Making Outbound Work for a B2B SaaS Founder (From a Real Coaching Session).
Ever get stuck in a cycle of sending emails and wondering if anyone’s really reading them? That was the challenge for Scott, a SaaS founder who wanted to break through to busy marketers but was tired of the standard playbook. He knew his product could help agencies cut down on fake leads and improve ROI, but making that pitch engaging was proving tricky.
Rethink the Approach with Visuals and Punchy Questions
When Scott came to me, we started by rethinking his approach to cold outreach. Instead of the usual wordy emails, we crafted short, visual messages. Think GIFs showing the platform in action, paired with a quick, pointed question like, “Are you spending budget on junk leads?” We wanted each email to be as easy to digest as a quick snack, not a heavy meal, making it simple for prospects to understand the value without much effort.
Grab Attention with Humor and Pattern Interruptions
We discussed the power of humor and pattern interruption in cold calls. Instead of the classic “Hi, is this Bill?”, I suggested a friendlier cold calling opener to catch attention: “Hey Bill, don’t worry, this isn’t anything religious or about politics, I just had a quick marketing question for you, is that ok do you have a sec?” This approach instantly broke down resistance, setting a relaxed tone and engaging people in a non-defensive way. Small tweaks like these made Scott’s calls feel more human and genuine, which increased engagement with prospects.
Appeal to the Agency’s Real Pain Points
Scott’s main hurdle? Convincing agencies to adopt his tool when they’re often incentivized by high lead volume—even if some of those leads are garbage. To tackle this, we crafted messaging focused on helping agencies earn more revenue per lead and reducing client churn by delivering better, more trustworthy data. This resonated far more than generic promises of “better data”—it spoke directly to agencies’ financial pain points and retention goals.
Get Responses with Simple Follow-Ups
For follow-up emails, we created a “ballpark pricing” email to nudge interest. Just three sentences asking if they’d like a ballpark estimate. Non-committal and simple, this format prompted responses without pushing for a meeting too early. And if they still didn’t respond? Scott’s follow-up strategy involved calling anyone who had opened the email multiple times but hadn’t replied. Using Apollo to track these opens, Scott could focus on leads who were at least curious enough to engage, creating a more targeted warm lead list.
Showcase Social Proof on the Website
Lastly, I encouraged Scott to put a strong testimonial front and center on his website. One of his clients had shared that Scott’s product was the only one that ever worked for them, and I knew that type of real-world social proof would resonate with his audience. It’s one thing to talk about benefits, but it’s another to let a real customer story add credibility, helping potential clients visualize how the product could work for them too.
