Episode #69 Your Emails ARE Being Ignored. Here's How You Fix Your Sales Outreach ft. Mark Kosoglow, CEO
Nov 6, 2024
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Mark Kosoglow, CEO of Operator AI and former CRO at Catalyst, dives into the pressing issue he calls 'The Great Ignore' in sales outreach. He highlights how excessive automation leads to disengagement and trust erosion among potential clients. Mark advocates for a balanced approach—striking a 'Goldilocks zone' between too much and too little outreach. He emphasizes the power of personalization and a deep knowledge of prospects to drive meaningful connections and improve conversion rates. Tune in for strategies to revive genuine sales engagement!
Mark Kosoglow emphasizes the need for personalized outreach in sales to combat the overwhelming noise of generic automated messaging.
The podcast discusses how the pushback against spamming behaviors has led to significant regulatory changes, reflecting societal demand for meaningful engagement.
Deep dives
Understanding the Great Ignore
The concept of 'the great ignore' refers to the overwhelming number of sales touches required to capture a potential customer's interest, which can be as high as 20 to 25. This phenomenon is largely due to the proliferation of lazy, automated messaging that fails to engage prospects meaningfully. Many sales methods from the past have become ineffective, leading to significant pushback from consumers, as seen with laws like GDPR and CCPA that seek to protect individuals from unwanted outreach. Sales professionals need to recognize that the noise generated by irrelevant communications has caused potential customers to become desensitized, thereby rendering traditional tactics obsolete.
The Impact of Automation in Sales
Sales automation tools have been misused over the years, leading to a spam-heavy environment where personalization is sacrificed for volume. The discussion highlights a notorious figure, 'Vlad the Destroyer', who exploited outreach platforms to send thousands of automated emails in a day, breaking the system's integrity. This raises important ethical questions about the responsibility of sales representatives to use such tools effectively, rather than abusing them for short-term gains. The ongoing evolution of sales tactics emphasizes the need for a balance between automation and genuine engagement to foster meaningful connections.
The Shift Towards Personalization
Sales strategies must evolve to prioritize personalized outreach over volume-driven approaches, which often yield diminishing returns. The podcast discusses the need for sales teams to develop a sharp understanding of their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) while also analyzing hard-to-find data that offers unique insights about potential customers. Engaging with fewer prospects but with highly tailored, relevant messaging can significantly improve conversion rates compared to a scattergun approach. Ultimately, salespeople should emphasize quality interactions that add value rather than simply chase metrics that ignore customer relevancy.
Challenging Executive Mindsets
There exists a contradiction in how executives perceive sales strategies, often pushing for higher outreach volumes while simultaneously expressing dislike for spam-like tactics in their own inboxes. The discussion reveals that many leaders fail to recognize that their own preferences mirror those of their customers, creating a disconnect in sales methodologies. Encouraging executives to experience their own spam-like outreach firsthand can be an effective way to illustrate this hypocrisy. Contentment cannot stem from sheer activity; a more refined, thoughtful approach to sales outreach is essential for sustainable success and positive customer interactions.
In this episode of the Revenue Reimagined podcast, Mark Kosoglow, CEO of Operator AI, discusses the current sales landscape, he refers to as The Great Ignore. Mark highlights the negative impact of excessive automation and irrelevant messaging that results in potential customers blocking outreach efforts.
The Great Ignore Burden of Automation: Today’s sales efforts often rely on generic automated messages, leading to a significant disconnect between sales teams and prospects. Mark argues that the excessive focus on numbers over relevant engagement has eroded trust.
Cultural Shift: As a response to poor sales practices, laws like GDPR and CCPA have emerged, indicating societal pushback against and regulation of spamming behaviors.
The Balancing Act of Sales Goldilocks Zone: Mark refers to the "Goldilocks zone" for sales activity: -Too hot (excessive automation): leads to spamming and fatigue. -Too cold (minimal outreach): results in missed opportunities. -The ideal scenario emphasizes strategically targeted engagement rather than sheer volume.
Quality Over Quantity: A succinct outreach approach, focused on informing and engaging based on researched insights, can lead to higher conversion rates.
Importance of Personalization Deep Knowledge of Prospects: Effective sales representatives often possess a deep understanding of their target companies and prospects, allowing them to craft messages that resonate.
Personalized Messaging: Mark shares that prioritizing personalization by understanding not just the job title, but the unique challenges and needs of each target, translates to better engagement.
The Role of Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP) Refining ICP: A clear and accurate ICP is crucial for dedicating efforts towards prospects likely to convert. Mark emphasizes the importance of refining ICP definitions to avoid scattering resources.
Focused Engagement Strategy: By zeroing in on a manageable number of prospects through tailored outreach, sales teams can maximize their effectiveness rather than drowning in irrelevant metrics.
Mark's insights resonate deeply in a world grappling with automation fatigue. He advocates for a return to thoughtful sales strategies, prioritizing personalization and relevance in outreach. By focusing on quality interactions and refining their approach to understanding customers, sales teams can navigate the changing landscape effectively and meaningfully connect with their audience.
As companies adapt, the prospect of revitalizing sales outreach becomes not just a possibility, but a necessity for sustainable growth.