Different Types of Sales Channels To Get Results

Businesses rely on sales channels, which are points of contact with customers, to reach out to them and provide a good or service. There are many channels a product might take to reach its final customer, so a business needs to ensure they know which channels are best.

A company must make the strategic decision of which channels to use to sell its product or service very early on in developing its business strategy.

Which of the several solutions would be best for your company?

Cold emailing, cold calling, and cold messaging are the most used sales channels. And every one of them has its own unique approach.

Characteristics, benefits, and best practices of each strategy are going to be explained in this article.

Keep reading!

Sales channels refer to the various methods and routes through which businesses distribute and sell their products or services to customers.

Businesses rely on sales channels, which are ways to engage them and their customers, generally by reaching out to customers and delivering a product or service. An outbound SDR is the one that uses sales channels to start conversations and tries to move prospects along the buyer journey.

The most common and successful sales channels that SDRs use are:

• Cold emailing
  
• Cold calling
  
• Cold messaging on social media
  
• Video prospecting
  

Each channel has its own advantages and disadvantages and should thus be treated as a separate entity. You should use different sales strategies and promotional offers depending on the sales channel you've chosen.

Different sales channels can also be used to target different audiences.

This article will introduce you to the sales channels listed above and give you tips and tricks from professional SDRs to succeed in your next outreach campaign for outbound lead generation.

Simply stated, cold emailing is when you email a prospect you haven't had prior contact with. These emails are intended to establish a relationship with the prospect who can be your future customer.

Cold emails help you reach your potential leads anywhere across the world. It is a continuous and friendly sales channel for turning cold leads into potential customers.

The cold email channel allows you to have a direct conversation with a founder, CEO, or other key decision-makers without the involvement of gatekeepers or complicated processes.

You'll be able to contact people around the globe and have genuine, mutually beneficial conversations once you've mastered the process of sending cold emails that get responses.

Most sales channels involve purchasing costly sales tools, time spent learning how to perform well, and a rigorous ROI period. Cold emailing opens the opportunity for everyone who has a valid email address and a value proposition that is relevant to the recipient.

That is not to say that it is simple to succeed. Cold email takes time to perfect, and standing out in the inbox is difficult.

However, the entry barrier is nearly non-existent.

But be aware that performing well enough to stand out in your recipient's inbox and being able to communicate your intention needs expertise.

Well-targeted cold email campaigns can consistently generate 10-20% response rates. Anything below that percentage should be addressed to change the approach and messaging, but you must be patient and wait for good sales metrics for at least 1-2 months.

If the rest of your sales funnel is optimized, your overall conversion rates can compete with any other available sales channel.


Email deliverability is an overlooked but critical part of a cold emailing strategy. If you haven't set up the basics like DKIM, DMARC, and SPF, your strategy is doomed from the start since your emails won't be delivered to the prospect and will get lost in the spam folder.

• Your name and job title.
• Your contact information, including your website, social media profiles, phone number, and so on as appropriate.
• Personalized content – this is your key to success!
  
  
• A particular request that works as a conversation starter.

• It should be short, a maximum of two to three paragraphs, and on point

The foundation of any cold email strategy is to structure your campaign around what helps your target audience.

If you offer a great automatization tool, your potential customers won't be interested unless you show them how your tool will solve their problems. This personalizes you and your approach and makes it easier for them to think about your solution when they encounter their pain point.

You want to show them how it would increase their profit, speed up production, lower costs, prevent injuries, increase customer satisfaction, or reward their shareholders, among other things.

Cold emailing remains a relevant sales channel. It would not exist if it did not play a role in the sales processes of many companies.

Cold calling may have a bad reputation, but when done correctly, it can help your business: a study by RainGroup shows that 82% of buyers accept a meeting from a cold caller who actively reaches out to them.

Cold calls, as the name implies, will be cold — but you don't want to go into one freezing!

You must still do your research and communicate a specific value proposition. You're wasting resources if you don't know how to do it or who you're talking to.

Cold calling is a great way to build initial rapport and quickly learn about their pain points or areas where you can help prospects. If you strategize correctly and focus on calling highly qualified leads you've checked for relevance, your pipeline will fill itself.

During the call, you create a human connection and understand the prospect's personality, sense of humor, etc. Unlike in an email, where you don't receive feedback on the spot, cold calls lead to a deeper connection.

And that can go a long way toward starting a business relationship.

If your direct dials are accurate and your cold call script is smooth, there is no better way to speak directly with a decision-maker. By bypassing the noise of a busy inbox and reaching them on their phone, you can effectively grab their attention and establish a personal connection.

This direct approach allows for a more meaningful conversation and provides an opportunity to stand out among your competitors. So, leverage the power of direct communication to make a lasting impression and increase your chances of success.

Cold calling can boost a sales rep's confidence by helping them overcome the fear of rejection, improving communication skills, and building resilience.

By practicing and becoming more comfortable with speaking to strangers, sales reps can learn how to tailor their message to different audiences, handle objections effectively, and persist in the face of challenges.

These skills can help sales reps feel more confident in communicating the value of their product or service and adapting to changing circumstances.

By introducing the company and its products or services to a wider audience, cold calling can help create a buzz and generate interest.

Even if the prospect is not interested in purchasing at that moment, they may become more familiar with the company and its offerings, which can lead to future sales opportunities.

Additionally, suppose a sales rep can establish a positive rapport with the prospect. In that case, they may be more likely to share the information with others or recommend the company to their network, further increasing brand awareness.

Despite how good your company's message is or how skilled your team is at articulating it if a salesperson speaks to the wrong contact or the wrong type of business, the campaign will fail.

Having a proper and valid B2B list with high-quality data about your prospects is a critical component. Without high-quality data, your sales strategy will be a waste of time and resources.

