AwkwardBlackSalesGirl

Sales Manager

Texting Prospects in SaaS? Yay or Nay?

POV: I lead an SDR team prospecting primarily SaaS companies. During prospecting are you guys fans of using sms messaging in addition to email, LinkedIn and cold calling?

Personally I can see the reservations when targeting Enterprise customers...just curious on what the consensus was....

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

📞 Cold Calling

30 comments

Sort by:

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

No.

InQ5WeTrust

Arsonist

No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL

Depends on specifics.

In some of the markets I prospect people use WhatsApp a ton, so I do ping them to chase, same with SMS.

I only do it with numbers in their signature.

Mozzarella_Cheesin

Good Citizen

I text prospects all the time when I have a campaign going on with them. However, I am a bit scarred from texting a person I never met or received permission to text. Story time: I got, what I believed at the time, a huge target prospect’s cell. Emails and calls were unanswered and one day I was feeling particularly froggy so I gave it a shot and texted him. No response. Few weeks go by and I figured I had nothing to lose so I sent another text. No answer again. So I gave up and continued on with my day. I was chilling on my couch around 11 at night and I got a call from an unknown number - it was Mr. Prospect. He very sternly informed me that I had been texting his 14 year old daughter to meet… Oof. I did eventually get a deal out of him and we joke about it now, but at the time I was shittin’ bricks.

AwkwardBlackSalesGirl

Valued Contributor

Sales Manager

I don’t know to me more amused and shocked by the story or more impressed that you still closed the deal! 💪🏽💪🏽

Diablo

Politicker

Sr. AE

I would never unless I have a permission from prospects.. Straight no for me

Wellss

Tycoon

Channel sales

Another no from me. The only time I've ever texted a prospect, or even an actual client, is when they've told me to communicate that way with them. Now for our EU sales team, that's a different story. They said they use texting in their outreach all the time

mitts2

Politicker

Account Executive

Thanks for joining WR, guessing you are relatively new here. Check the search bar before you make a post. This topic has been covered a number of times. Throw "texting" in the search and find feedback on this.

AwkwardBlackSalesGirl

Valued Contributor

Sales Manager

I am new… thanks for the tip! I look forward to looking it up!

CadenceCombat

Tycoon

Account Executive

Depends on the relationship you’ve built with your prospect, but as standard practice, no.

ColdCall

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

At SDR stage probably not. When discussing a deal 100%.

I wouldn't prospect on SMS but would confirm a meeting, follow up a meet or rearrange via text.

Worse they'll do is not reply!

FamilyTruckster

Politicker

Exec Director, Major Accounts

Sometimes I will. After phone/email/LI fails. Why not

Rallier

Politicker

SDR Manager and Consultant

Not for SDRs. As an AE, I always ask if I can text them for quick things at the end of the first call. Most people prefer email, but anybody that says yes is much more likely to close

hh456

Celebrated Contributor

sales

I'm forgainst it.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

No, I find it unprofessional (especially for enterprise) unless the prospect has specifically asked you to text them. There are exceptions for certain industries where it's more acceptable like with people in the trades or hospitality, but none of that is enterprise level.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

Not for cold outreach as an SDR but once the relationship is established we will ask if they prefer to cover quick things via text or confirm scheduling and it tends to work really well.

Not for cold outbound tho, thats a recipe for disaster.

sellthemetal

Personal Narrative

Mid Market Manager

Only if I have their permission and I have vetted them enough that I know they are not going to drive me crazy with responses down the line

MonthEndSpecial

Valued Contributor

Enterprise Account Executive

Depends on your market. CFO no. Purchaser yes.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

I think text messages are a bit invasive, so nay

dcarb

Good Citizen

Account Manager

I feel like texting is still very personal at this point so if you are texting a stranger I think you will likely get a negative response. Especially if they are an old fart like me. To me it's like getting the guy/gal selling magazines showing up at your house. You likely shut the door on them mid pitch and would be pissed that he/she came to your house and interrupted your personal bidness trying to sell his/her bullshit. Right?

ABCHog

Commercial Account Executive

Yes, texting works great. Have gotten a much higher response rate and significantly less ghosting than through phone calls or emails. Much higher likelihood a prospect will see and reply to text than open your email in an inbox where they have 100s of unread emails

dwightyouignorantsale

Politicker

Account Executive

https://bravado.co/war-room/posts/texting-a-prospect
Short answer is no. There are a lot of legal actions that can take place if you text a prospect without them opting in.

samir

Executive

Sr. Dir. of Sales

100% yes. After you've gotten a read from them. I find it the quickest way to get things unstuck.

Malber

Politicker

Account Executive

the answer is very cultural here I think.

Asia has a text-based culture cuz of Whatsapp. Conversations happen over it all the time.

Best is to ask for permission. The good news is if someone does tell you to text them I think they are far more likely to go ahead. Permission to text probably is linked to the kind of rapport you've been able to build.

Avon

Politicker

Senior Account Executive

Only if we've already had a disco call and Ive asked if its cool to text them. Most people say thats preferred. But for cold outreach, fuck no. Thats how you get their cell phones in a database of Spam numbers.

QueenSoopers

Opinionated

Account Executive

fuck no. unless they give you your number and specifically say “please text me about XYZ” then helllll no.
this is my biggest issue with ZoomInfo. i don’t want to cold call people on their cell phones. it’s weird and if it happened to me i’d be pissed

GDO

Politicker

BDM

I would not. But to be honest I’m quite oldschool

IYNFYL

Politicker

Enterprise SaaS AE

Text usually gets your company burned the fastest. However I think it depends on the industry

Gizzeff

Executive

Director Of Corporate Partnerships & Business Development

You gotta flip it around. If a Gong sales rep were targeting you with their *amazing* services would you like it if they texted you?

Flippinghubs

Opinionated

Account Executive

grey area, i lean no

Jewcan_Sam81

Politicker

Account Executive

Depends on the relationship

Bravado is a community of trusted sales professionals endorsed by their customers.

Products

The War Room Jobs Salary Guide Tech Sales U

Company

About Us How It Works Blog Bug Bounty

Contact

Press Careers

If you are hired as a contract sales rep by a Bravado customer, we may ask you to prove access to the employee email account provided to you by that customer. This data will be shared with customers to track your sales productivity; customers can use this data to confirm you meet the minimum activity requirements to pay out your ramp stipend and commission.

AwkwardBlackSalesGirl

Texting Prospects in SaaS? Yay or Nay?

30 comments

Related posts

Texting with your Champion (Yay or Nay?)

I hear how LinkedIn has taken over B2B sales within recent years but I'm still an avid believer in multiple channels. What channel have you found to be most effective in the B2B space? and Why?

LinkedIn outreach has changed over the years but still fruitful as a lead gen source. Whats your go to LinkedIn outbound strategy? Are you a dive into a sales pitch persons or butter the ego before? Interested to hear everyones thoughts...