We didn’t have to stand on any yellow footprints, get yelled at, or do push ups. Instead, we learned a plethora of great ways to reach out to other companies and effectively help them realize their growth potential.
I didn’t particularly know much about the Pipeline Generation Bootcamp, other than that it was likely similar to David Weinhaus’ Sales Skills Bootcamp. which was very valuable as our agency’s Director of Business Development. Dan Tyre, HubSpot’s first salesperson, inbound marketing expert, investor and overall great guy, led the charge of educating a group of “Lions” (that’s the name for participants). He covered how to educate their prospects on the benefits of working with a growth agency, as well as a powerful partner in HubSpot.
This blog will cover some of the key takeaways I learned from this great experience.
The Pause
The pause was one of the most ridiculous and weirdest things we ever heard of. Call up someone you potentially want to do business with, introduce yourself, and then say nothing. At first I thought Dan must be off his rocker. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The pause works and works great because prospects can’t help but wonder why you aren’t talking. Almost every time most of them say, yes, what can I help you with? Which leads you right into a conversation about how you can help them.
Adding Value
Another important part of the Bootcamp was learning how to add value on a connect call with a prospect. If you are like our organization and truly believe in helping vs. selling, this aspect stuck out.
Most salespeople typically want to hop right in and sell their service or product, instead of focusing on adding value. In the connect call, Dan teaches you how to build a framework around your prospects' issues or problems so that you can provide value to them. This taught me how to dig deeper with the companies we work with to identify their true business needs. Now we can help educate them on why my particular recommendation is the right approach for their needs. Even if our agency can’t help you, we will certainly try to provide information that does.
Better Results - Stand up and Smile
Cold calling doesn’t have to be as painful as we make it. Take some time, review your prospect, and stand up and smile. I think sales people also get caught up in the head trash of thinking: I don’t like this, the prospect doesn’t like that. But the truth is, if you do it right your prospect will appreciate it. Dan helps you realize that you are here to help them grow. If you don’t get excited about that, you shouldn’t be in sales. Dan gives many other tips like utilizing video for sales outreach, which, in my opinion, is a game- changer. The other key takeaway was to be your goofy self. The more rigid and buttoned up you are, the less exciting and interesting you will be to a prospect. Stand up, smile, and bring some energy. I mean you are calling them to help transform their business, nothing is more exciting than that.
Be Kind, Empathetic and Helpful
This goes without saying, but Dan started every session with a reminder to be kind, empathetic and helpful. I found this especially important in today’s world. As a salesperson, it’s almost impossible to come across someone who is the exact opposite of that while doing cold outreach, it happens. Yet, I liked Dan’s reminder because no matter how anyone may treat you, it’s crucial to remember this, especially after the last year and a half.
I’ve learned quite a bit more than just pipeline generation tactics in this Bootcamp. Dan leverages his years of experience to help guide and educate the next generation of Lions. This may have been the last Pipeline Generation Bootcamp, and I learned so much these last 8 weeks. If you would like to hear more about some of my takeaways and how your sales team can benefit, I would be happy to share what I learned.
