meetinghackr

account executive

Has cold prospecting become harder over the last 5-7+ years?

Curious to hear if anyone has a strong view as to whether cold prospecting has become more or less difficult over the last 5-7 years.

IMHO, it used to be a bit easier to get replies back in the 2015 era... before there was 700+ different sales automation tools, competing for mindshare w/ slack, and people were all working remotely, etc...

FWIW, I'm a bit old school in that my prospecting tactics are incredibly simple. A google sheet and hyper personalized copy specific to the problem. That used to elicit a decent response rate but now it is torturous!

If you do feel like it has become more difficult to get replies/meeting, how are you primarily evolving your own tactics? I've seen some more tactical thread Video? "Personalized" Spray and Pray? More LinkedIn messages? Slack Groups? Something else? I've seen some other threads that focus perhaps on each one but for other reps that enjoy the craftsmanship in the thoughtful cold outreach, how have you primarily changed your approach, or not at all?

🔎 Prospecting

💌 Cold Emailing

📞 Cold Calling

22

26 comments

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SaaSam

Politicker

15

Account Executive

You should constantly be changing your approach. What works today might not tomorrow. I don't think it's gotten more difficult so much as the market evolved to be more responsive to a different approach.

The thing is, people don't like being "sold to". The second they smell a sales pitch most folks throw up their defenses. When something new comes at them that doesn't trigger the same red flags we jump on it as salesmen because it works. Eventually, that same method that was working wonders doesn't do shit because the market has become acclimated to it and it becomes another red flag telling them "this guy wants me to give him money for something I don't need"

That's one of the things I like about sales, it's constantly evolving. If you're in sales and you don't spend a little bit of your time reading up on human psychology you're doing yourself a disservice. The better you understand it the easier it will become to navigate the minefield of cold outreach.

Test new approaches constantly and when you find something that works, use it while you test out others because eventually, it won't.

desperado

Politicker

2

Head of Sales

+1 on this. The only constant is change.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

10

Sales

I think it’s harder to break through the noise. There’s just a huge volume of crap getting tossed at every buyer for everything. Even cold calling is harder now, in my opinion. I try and manage 10-20 a day because I enjoy it and because it boosts pipeline, but everything just goes to VM. I know on a personal level I almost never answer my phone so I’m part of the issue lol.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

5

🦊

So. Much. Noise.

And spam risk.

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

4

Professional Day Ruiner

If I dial 100 numbers I MIGHT get 1 person to pick up. I hate to be the "cold calling is dead" guy, because it really can be a great tool for building a pipeline. But it definitely isn't what it used to be.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

5

Sales

The good old days, I’d make 100-120 calls and get 40+ pick ups. 30 of them would tell me to eat shit and die, but still!

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

3

Professional Day Ruiner

I'd rather have 30 tell me to eat shit and die and still have 10 good conversations then spend an hour listening to ringing and have 0 conversations

procurementdevil

Politicker

1

AE

10-20? Lmao not to be mean but 70+ or 100+ if you have an automation tool

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

1

Sales

I also manage a sales team, so it’s truly just here and there.

Avon

Politicker

4

Senior Account Executive

Yes, it was much easier to get ahold of people when 90% of them worked in the office. Also things like spam warnings on cell phones that lead to less pickups (As a consumer I appreciate this but it makes our job objectively harder).

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

yes it for sure has become harder.

i think the biggest thing is that ppl have received so much shit out reach that they just shut down everything.

E_Money

Big Shot

2

💰

Yes

finboi

Notorious Answer

2

Fi-nance

I think automation and notification overload has favored the quality folks more than the quantity ones.

Sure, you can spray 100 copy and pasted LinkedIn In Mails but your time would probably be better spent cutting that list down to the 5-10 prospects with the highest expected value.

I also think the power of genuine networking is real and getting serious about referrals is more important than ever.

Pachacuti

Politicker

1

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Sales Automation tools have definitely changed things. Cold Calling has always been demonized and hated. That said, the attempt to reverse engineer successful selling has really changed how companies look at and treat Sales.

Sales emails which get >1% response are rare because there are so many which go out. I ignore most and I junk mail the most persistent.

I don't know if Cold Contacting (phone, email, etc.) is better or the worse now. But its certainly different.

Pedrocastenada

Good Citizen

0

Account Executive

Can you go into more detail about how Sales Automation tools have changed things? Curious to hear more. Thank you

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

1

Officer of ♥️

Yes

Justatitle

Big Shot

1

Account Executive

If anything I feel it has become easier. tech stacks are abundantly available and data enrichment companies are bountiful.

Sniper

Valued Contributor

0

Enterprise Account Executive

100% yes. If you’re not changing how you prospect with the times you’re left behind and someone else eats your lunch

NotCreativeEnough

Big Shot

0

Professional Day Ruiner

I don't think its necessarily become "harder". It does require a bit more strategy and creativity now though. And you absolutely have to research and continue trying to find new ways to get in front of potential clients.

voila

Valued Contributor

0

AE

Data is far more readily available now, so there’s more competition for attention.

It takes more work to stand out now, for sure.

junder

Opinionated

0

Account Executive

100% has gotten harder over last 3 years given just the amount of outreach happening in the tech space.

Agree on approach that you should always be changing your approach and personalization tends to never fail. It's just very saturated right now and there are 10+ companies that do the exact same thing with the same outreach happening.

jefe

Arsonist

0

🍁

Absolutely, but that also keeps it fun

meetinghackr

Good Citizen

0

account executive

Thanks for the thoughts all.

I do agree @SaaSam though I think perhaps I should have rephrased my question a bit. I think my more general thought at the moment is that it seems as though email has lost respectable mindshare due to competing with Slack and the 15,000 automation tools that everyone uses to blast garbage.

Constantly changing your techniques and tactics is important and I'm personally evolving and trying a lot more 'social selling' and usage of video etc as it has become clear to me that email is just not as loved nor payed attention to as it once was.

To rephrase my question a bit, has cold *hyper* personalized email lost its effectiveness for others as well?

SPT

Valued Contributor

0

Director, Channel Sales & Partner Alliances

Yes. So, so much harder.

realname

Valued Contributor

0

Grocery Clerk

I never pick up my phone — ever. Everything goes to voicemail and then I call back if it’s legit.

It’s not the sales calls that bother me as much as the spam calls that try to steal my identity.

I don’t get very many legitimate emails that are selling something useful. Usually it’s spam, fake Spotify scouts, or someone wanting to tell me about a “franchise opportunity,” which smells a lot like bullshit

So, for me, a legitimately personalized email that’s well written and links to a real site would definitely pique my interest.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

0

Sales Rep

Maybe, some can say easier with all these tools

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