How to Build a Strong Sales Prospecting Pipeline

Outbound is dead in cyber. Long live AE-owned prospecting. I will die on the hill of "outbound is dead". But it's been misunderstood when I've brought it up here. In cybersecurity, generic mass outreach is dying or it's a zombie waiting to be whacked. Targeted, value-driven prospecting led by Account Executives is thriving. SDR's have a hard time doing this not because they can't, but because the system is not setup for them to do it (i.e. comp plans, org structures, etc.) We know from research that personalized outreach based on deep account knowledge delivers 3x better engagement than templated SDR approaches. Yet we keep trying to build outbound motions with higher volume and worse conversion rates 🤮 Here's my framework for building a repeatable pipeline development program where AEs actually own the process: 👉 *The Value Hypothesis Approach* 1. Narrow the focus dramatically: Your target account list should be small enough that each account gets hours of dedicated research. 2. Make AEs accountable for contact mapping They need to identify key stakeholders and understand the organizational dynamics before any outreach begins. 3. Develop specific value hypotheses This is the game-changer. Each account gets 2 customized value proposition based on their specific situation. 4. Collaborate on hypothesis refinement The best teams involve SE/PreSales, Product Management, and Sales Leadership in critiquing and improving these hypotheses. 5. Execute with precision With this foundation, outreach becomes a targeted conversation rather than a generic pitch. 6. Close the feedback loop: Sales leaders need to document which value hypotheses resonated and which fell flat - this becomes your competitive advantage. The best-performing enterprise sales teams allocate at least 1/3 of AE time to this process. Yes, it's resource-intensive, but the results speak for themselves. 2 hours a day (minimum) every day, every AE, for 3 months. Then come back and tell me 'thank you' Unexpected benefit: When AEs spend 10+ hours weekly on strategic prospecting, your inbound and partner-led conversion rates automatically improve. Why? No AE will let warm leads slip after experiencing how much work cold prospecting takes. Pro-tip? Spend 'Training Thursdays' evaluating value hypothesis together. Double pro-tip, combine Value Hypotheiss with 'Show me You Know Me' on your messaging (follow Samantha McKenna - She crushes SMYKM content) Anyone here that calls value hypothesis something else? I used to call it my 'angle'. Need something more catchy and less scientific-sounding 😆

How I'd fill pipeline as an AE if I started fresh today. (Send this to your Slack group) Here is my plan: 1. Find Active Buyers The secret? Focus on prospects who posted in the last 30 days. Response rates are 2x higher from active profiles. Quick setup in Sales Nav: ↳ Create saved searches by seniority ↳  Build targeted prospect lists ↳ Update lists weekly for fresh leads Smart reps look for prospects who are active. 2. Strategic Outreach     Too many people say never do a cold dm, and tell you to sit back and wait. Please don't listen to this advice. Here's what I would do: ↳ Block 1 focused hour daily ↳ Send 20-30 targeted messages ↳ Be brief, brilliant, gone Example framework: "Reason I am reaching out [specific insight] → This matters to you because [direct benefit] → Imagine [concrete result/use ask] → CTA [simple, compelling next action]" The big fat pipeline is in the outreach. 3. Smart Engagement Don't just drop "Great post!" comments. Like real talk.. please don't do this. Start real conversations instead. The framework: ↳ Find a post ↳ Share specific insights from their content ↳ Ask one thought-provoking question Now if you did 20 messages a day check the math: 400 messages/month 10% conversion rate = 40 meetings/month There are no silver bullets. This is just an example, If you stay consistent what could happen. Stay prospecting my friends. ----- P.S. Mention someone who could benefit from this strategy. P.S.S. Which step are you going to use today?

Why networking is killing your tech service agency's growth —and how to build a qualified pipeline that scales. Hard truth: Networking and referrals used to work wonders for Growth—but not anymore. And the problem with most networking advice? It promises great connections but leaves you stuck when it matters most. In my years in B2B tech services, I've seen this common pattern over and over in Growth leaders: They assume → networking skills = pipeline skills. They focus on conversations, not conversions. They believe → more events = more deals. They hold onto individual connections, instead of building scalable systems. But the truth is: – Small talk won't turn into SQLs by itself. – Networking is not a pipeline-building strategy. – And you need a system that scales beyond referrals and chance encounters. ___ Here are 6 steps to build a qualified pipeline—that has steadily secured me 5+ qualified sales calls per week: 1- Identify and refine your sub-niche ↳ Your audience should feel like you’re speaking directly to them. 2- Create relatable, value-packed content consistently. ↳ Position yourself as the go-to category expert. 3- Optimize your LinkedIn profiles for credibility and authority. ↳ Make people want to work with you. 4- Set straight a lead-scoring system. ↳ Focus on high-quality leads, not just anyone from your Sales Nav search. 5- Engage with 20+ prospects daily. ↳ Treat this as your minimum—not your maximum. 6- Master selling through curiosity. ↳ Ask open-ended questions, future-pace success, and lead with value. ___ The point? Invest in demand creation and demand capture systems: - Build methodical, pipeline-building skills. - Laser-target on your niche. Share useful advice. - Network strategically, but don’t overly rely on events alone. Remember: ↳ the longer you count on chance meetings, ↳ the longer you'll miss out on predictable growth. Don't know where to start? ↳ Visualize a Growth org founded on a simple yet powerful principle: Serve first → Profit follows. ___ PS. How do you move from chit-chat to business without sounding pushy?