According to Indeed, the sweet spots are eleven in the morning until lunch and between four and five in the afternoon, local time for the buyer. Wednesday and Thursday are the best days of the week for your cold calls to land.

Understand when your calls will be most effective. Remember this and plan accordingly.

When you review the call later, certain details can stick out and create talking points for future conversations. Thus, by taking notes, you ensure not to forget important details.

Cold calling is common in many, if not most, startups, no matter how many people say they don't do it. It's a difficult process that requires a lot of patience, persistence, practice, and skill to master.

LinkedIn, along with Facebook and Twitter, is one of the most successful platforms for salespeople.

LinkedIn is growing in popularity, and every B2B sales team should be using it to generate leads.

Cold messaging is a popular way for salespeople to reach out through these social media channels. If you know how to use LinkedIn for cold messaging it can be one of your most powerful sales channels.

LinkedIn users are more likely to "get" LinkedIn and to be open to receiving a message from a stranger. It is the premier B2B networking social media platform, so using it accordingly makes sense.

It's also worth noting that most people spend their time on social platforms instead of in their email inbox section, so using LinkedIn gives your more visibility.

This tool provided by LinkedIn further demonstrates that the site is meant for B2B networking and sales. It has features such as advanced lead and company search, alerts on your sales leads and accounts, and gives you the ability to create custom lists.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a must-have for every sales team.

InMail occurs within the borders of LinkedIn's closed system.

This makes it safer for users to open and less likely to contain malware, viruses, and other potentially damaging software. LinkedIn users can feel more confident when they open an InMail message from another LinkedIn user.

And if you're sending a direct message, it is only because the other user has already accepted your connection request into their network. You've already got a foot in the door. Just need the right messaging now.

People genuinely enjoy hearing how amazing they are, so don't hesitate to share your admiration!

Acknowledging someone's work and expressing your genuine interest in learning more can be a highly effective way to capture their attention and encourage them to read and respond to your cold message.

It demonstrates your sincerity and stands out from the crowd, paving the way for meaningful connections and fruitful conversations.

Do not attempt to sell your brand, product, or service to someone you do not know.

Make sure you explain how you can provide value to them by making this connection.

Show that you want to give them something to start this relationship, and things will go much more smoothly after that.

Present your message as a valuable "networking" opportunity instead of a sales call.

Networking on LinkedIn is widely perceived as a healthy and fruitful means to exchange ideas, gain insights into new opportunities, and establish connections with interesting individuals.

Unlike the traditional notion of a sales call, networking offers a more relaxed and informal setting, fostering a genuine exchange of knowledge and experiences. It creates an environment where meeting new people feels like a natural and enjoyable experience, unlocking the potential for meaningful connections and collaborations.

Sales representatives can use video prospecting with Loom to record and send a short, personalized video to a prospect.

Prospecting videos are typically distributed via email, but they can also be sent as a text message or as a private message on LinkedIn or other social platforms.

This approach allows the prospect to visually connect with the person delivering the message. It humanizes the salesperson and the entire process by demonstrating the person's authenticity.

By leveraging this method, it becomes evident that the communication is being conducted by a real individual, dispelling any concerns of automated systems or fraudulent activity.

Consequently, this not only enhances trust but also bolsters the overall credibility of the interaction.

The effective form of communication is often conveyed through emotions. And when it comes to messaging, a video is incredibly powerful in conveying those emotions compared to traditional writing or a phone call.

With a video, you can captivate your audience and leave a lasting impact by appealing to their senses and triggering various emotions such as joy, empathy, inspiration, or even sadness. By creating a well-crafted video, you can tailor the content to each specific target audience, ensuring a more personalized and impactful experience for every viewer.

So why settle for mere words or voice when you can create a visual masterpiece that resonates deeply with your audience?

Instead of sending your prospect a lengthy and intricate white paper to read, providing a video can save them time and effort in understanding your solution. By presenting the information quickly and clearly, they are more likely to remember what you offered when they encounter their pain point.

With videos, it becomes easier for prospects to grasp the value of your solution and allows for a more engaging and memorable experience, ultimately increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Additionally, videos can incorporate visual aids, demonstrations, and storytelling, also enhancing the effectiveness of conveying your message compared to a traditional white paper.

Research has shown that follow-up emails garner a significantly higher response rate than the initial outreach. One effective follow-up strategy is using video content instead of simply reiterating your previous message.

By incorporating personalized videos that include additional details or showcase your enthusiasm, you can significantly increase engagement and capture your recipients' attention.

So, why not take advantage of this powerful tool to enhance your follow-up efforts and leave a lasting impression on your audience?

Use video messaging as an additional way to follow up with prospects. Even after the first outreach to prospects on LinkedIn or after a cold call, a video can increase your success rate to fill up the funnel.

Use video to support your interactions with prospects, but remember that you, the salesperson, are still the most important player.

To increase the chances of maintaining your audience's attention, it is crucial to craft a message that is primarily focused on the prospects rather than yourself. By doing so, you demonstrate an understanding of their needs and desires, making them more likely to engage with your content.

Before embarking on the creation process, take a moment to consider the value that viewers will derive from it. This thoughtful approach ensures that your message resonates with them, amplifying the impact of your communication and fostering deeper connections.

All outbound sales channels can be extremely effective to boost the performance of your sales funnel. You can use them to boost the effect of inbound, or simply test them as new outbound strategies if you don't have time to wait for inbound to begin working.

Every sales channel has its particularities. They require expertise and tools to lead to successful outreach campaigns. Combined as a multichannel approach to keep prospects engaged, they are a great way to turn prospects into clients.

Often, an external SDR has more freedom to tackle new markets and customer groups. This can create many opportunities that will ultimately lead to great success.

If you want to know more about how B2B companies can outsource sales, make sure to read our blog about it.

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