Each week I will bring you one Sales play that is tested from my past scaling experiences or the trenches as a current VP of Sales at Leadium.

Outbound prospecting still tends to be one of the hardest for companies to master in their go-to-market strategy.

The biggest reason is that most playbooks fail to consider the importance of A/B testing everything.

What worked for you at your last company might not work in your current company, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow.

I've been scaling companies via outbound for the last thirteen years…. Damn, I’m getting old.

Do yourself a favor and stop listening to every up-and-coming GURU on LinkedIn. They are often parroting something they heard or posting for Likes and comments.

And even if we give them the benefit of the doubt and say they are talking from experience, that does not mean that what worked for them will work for you. There are too many variables, and no silver bullets are outbound, which is what everyone wants.

The key is to A/B test everything constantly and constantly optimize for performance.

Here are the things you need to A/B test to find what works for your market.

1. Targeting

A/B testing your targeting involves refining your audience selection to identify the most responsive and relevant groups.

- Segmentation: Divide your target audience into distinct segments based on criteria such as industry, company size, job role, or location.

- A/B Test: Create two separate prospecting lists targeting a specific segment. Send the same messaging to both groups, but adjust the segments to determine which yields better response rates.

2. Messaging

A/B testing your messaging helps you identify the most compelling way to communicate your value proposition.

- Subject Lines: Craft two variations of subject lines—direct that drive curiosity. Analyze open rates to see which approach resonates more.

- Email Content: Develop two versions of your email content—one focusing on benefits and another on addressing pain points. Measure response rates to determine which message garners more engagement.

3. Timing

A/B testing timing involves finding the best days and times to reach your audience for optimal engagement.

- Send Days: Select two different days of the week to send your outreach emails. Compare open and click-through rates to identify which day is more effective.

- Send Times: Experiment with morning and afternoon send times. Assess response rates to determine when your audience is more likely to engage.

4. Strategy

A/B testing your overall prospecting strategy allows you to refine your approach based on actual performance data.

- Communication Channels: Test different communication channels, such as email, social media, or phone calls. Track conversions to see which channel drives better results.

- Offer Variations: Create two versions of your offer, emphasizing cost savings and highlighting innovation. Measure conversion rates to identify the more compelling offer.

Remember these best practices while conducting A/B tests:

- Isolate Variables: Test only one element at a time. For instance, keep targeting, timing, and strategy consistent between the two variations when testing messaging.

- Sample Size: Ensure your sample size is statistically significant to draw meaningful conclusions from the results.

- Measurement: Use clear metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, response rates, and conversion rates to evaluate performance.

- Data Analysis: Analyze the data objectively to make informed decisions. Identify patterns and trends to guide your optimizations.

- Iterate and Learn: Apply the insights gained from your A/B tests to refine your prospecting approach over time. Continuous learning is key to improving your strategy.

By A/B testing these elements of your B2B outbound prospecting efforts, you can fine-tune your approach, enhance engagement, and ultimately drive better results regarding lead generation and conversions.

Rember that A/B testing means you will need to slow down a bit and have more of a process around finding what works. It means scaling slower to be more effective in building an outbound system that generates consistent growth.

See you again next week!
-Collin Mitchell-