Last quarter I watched one of my top clients scramble to hit quota. He was the THIRD highest performer in his company (out of 10 reps). His activity levels were high. His close rate was even better. But something was VERY wrong... When we looked at his calendar, we discovered he only had THREE discovery calls the ENTIRE MONTH. The pipeline was a mirage. Here's the hard truth most sales leaders won't tell you: Activity ≠ Results Another rep I know made 14,000 calls in a month without booking a SINGLE meeting. Elite performers don't just work harder - they work DIFFERENTLY. 👇 THE ELITE PROSPECTING FRAMEWORK 👇 This is the exact system I've used to build a 7-figure sales career and coach hundreds of reps to double their pipeline in 30 days: 1️⃣ BLOCK YOUR CALENDAR RELIGIOUSLY Schedule 8 hours of dedicated prospecting time weekly (2 hours per day, Mon-Thu) Make these blocks SACRED - nothing overrides them Set them early (8-10am) when your energy is highest Put them as recurring meetings in your calendar NOW Label them clearly: "PROSPECTING - DO NOT BOOK" 2️⃣ RESEARCH BEFORE YOU REACH OUT Dedicate a separate full 2-hour block weekly just for research Validate contact data quality (bad data = wasted time) Identify true buying signals (not just basic triggers) Create a targeted list of 50 PERFECT prospects Document 2-3 personalization points for each target Use tools like LinkedIn, company news, and your CRM data 3️⃣ TARGET THE RIGHT ACCOUNTS Quality ALWAYS trumps quantity Focus on 50 perfect-fit accounts, not 500 random ones Build your list based on clear ideal customer criteria Segment your list by industry, pain point, or use case Prioritize accounts showing buying signals Remove any contact with questionable data quality 4️⃣ EXECUTE WITH PRECISION When you sit down to prospect, it's EXECUTION time only No researching, no planning, no "figuring it out" Follow your pre-built list in order of priority Mix methods: calls, emails, LinkedIn, video Track your results meticulously Adjust your approach weekly based on data 5️⃣ LEVERAGE YOUR SDRs Schedule weekly 15-minute alignment sessions Coach them on messaging that's working for you Give specific feedback on recent meetings they've booked Share your target account list with them Create a feedback loop on what's generating responses THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES! My client implemented this system and went from 3 to 8 Enterprise discovery calls per month. That's 166% more pipeline. That's 166% more potential commission. That's the difference between missing quota and crushing it. The math is simple but brutal: If your prospecting is inconsistent, your results will be too. If your calendar doesn't protect prospecting time, it won't happen. If you're not tracking the right metrics, you can't improve them. Want to prospect better? Start with a great cold email: https://lnkd.in/gKSzmCda

If you have ever been to any busy downtown area of a city, you have probably seen street vendors selling simple pins.  The pins typically say something like, “I love….insert name of city.”  As you pass the street vendors, you will repeatedly hear them say, “Do you want to buy?” as people pass them.  I have found that most recruiting leaders sound the same.  Their line is "Just checking in” or  “Are you happy where you're at?" It’s a similar approach, repeating the same message over and over. And then we wonder why recruits tune us out. Over the past 18 months, I have been working with a handful of leaders on an idea that involves shifting this in a MAJOR WAY through two ideas.   1) Giving extravagant value from the onset of building the relationship.   2) Giving ascending value as the relationship moves forward.  The result was very different from that of other leaders.   Let’s discuss the idea of Extravagant value and Ascending value. Extravagant value means unreasonable, unexpected, and undeniable value. When given it’s what makes recruits stop and think, “What am I doing here when I could be on that leader’s team?” Here’s how you deliver it. 1. Shift Your Mindset: From Salesperson to Value Creator Stop selling. Start solving. The goal of recruiting isn’t “convincing” someone to join. It's to reveal that more is available if someone is on your team. Remember that your recruit only wants to know, “What’s in this for me?” You answer that with the value you bring. 2. Build a Value Ladder, Ascending Value You need a process that takes recruits from awareness to trust in as short a time as possible. Step 1: Create a Digital Asset Example: A “Loan Officer Annual Playbook” with business planning templates, a vision worksheet, or scripting for growing referral relationships. Step 2: Show Up Early with Value Within 72 hours of connecting, drop unreasonable value. This sets you apart immediately. Step 3: Elevate the Value A week later, come back with something stronger. Host a webinar or one-on-one training to walk them through a key strategy. Step 4: Keep Ascending Your value should build over time. Invite them to a mastermind event you would host virtually. 3. Be Intentional About Your Sequence Recruiting isn’t luck. It’s about following a process. The Sequence: Connect: On social media platforms. Drop Extravagant Value: Share something actionable that helps them now. Follow Up with More Value: A tool, training, or conversation. Invite to Engage: Bring them into a high-value experience (webinar, workshop, or coaching). Remember: You don’t ask for the meeting right away. Let the value you provide earn you that conversation. Final Thought: Recruiting timelines are long because most leaders bring minimal value.   When you show up with extravagant value, you don’t just condense the timeline. You become the leader recruits want to follow.

