[Playbook] How to build and scale a world-class outbound program
Apr 8, 2025
auto_awesome
Kyle Norton, CRO at Owner.com and a seasoned sales leader, teams up with Diana Gates, Head of North American Sales Development at Shopify, to explore the intricacies of building an effective outbound sales program. They discuss the importance of collaboration between sales and marketing for lead generation, innovative strategies like hypersegmentation, and the critical role of understanding team dynamics. The duo also shares insights on simplifying customer options and the necessity of measurement in enhancing outbound success.
Sales teams must shift from inbound to outbound methods, empowering AEs and SDRs to proactively self-source leads for improved engagement.
Robust measurement protocols are essential for analyzing sales performance, enabling leaders to tailor coaching and refine outreach strategies effectively.
Creating a supportive culture for outbound sales requires leadership involvement and structured enablement programs to drive behavioral change and skill mastery.
Deep dives
Understanding the Outbound Shift
The outbound sales landscape is evolving, necessitating a strategic shift for teams traditionally reliant on inbound methods. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the need to empower Account Executives (AEs) and Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to self-source leads and engage proactively with potential clients. This pivot often involves redefining sales processes, including moving from a product-led growth approach to a sales-led strategy that emphasizes the art of cold outreach. With the introduction of new technologies such as AI, sales teams must adapt their skills and approaches to maintain effectiveness despite declining response rates and challenges with traditional outreach methods.
The Importance of Measurement
Establishing robust measurement protocols is essential for identifying the effectiveness of sales strategies and driving continuous improvement. Organizations must track leading and lagging indicators to analyze sales performance accurately, including metrics like call pickup rates and email response rates. Leveraging data effectively empowers sales leaders to diagnose issues within their teams and refine engagement strategies accordingly. Accurate reporting enables teams to tailor their coaching and training to address specific areas for improvement, shifting from a reactive to a proactive approach in sales operations.
Crafting a Compelling Value Proposition
To successfully engage potential clients, sales teams must go beyond merely offering product demos and find ways to create real value in their interactions. A strategic approach to this involves introducing unique offer structures—like hyper audits—that allow prospects to see the business's relevance and potential benefits firsthand. By delivering personalized insights about their product usage or market performance, sales reps can foster deeper connections with prospects and demonstrate their commitment to driving success. Such methods position representatives as consultative partners rather than mere salespeople, significantly improving engagement outcomes.
Building a Supportive Sales Culture
Creating a culture that embraces outbound sales requires active participation from leadership to champion change and promote engagement. Managers should lead by example, demonstrating their commitment to outbound efforts by making calls, leveraging personal experiences to guide their teams. This immersive approach fosters deeper trust and motivates SDRs and AEs through shared experiences of challenge and success. Cultivating a supportive environment empowers team members to embrace outbound strategies while providing them necessary tools for success, ultimately improving overall morale and sales performance.
Effective Enablement and Training Processes
Enablement programs must shift from merely sharing information to a framework that drives behavioral change through practice and feedback. Implementing structured training methods—such as isolation drills, integration exercises, and follow-up inspections—ensures that sales representatives can successfully translate new skills into real-world contexts. This systematic approach allows reps to acquire and refine their skills incrementally, focusing on one aspect at a time to build mastery without overwhelming them. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these programs hinges on collaboration between enablement teams and frontline managers to reinforce learning and accountability within the sales process.
This episode is the audio from our recent webinar on building and scaling an outbound program. Kyle Norton from Owner.com and Diana Gates from Shopify joined us to share 7 key strategies to build a world-class outbound motion.
