Outbound sales often gets a bad reputation thanks to aggressive cold calling and pushy sales pitches. But when done right, outbound sales is a relationship-focused approach that can open doors to valuable new business opportunities.

Let's explore what outbound sales really is and share 12 practical strategies that actually work.

What Is Outbound Sales?

Outbound sales is the process of proactively reaching out to potential customers to build relationships and close new deals. While cold calling is the classic example, modern outbound sales has evolved to include email outreach, social media engagement, and other communication channels.

The defining characteristic of outbound sales is that you're initiating contact with prospects, rather than them coming to you (which would be inbound marketing).

Outbound vs. Inbound: Finding the Right Balance

Most businesses benefit from using both approaches:

• Inbound marketing attracts people who are actively searching for solutions through content marketing, SEO, and social media presence
• Outbound sales actively identifies and pursues potential customers who might not be aware of your solution yet

Surprisingly, our research of 402 sales professionals found that 60% of sales reps don't do any kind of outbound sales! This represents a massive opportunity for those willing to implement effective outbound strategies.

12 Practical Outbound Sales Tactics

1. Engage Prospects via Live Chat

Live chat has become an expectation, with 48% of customers looking for it on your website. Visitors are more likely to purchase when live chat is available because it provides immediate guidance.

Tips:

• Start conversations with a friendly introduction or an open-ended question
• Use pre-chat surveys to collect basic information
• Offer to email transcripts after the conversation

2. Master Social Selling

Social selling can deliver a 5:1 ROI by focusing on relationship-building. The key is providing value before asking for anything in return.

Tips:

• Dedicate an hour daily to engaging on social platforms
• Listen for relevant conversations about your industry
• Connect authentically before attempting to sell

3. Ask Existing Customers for Referrals

Companies using referrals see 70% higher conversion rates and 69% faster close times. Yet many salespeople hesitate to ask for referrals due to fear of rejection or concern about cheapening relationships.

Tips:

• Create a systematic referral process
• Experiment with timing your referral requests
• Start with one referral request per day

4. Guest on Industry Podcasts

With 54% of podcast listeners more likely to consider brands they hear advertised, podcasts offer a powerful platform to reach engaged audiences.

Tips:

• Identify podcasts relevant to your industry
• Pitch yourself as a valuable guest with expertise to share
• Offer to promote the episode to your network

5. Use Webinars to Build Relationships

A remarkable 97% of B2B marketers consider webinars the best way to generate high-quality leads. The key is providing genuine value rather than delivering a sales pitch.

Tips:

• Focus on addressing audience challenges and interests
• Follow up with recordings and detailed recaps
• Integrate webinar tools with your CRM to track the customer journey

6. Connect with Website Visitors

Real-time IP tracking helps you understand who's visiting your website and what they're interested in, allowing for more targeted outreach.

Tips:

• Use tools like LeadExplorer to identify business visitors
• Reach out with relevant content based on pages viewed
• Address specific interests demonstrated by their browsing behavior

7. Build an Outreach Plan Using CRM Data

Your CRM contains valuable insights about customer relationships that can inform your outbound strategy.

Tips:

• Identify high-value customers versus time-intensive low-ROI customers
• Focus resources on prospects with the highest potential value
• Use historical data to personalize your approach

8. Send Personalized, Segmented Emails

Email marketers have seen a 760% increase in revenue from segmented campaigns. Personalization makes emails feel genuine, while segmentation ensures relevance.

Tips:

• Use first names in subject lines and greetings
• Reference specific information about the recipient
• Segment by industry, company size, or stage in the sales cycle

9. Leverage Influencer Marketing

With 80% of marketers finding influencer marketing effective, this tactic can significantly increase your brand visibility among target audiences.

Tips:

• Start with a small experimental budget
• Use platforms that help track campaign results
• Test multiple influencers rather than investing everything in one

10. Reimagine Cold Calling

While buyers complete 70% of their decision process before speaking with sales, cold calling still has value when approached thoughtfully.

Tips:

• Research prospects before calling to understand their challenges
• Provide value before asking for anything
• Use your CRM to inform conversations with relevant context

11. Master Cold Messaging on Social Media

Effective cold messaging on social platforms requires building rapport before pitching.

Tips:

• Engage with prospects' content before reaching out
• Start conversations about topics relevant to them
• Ask questions that naturally lead to your area of expertise

12. Implement Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

ABM treats each prospect as a market of one, aligning sales and marketing efforts around high-potential accounts.

Tips:

• Identify and prioritize accounts likely to deliver significant ROI
• Create customized engagement strategies for each account
• Ensure consistent messaging across all touchpoints

Building Your Outbound Sales Strategy

An effective outbound strategy requires upfront planning and the right tools. Here are the key elements:

1. Create buyer profiles by gathering information about your target customers
2. Craft a compelling value proposition that resonates with your audience
3. Develop a systematic approach starting with just one or two tactics from this list

The Relationship-First Approach

The most successful salespeople see outbound sales as an opportunity to build relationships rather than just close deals. Their primary goal is to create meaningful interactions that engage and educate prospects.

By implementing these strategies with a focus on providing value and building genuine connections, you can transform your outbound sales from intrusive interruptions into welcome conversations.

What outbound sales tactics have worked best for your business? Share your experiences in the comments below!