Common Sales Mistakes

11 Cold Email Tactics to Trash 1. Using hype-y and therefore unbelievable copy: “We have the best leads,” “We 5X your sales,” “6-minute abs.” 2. Buzzwords like “End-to-end,” “optimization,” “value-added,” “360 view,” “synergy,” “breakthrough.” 3. Tricking people into opening emails with misleading subject lines like “re: contract.” 4. Rambling: Not this - “The reason I’m reaching out is that I noticed.” This - “Looks like…” 5. Self-centered copy: Your “I” to “You” ratio is 5:1. Flip it. 6. Generic copy like “More sales” and “Increase productivity.” Be crisp or specific: “Do you spend 10+ minutes sitting in the back of a truck rigging a simple double drop nymph setup?” 7. Fake nice: like “Love your podcast,” or “Your post was amazing.” Saying something nice just to cash it in later is called manipulation. 8. Not knowing what specifically sucks about how your prospect is getting the job done today. 10. Bump emails like, “Just seeing if you got my email.” 11. Cramming too many ideas into one email. Isolate the problems you solve. One problem per email. Don't make all your chess moves as once. Make one move at a time. Did I miss any?

This is why Gen Z isn’t buying your insurance. It’s not because they’re careless. It’s because they don’t see the value, yet. Here’s what’s pushing them away: 1/ The messaging is stuck in the past. → “Protect your legacy” means nothing to a 25-year-old. → Try: “Cover your rent if life throws a curveball.” 2/ The buying journey feels broken. → Endless forms. No clarity. No control. → They expect to buy in minutes, not sit through a call. 3/ Jargon kills trust. → Terms like “riders,” “cash value,” and “beneficiaries” lose them fast. → Speak like a friend, not a textbook. 4/ They're not scared of risk—they plan around it. → Don’t sell fear. Sell flexibility. → Help them prepare instead of panicking. 5/ One-size-fits-all doesn’t work anymore. → They want plans that grow with them. → From gig workers to digital nomads—lifestyles vary. 6/ They research everything. → If your online reviews are weak or missing, it matters. → Social proof > sales pitch. 7/ Purpose matters more than product. → Show how insurance empowers freedom, not just protection. 8/ They value transparency over tradition. → Break down costs. Show where the money goes. → No fine print. No fluff. If the industry doesn’t adapt, it’ll lose relevance. Not because the product failed But because the delivery did.

I just deleted 147 cold emails without reading them. Here’s what they all got wrong: Every morning, my inbox looks the same. A flood of pitches from people trying to sell me something. Most days, I just mass delete them. But this morning, I decided to actually read through them first. Within 5 minutes, I spotted a pattern. Everyone was making the exact same mistake. They were all trying to close the deal. ALL IN THE FIRST MESSAGE 🥵 Let me show you what I mean (with two small examples): APPROACH A: "The Wall of Text" Send 100 cold emails with full pitch, calendar link, and case studies. • 3 people open • 0 responses • 0 intros This looks exactly like the 147 emails I just deleted "Hi [Name], I noticed your company is scaling fast! We help companies like yours optimize their marketing stack through our proprietary AI technology. Our clients see 300% ROI within 90 days. Here's my Calendly link to book a 15-min chat: [LINK]. Looking forward to connecting! Best, [Name]" BORING!!! APPROACH B: "Micro Conversations" Same 100 prospects, broken down into micro-convo's. Email 1: "Do you know [mutual connection]?" • Send 100 • ~40 open • ~20 respond Email 2: "They mentioned you're scaling your marketing team. I'd love to connect about [specific thing]." • Send to 20 who responded • ~15 continue engaging Email 3: "Would you mind if they made an intro?" • Ask 15 engaged prospects • ~10 intros Final score: • Approach A: No intros • Approach B: 10 intros How to Apply These Lessons (Tactical Summary): 1. Focus on Micro-Conversations: Break your cold outreach into smaller, manageable steps. Build rapport before making any asks. 2. Personalize Everything: Reference mutual connections, specific company milestones, or shared interests in every message. 3. Play the Long Game: Aim for replies in the first message.. not conversions. If you’ve been struggling with cold outreach, you might just need a new approach. Give this one a try and lmk how it goes.

