and automation offer powerful tools to refine and enhance outbound sales processes, it's still crucial to maintain a human touch, ensure ethical use, and safeguard data privacy.

What’s the biggest challenge of outbound sales?

The biggest problem in sales these days is that decision-makers are bombarded with a ton of content and pitches. It's tough to get their attention and stand out from the crowd.

But you can overcome this by making a memorable first impression that shows off what makes you unique. To do this, you need to reach out to prospects in a way that resonates with them and shows that you get what they need. This requires you to really understand your prospects and what their concerns are, so you can offer them something that nobody else can.

What common errors do salespeople make in outbound sales and how to fix them?

When it comes to outbound sales, a common mistake people make is not personalizing their approach, which can make it all pointless.

The solution? Take the time to get to know your prospects and use data to tailor your interactions—another mistake: giving up too soon. Mix up your outreach with emails, calls, and social media engagement to keep the conversation going. Don't just focus on selling, though — that's a surefire way to turn people off. Instead, focus on helping your prospects solve problems.

Lastly, don't overlook the importance of tracking engagement and response rates. By closely monitoring these metrics, you can constantly improve your approach and get better results.

When should companies implement outbound sales?

It’s not about when, but if! There’s multiple criteria for growing through outbound sales.

• If the company is B2B
• If the company is selling a ticket of at least $3-5k/month. Anything below that will be too little to cover the price of an SDR, let alone an Account Executive. Even the $3k price point is a stretch.
• If the sales cycle is longer than 30 days
• If the sales rep’s yearly salary is smaller than the average number of sold units of product per year. (N times LTV) > Avg Rep Salary (N - number of sold units per year)

What are the most effective channels for outbound sales in 2024 for B2B?

Probably the easiest and most accessible way to do outbound in 2024 will be either cold calls or LinkedIn outreach.

Cold emails have become very complex due to increased spam filters, while the average open rate has gone down significantly. On the other hand, you can always pick up the phone and with a little persistence get meetings.

Another way is to simply reach out to people via LinkedIn. I’ve seen 10x more responses via LinkedIn than email. There’s no barrier in the same sense as email has.

How to stand out of the crowd from the tons of cold emails and messages?

Deliverability: Create multiple domains and email addresses and keep them warmed up at all times. Alternate email addresses and keep track of deliverability signals. Make sure the cold email infrastructure is rock solid (DKIM, DMARC, SPF) for each domain.

Subject lines: Use short 2-4 subject lines that appear internal to the company. Deliver your promise of the subject line in the body of the email.

Body: Be relevant. Don’t talk about yourself. Address a pain your prospects have.

Here’s a free Deliverability Checklist for you to use.

How has AI and automation impacted outbound sales strategies in 2024?

Proper automation will do wonders for cold emails.

Tools similar to Clay.com for example, are amazing resources for using data and AI to craft relevant cold emails at scale. ChatGPT is useful for summarizing case studies, industry reports, 10k reports, annual reports. It can also be used for creating cold email templates if you feed it with the right frameworks for creating those templates. On the other hand, automation tools tend to make SDRs lazy, which is something everyone will have to be wary of.

What’s the biggest challenge of outbound sales?

The rising cost of SDR focused organizations. Sales Development Rep is a very expensive resource. Avg US SDR salary is $50k base on average, when you include the hiring cost, tools and the opportunity cost, those expenses go as high as $150k. And that’s without considering the amount of time and money companies needs to spend on ramping up SDRs. When a resource like this isn’t as efficient as possible and the company doesn’t have an ROI on the SDR organization, layoffs happen, restructurings happen.

On the other hand, SDRs struggle because the company doesn’t provide a proper training program and because there isn’t a product-market fit. PMF is something that needs to be found or determined, so it can’t be helped from this perspective. But the training and hiring needs to change. That’s why I feel companies like SDR Hire will be a significant resources for global SDR teams, considering they provide both training and placement services of highly qualified remote salespeople.

What common errors do salespeople make in outbound sales and how to fix them?

They try to automate everything. They try to find silver bullets. They look for shortcuts and blueprints. There are no shortcuts. The best cure is consistency. The goal isn’t the quota. The goal is to consistently show up and get better. The results come as a result of that.

When should companies implement outbound sales?

Jumping into outbound sales makes sense when your product or service is ready to meet the market, and you've got a clear ROI perspective.

Remember though that outbound sales is about connecting your solution to your customers needs thoughtfully and effectively. Therefore, it is critical to have a solid understanding of who your ideal customers are and what challenges they face.

What are the most effective channels for outbound sales in 2024 for B2B?

For us, the combination of LinkedIn and personalized emails continues to stand out. However, we’ve also found that adding a little inbound marketing to the mix (e.g. focused brand advertisements and exclusive content) ensures that our outbound messages aren't the initial interaction prospects have with our brand. It also aids in validating our assumptions about their purchasing intentions.

How to stand out of the crowd from the tons of cold emails and messages?

The key to this is finding prospects who really need what you're selling. Identify their pain points and show how your product or service can solve them. While doing so, think less about pushing your product and more about pulling them in with solutions, build relationships.

How has AI and automation impacted outbound sales strategies in 2024?

AI and automation are definitely game changers when it comes to simplifying tasks and boosting outreach. There's this tempting notion to lean on AI, letting it do the heavy lifting without much input from us. But doing so could just add to the pile of look-alike messages cluttering everyone's inboxes.

The real magic happens when we use AI as a tool to up our game, while ensuring that messages are still packed with that personal touch that truly resonates.

What’s the biggest challenge of outbound sales?

It's definitely personalization. The old strategy of mass emailing identical messages is a thing of the past. Today, success comes from deeply understanding each lead — their desires, challenges, and motivations.

Committing to tailor your outreach for every single prospect requires significant effort and time, but if the potential deal is big enough, the return on that investment is absolutely rewarding.

What common errors do salespeople make in outbound sales and how to fix them?

From my perspective, the most common and significant mistake in outbound sales is the excessive focus on sending numerous messages instead of concentrating on their quality.

This often leads to sending out messages that are absolutely irrelevant. Invest time to deeply understand your prospects and craft messages that genuinely address their unique needs and desires. This will ensure that your every communication is relevant and impactful.

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