Cold Outreach Sales Cadence Framework: A B2B Sales Guide

Sales reps are busy (you know this). Lead generation, following up with prospects, updating contact info, setting up meetings, researching buyers, closing deals—it all takes time to do. A lot of time.

It's no wonder, then, that sales reps are happily incorporating sales automation tools into their processes more and more. These tools drive efficiency, free up time, and even boost conversion rates. According to Instapage, 80% of marketing automation users see increased leads, and 77% see increased conversions.

However, using an automation tool effectively means developing a strategic and data-driven sales cadence.

But what is a sales cadence? How does it help? And what elements should every sales cadence contain? That's exactly what this guide examines. We're also going to look at some proven sales cadence frameworks and examples you can model your framework after.

What Is a Outbound Sales Cadence? 

An outbound sales cadence (or prospecting cadence) is a sequence of communications or “touches” that salespeople can follow to develop relationships with buyers. They usually consist of various outreach methods (email, phone, social media, etc.) and span several days, weeks, or even months.

Your sales cadence is a critical part of the modern B2B sales process.

Think of a sales cadence like a cold outreach roadmap. A strategic sales cadence tells you when to reach out to leads and how to communicate with them. With it, there's no more asking, “Should I follow up today or tomorrow?” And there's no more wondering which communication method to use.

Like so many other aspects of sales, there's no single cadence that's a fit for every business or industry.

Bigger deals with a longer sales cycle, for instance, might call for a more stretched-out sales cadence. Conversely, products with a lower price point may benefit from a more rapid sales cadence.

That's why it's so essential to develop and tweak a sales cadence that's right for you and your current outbound sales strategy.

Why Should You Use One?

Some sales reps are under the impression that a effective sales cadence is only suitable for large teams. And for smaller businesses, salespeople should simply “feel” their way through connecting with a buyer.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Instead, implementing and following an official, clearly defined sales cadence brings a variety of benefits for sales teams, both big and small.

Benefits for a sales rep like –

* Simplify – The most significant benefit of following a sales cadence is that you never lose track of where you're at in the sales process. Most successful deals require eight touches, according to HubSpot. And when you're playing it by ear with your follow-up messages, it's easy to forget when you last reached out or what your previous email covered. There's no question of what to say next or when to say it with a sales cadence. It's a more straightforward, more efficient way of selling.

* Scale Without Spam – The “wing it” approach may work when you only have a handful of clients. But as business expands and you're juggling a growing list of potential buyers, wires get crossed and opportunities for rapport building go overlooked. With a well-defined sales cadence, you can handle more clients, close more deals, and not have to worry about overwhelming buyers with too much communication.

* Track & Refine – The first step to building a foolproof sales process is tracking what works and what doesn't. With a sales cadence, you can observe and analyze which stages you're losing ground with buyers.