Hitting quota is tough, partly because most quotas are set to be just out of reach. To make things even more challenging, leads often don’t pan out and deals fall through at the last minute. That’s why you need a secret weapon to minimize your risk and plug gaps. We’re talking about a deep pipeline. Here’s how to build a killer one.
1. Call Solid Leads Every Other Month
Let’s say you’re working a deal, but it’s not progressing because the timing is wrong.
Obviously, you don’t want to be hitting up these contacts every week, trying to force the deal through. You also don’t want to forget about them entirely.
Here’s what to do: set yourself a reminder (calendar notifications, Post-It Notes, in Sharpie on your forearm — whatever you’re into) for every other month.
That’s enough time between touchpoints to realistically give your deal a chance to come through, but also frequent enough to keep you front of mind — so when the timing is right, you’re the person they call.
2. Don’t Fluff! Actually Return Calls and Emails
Sometimes you get a hard yes or no from a cold call or cold email. But often, you’ll get a “can you check back in six months?”
The answer is yes! Don’t just say you’ll check back and then blow it off. That goes for both emails and phone calls. Put reminders on your calendar (or wherever) and do what you said you’d do.
It shows you’re conscientious and serious about forming a relationship. These relationships form the backbone of a deep pipeline. Over time, you’ll have a steady stream of people hitting you up, ready to move forward — all because you dropped them a line when you said you would.
3. Use LinkedIn Alerts to Tee Up Easy Deals & Demos
There’s a third rule of life (along with death and taxes): people change jobs. A lot.
And while that’s super frustrating if you’re prospecting — we’ve all cold-called someone and asked “Hey Bob, are you still at [company]?” only to be told they absolutely are NOT at that company — it’s actually great for building deep pipeline.
Because while people may frequently change the company they work for, they’re much less likely to change careers or role types entirely. And that presents an opportunity for a savvy salesperson.
Here’s the tip: use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to create a job alert for every single person you successfully book a demo with (if you’re an SDR) or close a deal with (if you’re an AE).
When they change jobs, congratulate them! Drop them a line via text, a voicemail, a LinkedIn message — whatever works.
Give them a month or so to settle in, then check in again — this time asking if they happen to need the same service or software at their new company that they needed at their old one.
4. Check In Quarterly with New Customers
People who buy your goods or services are great lead sources if they like what you provide. That’s why it’s vital to keep in touch quarterly with customers your recently closed. Besides letting you know if their current needs are being met or have changed, they can refer you to others at their company — or in their professional network — who might also need what you’re selling.
5. Be Yourself Online. People Like You!
Chances are, when you first get in touch with someone, the first thing they’re going to do is look you up online.
If they can’t find anything about you, they’re going to get sketched out. There’s real value in maintaining a professional online presence (especially on LinkedIn).
Growing your social media networks is another effective way to cultivate relationships and earn the trust of prospective leads that are more apt to become qualified leads after months of reading and interacting with your posts. If your online presence is genuine and you post useful stuff, they’re far more apt to engage — with your content and you.
Now go build that deep pipeline and crush quota!
Check out Teamflow’s virtual sales floor: https://www.teamflowhq.com/sales-floor