Sure, cold email is hard right now. But dude, we gotta stop playing the blame game. It's not because of poor deliverability rates. It's not because of spam filters. And it's not because people don't use email anymore. It's because your email probably sucks. You use copy/paste templates. Sending the same emails to multiple people with different jobs. And not personalizing. What do you expect to happen? Alright, rant over. Let's talk about what to do about it. Lesson today: Make sure your emails are "mobile ready." Lavender 💜 has some great data on cold emails: - Prospects are 8x more likely to open emails on their phone - Short and mobile-optimized emails see 83% more replies - Emails under 50 words get 60% more replies than emails with 150+ words If your emails aren’t short and mobile-optimized, you will not likely get a response. - Word count: Keep emails under 75 words - Mobile ready: Use short, 1-2 sentence paragraphs The basic formula looks like this: ✅ Reason: Why you’re reaching out to the prospect ✅ Problem: Speaks to the prospect’s potential problem(s) ✅ Social proof: References relevant work with similar companies ✅ Call-To-Action (CTA): Speaks to prospect’s priorities and problems === Example #1: A company that sells electronic document capture software to clinical operations leaders Subject line variations:  - FAPI - Startup timelines - FDA approval Hi Frank, Reason 👉 Saw that you just got FDA approval to proceed with the Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor (FAPI) clinical trial. Problem 👉 As you launch this trial, we usually hear that manual paper systems and Excel databases create extra work that could delay startup dates. Social Proof 👉 We’re helping operations leaders capture trial data more easily to shorten startup timelines to under 4 weeks. CTA 👉 Worth a quick chat? Jason === Example #2: A company that sells software to help contact centers reduce incoming calls Subject: Interconnection cost reduction Reason 👉 Saw the announcement of the interconnection cost reduction initiative, Anne. Problem 👉 Usually, that means there’s a focus on reducing incoming support calls and pushing customers to self-serve. Support leaders oftentimes run into challenges knowing which digital investments are actually deflecting calls. Social Proof 👉 We helped Constellation dramatically reduce cost to serve by finding the sources of increased call volumes. CTA 👉 Can I share those insights with you? === You can't get away with mediocre cold emails anymore. Tighten up your message. Optimize for mobile. And invest more time to improve your copywriting skills. Tomorrow, I'm partnering up with ZoomInfo to teach the Cold Email playbook we've taught to AE/SDR teams at Shopify, Gong, Rippling, Zoom, and many more. Register here to join us: https://hubs.ly/Q02_Y0fW0

Most B2B founders are building funnels destined to fail. Here's why. Everyone's rushing to follow the same playbook: Build product → Set up CRM → Launch ads → Wait for demos Then they sit there wondering why their calendar stays empty. But here's the uncomfortable truth no one's talking about: Your average B2B buyer is: → Drowning in sales messages → Overwhelmed with options → Skeptical of every pitch And the data? It's brutal. 71% of B2B buyers now demand personalized engagement before they'll even consider responding (McKinsey). Yet most founders keep pushing "Book a Demo" CTAs to cold traffic. That's like proposing marriage on the first date. What actually works? High-trust funnels that: ✅ Focus on one specific niche ✅ Lead with insight, not feature lists ✅ Earn attention before asking for anything Because here's what matters: No trust = No clicks No clicks = Dead funnel The buyers don't need more information dumps. They need proof you understand their specific problem better than anyone else. Stop trying to fix your entire funnel. Start by fixing trust at the top. Because in B2B, trust isn't just nice to have. It's your price of entry. So, are you building a trust-first funnel? Or are you still wondering why qualified leads aren't showing up? #B2BFunnel #LeadGeneration #B2BMarketing #SalesStrategy #DemandGeneration #TrustBasedMarketing

🚀 Revolutionizing B2B Sales: Beyond Names and Titles to Genuine Personalization 🚀 1️⃣ True Personalization: It's not just about using names and titles. To truly connect and stand out, delve deeper into understanding your clients' unique challenges and goals. 2️⃣ Avoid the Generic Trap: Sending emails that only use surface-level info like names or titles is often seen as self-serving. It's crucial to position yourself distinctively and avoid being just another sales pitch. 3️⃣ Lesson from a Lost Opportunity: A sales team's transactional approach failed because they lacked personalization. They treated their client like any other, missing the chance to connect on a deeper level. 4️⃣ The Power of Preparation: Do your homework! Reading a client's annual report, industry news, and understanding their challenges can transform your approach from generic to genuinely engaging. 5️⃣ High-Stakes Email Strategy: One company's bold move of emailing the C-suite with researched, relevant content paid off. This shows the value of understanding and addressing the client's specific needs and challenges. 6️⃣ Why Your Emails Get Ignored: If your emails are all about you and your product, they're likely getting deleted. Shift the focus to your clients - their goals, their company, their needs. 7️⃣ Enter ValueMail: Instead of standard sales emails, use insights to create emails that offer real value to your clients. Show that you understand and can contribute to their goals. 8️⃣ Be the Expert: In the evolving world of sales, being informed and authoritative is key. Know more than your clients and competitors. Let your knowledge and personalized approach be your edge. 🔍 Research is Key: Dive into your client's world - read their reports, understand their industry, and know their competitors. Show them you're not just selling - you're a partner in their success. 🌟 Elevate your sales game by embracing true personalization. It's not just about winning a sale; it's about building lasting, meaningful relationships. 🌟

