Instead of defaulting to one method, sellers should strategically choose the communication channel (phone, video, in-person) that offers the highest probability of success for the lowest investment of time, energy, and money for any given situation.
LinkedIn is not a prospecting panacea that provides effortless inbound leads. Its true power is unlocked when it's integrated into a structured, multi-channel sequence, where it amplifies the impact of traditional outreach like phone calls and emails rather than replacing them.
Differentiate marketing channels by their purpose. Use online platforms for broad reach and repeated touchpoints. Reserve offline, in-person events for fostering the genuine, vulnerable connections that are difficult to replicate digitally and are critical for building strong relationships.
Using phone, email, and social isn't merely about finding a channel that works; it's about becoming a known person. When a prospect has heard your voice on a voicemail and seen your face on LinkedIn, you are no longer an anonymous bot. This human connection dramatically increases the likelihood of a response, even if it's a polite 'no'.
To stand out from generic DMs, use video outreach tools that let you record personalized messages while scrolling through a prospect's own LinkedIn profile or website. This allows you to offer immediate, specific feedback or insights, demonstrating tangible value before asking for a meeting.
When a prospect goes silent on your primary channels (email, work phone), they may be subconsciously filtering you out. Break this pattern by using a novel channel like WhatsApp or a different phone number. This can bypass their filters and elicit a response.
Sales is the ultimate human profession in the age of AI, but only if salespeople engage in real-time, synchronous conversations (phone, video, in-person). Relying on asynchronous methods like email is abdicating the human advantage to robots, which can perform those tasks better.
The pressure of a short, critical meeting is eased when the organization has already engaged the customer through various channels like events, medical team interactions, and clinical trials. This allows the rep to have a strategic conversation instead of a transactional data dump.
Whether it's older sellers who only work in-person or younger sellers who only use digital channels, becoming "single siloed" is a mistake. To maximize success and income, salespeople must become proficient across all communication methods, from phone calls to emails to face-to-face meetings.
A single-channel strategy focuses on mastering one tactic, like conferences. A "tollbooth" strategy is more profound: it focuses on owning a specific customer *demand situation*. This situation can then be targeted from multiple angles and channels, all designed to make it impossible for a buyer in that moment to ignore you.
To build deeper relationships with potential investors or clients, explicitly suggest moving conversations from formal email to a personal channel like WhatsApp. This enables informal, rapport-building interactions that humanize you, making future business asks feel more natural and likely to succeed.