Don’t make these 3 mistakes…
Creating opportunities is not difficult.
- You build a list of your ideal clients
- You qualify that list with the right targeting (and validation of contact information)
- You reach out to them
There are, however, some challenges that come with reaching out:
- The barrier to entry is low (outreach tools are as cheap as $99/mo), meaning your ideal clients are getting spammed left and right
- Your market is jaded with hype copy and offers (esp. with AI writing most messaging nowadays)
- You must be different and bold in your approach while also being helpful (this isn’t a time to hide your unique point of view)
Here are the common mistakes I see founders make when doing outreach:
Mistake #1:
Writing messages to pitch the 3% of people who need your product NOW.
Yes, the volume game works, but why intentionally squander your opportunities by not also focusing on the market that may need your solution 3-6 months from now?
Case Study of what NOT to do:
A founder I know needs to use nearly a dozen different LinkedIn accounts to make their outreach work.
Why?
Because their first message is geared to people who want to buy now.
The prospect’s options: hard yes or hard no.
Does this book appointments?
Yes.
Does this leave opportunity on the table?
Yes because there’s no middle ground. No exploratory session. No being a trusted advisor (bad positioning)
Mistake #2:
Pitching your service as a binary yes or no option vs. giving your prospects the power to explore their “possibilities” for their future.
Josh Braun talks about this a lot (I recommend you follow him).
Case Study of what to do:
A client and friend of mine uses this in his outreach to make a soft call to action:
“not sure if you need this right now, but does it make sense to connect to explore if there might be opportunities to collaborate in the future?”
Mistake #3:
Send multiple messages in a short time frame on the same channel.
Remember, there is a smart and intelligent human on the other side of your automated drip sequence.
Instead, focus on a multi-channel, multi-touch approach based on your ideal client’s behavior, with actual personalization and engagement on your part.
Does this take more time?
Yes.
Will this increase your opportunities?
Yes.