Five years ago, while validating Rocketlane, we spoke with a few companies that helped shape our product vision. While some became early customers, a couple just didn't engage when we launched. They were already significantly down a specific path and couldn’t pivot from there. It would have been easier for us to give up and move on. But we didn't because we knew we were right for them.  And so every 6 months, we checked in. We shared our progress, asked them about their progress in solving the business problems we had previously discussed, and continued to build enough internal champions for us within those companies. 5 years later, those companies finally became customers. The win felt inevitable. But it only happened because we didn't quit. This not only validated our product, but it also reinforced the power of persistence. But this wasn't blind stubbornness. It was calculated and strategic. So, how do you decide which accounts are worth the long game? 1. Qualify rigorously against your ICP  You don't chase everyone. Chase those who very closely fit your ICP. For ex, at Rocketlane, we target SaaS companies and SI partners with growing implementation teams or PS teams, that typically manage 1.5-month to 6-month delivery/implementation projects for customers. This clarity drives high close rates and ensures our messaging resonates well. 2. Educate, don't just pitch Help prospects see what they're missing. Sometimes, they don't recognize their own problems. We often say, "Not every sales cycle starts with a pitch." With every follow-up, share a resource they could use. Teach them where they're going wrong. Show them what they're not seeing. 3. Know when to walk away  If, after education, you uncover unique requirements that make your solution the wrong fit, excuse yourself. This builds trust and frees your energy for the right customers. 4. Keep showing up  Create specific checkpoints to reconnect and show up with new value, new wins, new perspectives … anything valuable to the prospect. Sometimes, the most valuable deals are the ones you refuse to abandon.

LinkedIn friends, I wanted to share a concept with you that I shared with one of my clients: Don't be a one-way street.... It's a very simple concept: eliminate self-interest. I know it sounds off, but you must become more collaborative. Both the selling and buying centers should have aligned interests. Selling center, you should become a trusted advisor. It's been interesting to see what salespeople are trying to do for the sale and others trying to be problem solvers. Here are some ways of ensuring that you are not a 'one way street' but become a trusted advisor in the sales process. - Foster Two-Way Communication: Encourage prospects to share their thoughts, needs, and concerns. Actively listen and respond thoughtfully rather than dominating the conversation with your sales pitch. This approach helps you understand the client's needs and tailor your solutions accordingly. - Understand Customer Needs: Make a concerted effort to genuinely understand your prospects' challenges, needs, and goals. This understanding should guide how you present your product or service, ensuring that you address their specific situation rather than offering a generic solution. - Provide Value First: This is the most important thing. Think of demonstrating your value and how you can be a problem solver. This could be in the form of helpful information, insights, or solutions that address the prospect's immediate concerns or objectives. Demonstrating value upfront can build trust and credibility, making prospects more open to the sales conversation. - Be Consultative, Not Transactional: Position yourself as a consultant or advisor rather than just a salesperson. This means offering advice, sharing expertise, and suggesting solutions that best meet the prospect's needs, even if it means recommending a lesser sale or acknowledging when your solution might not be the best fit. - Follow Up Thoughtfully: Rather than sending generic follow-up messages or pressuring for a sale, tailor your follow-ups based on what you've learned about the prospect's needs and your previous interactions. Thoughtful follow-ups show that you're paying attention and care about helping them find the right solution. - Encourage Input/Feedback: Ask for feedback throughout the sales process, including after a sale has been made or lost. This shows that you value the prospect's opinion and are committed to continuous improvement. Feedback can also provide insights into how you can serve them better in the future. - Build a Relationship, Not Just a Client List: Aim to build long-term relationships with your prospects, regardless of whether they make a purchase. Showing genuine interest in their success and staying in touch (without always trying to sell something) can turn one-time prospects into lifelong customers and advocates for your business. I hope this helps; I wanted to share this with you because this is what I have been seeing from my side of the table. We're here to help. 

