You Have to Do the Research to Get the Message Right

I have used the title founder to describe my role at two companies - the Rarer Leader Group and Cheerful Gear. As a result, I get a lot of unsolicited emails, InMails and connection requests.

The upside? I can see firsthand how ineffective and poorly managed most outbound messaging processes are. To illustrate the point, I want to share two types of messages I receive.

1. As the founder of the Rarer Leader Group, I get unsolicited messages asking if I need help with - wait for it - skill development for my sales team. Hmm.

2. My family created a not-for-profit initiative to deliver free tools and help to individuals who are vulnerable and susceptible to suicidal ideations and suicide. I get unsolicited messages from companies offering to help me "create demand." Ugh.

These are just examples of lazy selling. None of the people behind these requests and emails are doing the hard work. None of them took the time to - for example - actually read my LinkedIn profile or look at the websites for my companies.

So, to the marketing managers and the leaders of the BDRs and SDRs - this message is for you. If you've built a process that relies on canned email templates aimed at titles from downloaded lists, you are missing the mark.

The messages I describe above were intended to be direct messaging. They were addressed specifically to me. But, to be effective, direct messaging requires two things:

1. a strong message that aligns your capabilities to real pain that your audience is likely to have, and

2. evidence that you actually know what your audience does.

Effective outbound marketing and the work of great SDRs and BDRs takes real effort. The outbound marketers and sales professionals who are thriving do the research!

Happy Selling,

(Image Credit: Photo by Caroline Feelgood on Unsplash.)