“Hard no, Cynthia. Time for a pivot, my dear.” That was the actual response to my message about how confidence gaps are costing companies pipeline, promotions, and profit. Let’s look at the numbers: ✅ Female AEs hit quota 86% of the time vs. 78% for men. ✅ They exceed quota more often, averaging 103% vs. 97% for men. ✅ Close rates? 11% higher than male peers. ✅ Faster deal progression: Women move 54% of deals to the next stage vs. 49% for men. ✅ Female-led sales teams? Quota attainment hits 94%, compared to 91% for male-led teams. And yet... ❌ Women are assigned lower quotas, about 3% lower than men. ❌ Female AEs earn 22% less in base pay, even when outperforming. ❌ Only 12% of top sales positions are held by women, despite being 50%+ of the college-educated workforce. When leaders in power can’t see the gap, the ceiling stays in place. But let’s be clear: I’m not here to convince the comfortable or convert the willfully blind. I’m here to awaken the ready. The women who’ve been outperforming for years while being overlooked. The teams leaving millions on the table because they misdiagnosed self-doubt as lack of skill. Confidence is not a soft skill. It’s a revenue strategy. And “Thank You; It’s True™” isn’t a catchphrase. It’s a business case.

Are you just another name in a sea of pitches? 90% of clients avoid salespeople. They don’t want to be "sold to"—they want answers to their challenges. They ignore calls, dismiss emails, and scroll past the standard pitches. Why? Because they sense a pushy sale... ...𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Sales push products. 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴. Let me tell you—this wasn’t an easy lesson. I once took a hard-nosed approach while pitching a high-tech product to a logistics firm. I came in with all the details—the numbers, the specs, and the supposed "solutions." B𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱: Silence. The COO glanced at his watch; the team looked uninterested. They barely asked any questions, and I left with the classic line, “We’ll keep in touch.” 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁. The issue? I was too focused on selling a product, not addressing a problem. Weeks later, I had a similar opportunity with another firm. This time, I knew I had to pivot. I started with their pain points instead: “How often do you face inefficiencies in distribution? How costly is that downtime for your operations?” That got their attention. Their execs leaned in; the COO asked questions. I was no longer just listing features—I was guiding them to see a tailored solution. And for the first time, I wasn’t a marketer with a pitch. 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀. End result? Immediate next steps. Signed agreement. A seamless partnership. No “we’ll consider it.” No maybes. Marketers focus on selling. 𝘈𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨. Ask yourself: when clients see your name, do they see a pitch—or a partner? #marketing #sales #salespitch

Long, complex emails don’t make me think you're smart. They tell me you don't understand basic buyer behavior. Your prospects aren’t reading your sales emails. They’re skimming. They’re standing in line at Starbucks, cleaning out their inbox. They’re looking for a reason to delete, not to reply. If your email doesn’t pass the 1, 10, 100 test - it’s getting ignored I teach this framework to every sales team I work with. It’s simple and it works. Here’s how to apply it: 1 = One clear call to action Do not ask for a meeting, feedback, interest, and availability in the same message. You get one ask. Make it count. 10 = The first 10 words must earn attention This is your subject line + preview text. It’s the only thing your prospect sees before deciding to open or delete. If those 10 words don’t create curiosity or show relevance, it’s over. 100 = Keep your total word count under 100 The average exec scans an email for 3–4 seconds. If they can't get context immediately, your email is an auto-delete. Make it short. Make it relevant. Make it easy to reply. The 1, 10, 100 Rule isn’t about oversimplifying your message. It’s about respecting how buyer's interact with cold email so you can deliver more value and earn more engagement. 📌 Remember RELEVANCE is essential. Don't think a well-formatted email replaces the need to say something that matters to the reader. ✨ Enjoyed this post? Make sure to hit FOLLOW for daily posts about B2B sales, leadership, entrepreneurship and mindset.

Outbound isn’t about volume. It’s about timing. Like most people in sales, I’ve been through the “do more” mindset: - More emails. - More calls. - More sequences. - More “touches” across channels. And sure - consistency matters. But the truth is, the right message at the wrong time still gets ignored. A few weeks ago, I re-sent a message to a prospect who’d ignored me for two months. Same company. Same use case. Slightly tweaked subject line. This time? She replied within 15 minutes. We booked a call. What changed? Not the product. Not the pitch. Just the timing. She had just started exploring AI for customer support. She was finally ready to hear it. And that’s what outbound really is: - Being present at the moment someone is ready to listen. - Being patient enough to follow up with value - not pressure. - Being consistent enough to earn a response when the timing is right. So no, I’m not chasing massive volume anymore. I’m chasing relevance + timing - and it’s made all the difference.