Sales is a brutal arena. The entirety of your business's success depends on it. Whether you have an amazing product or not, if you can't get it into the hands of your ICP, then you'll eventually reach the end of the road. All that you've invested (time, money, mental health, relationships, etc.) will lead to no pay off in terms of your company's success. So the question is "How do I find and sell to my ICP?" My co-founder and I, throughout the last 10 months building SellerIQ have approached this question with a scientific process and distilled sales success into a few key stages. 1. Extremely focused avatars: We have spoken with 100s of VPs and sales reps, not only across different companies, but also across different verticals. Throughout the last 10 months, we've slowly but surely eliminated entire business types in order to build the perfect ICP for what we have created. This research allowed us to find our sweet spot, so now when we conduct our outbound, we know exactly what companies we should be targeting, who is the key decision maker we should be having our conversations with, and also what problems they are most likely facing that we have a solution for. 2. A well oiled sales process: We started out by throwing darts and seeing what was sticking. From there, as we had more and more conversations, we began testing a variety of different approaches and making our decisions on the direction of our approach based on the numbers. Which cadence was most effective, what are our conversion rates stage to stage with specific talk tracks, what approaches are resonating best with our ICP? This testing went on for months before we felt we were confident in our process. 3. Leveraging relationships: We like to build connections with everyone we speak to. If we don't close them as a client, we at least sold them on our product enough to where they are excited about it and want to be part of our success. From this approach, we receive introductions to other companies and key decision makers that they want us to speak with. This is paramount for start-ups and newer companies. Every conversation you are having while going through the stages I mentioned above is an opportunity to get them onto your side and invested in your success. This is what worked for me with SellerIQ and is why we are experiencing the success we are. Just this last week we closed on three enterprise accounts and going into this week have 7 new demos lined up with extremely qualified leads. How are you going about your sales process? Is there anything I missed?

This question helped me close $800k in revenue in the last 16 months. A version of this question also helps me average 3-5 sales calls per week. Here's what I've learned from building over $1m in pipeline in a year: 1. No one wants to be pitched. Everyone wants their problems solved. 2. Your sales mantra should NOT be "always be closing." It should be "always be serving." 3. Your goal should not be to close the deal. Your goal should be to move your prospect towards the next step - a response, a call, a proposal, etc. 4. Don't just tailor your outreach to the company you're prospecting, tailor it to the person you're contacting. Show them you know them personally. Reference their recent post, their new promotion, their hometown you once visited and had an amazing milkshake, etc. 5. Use everything you have - voice notes, selfie videos, Looms, gifting - to show your full value as a partner. I ask this question in addition to all of that. It's the best question I've found and the only one I use to book sales meetings. Don't pitch slap. Show your value. _____________________________________ Question in the comments 👇

"I'm about to close a $15K monthly retainer client, Melina!" This is what one of my clients told me the other day. Just six months ago, he was at ground zero. A former CFO with over 24 years experience, he lived and worked in 4 countries. But when it came time to build his own business, he hit a wall. Frustrated.  Ready to give up. He didn’t want to go back to the corporate grind. He wanted to follow his passion and consult with Private Equity clients. So he did what most people do--he threw money at the problem. Hired someone to build a flashy website, run ads, and generate leads. And guess what? Six months later, he was still sitting at zero. That's when he came to me. Confused. Disheartened. But not broken. He still had that fire, that hunger. And I knew exactly what to do. 1. We went deep into who his ideal client was. → We got specific, detailed, and strategic. 2. We researched and curated a targeted list of companies. → Built a laser-focused outreach strategy aimed at key decision-makers. 3. We had one goal--get in front of the right people. → Kept track of all conversations and next steps. 2 weeks. 6 appointments But we didn't stop there. We tightened up his sales process and crafted a compelling value proposition that resonated with his prospects. 50 calls. 6 weeks. 1 client closed. Here’s what I want you to take from this: Taking action is critical. But taking the RIGHT action is how you win. It's not just about posting and throwing out cold calls.   It's about building relationships, asking the right questions, and understanding that big deals don't happen on the first call.  Sometimes, the goal isn’t to close.   It's to keep the conversation going, to get that next meeting. Patience. Listening. Trust. That's how you build your pipeline and grow your business. The secret? It’s simple. It's not a fancy website or ads. It's real, authentic connection. Imagine you're sitting across from your prospect at a coffee shop.   You talk. You listen. You laugh. And then you do it again. And again. It may take time. But you better believe its worth it. This is how you win. This is how you get to the next level. Stay curious. Stay patient. Stay hungry. PS. The guy in this story knows who he is, and I'm so happy for him! 💗 ___ PPS: Struggling to build your pipeline? I'm dropping a game-changing workshop soon to show you how. 📈