Stand Out in Sales [free b2b sales course]

Summary

In this sales-focused micro course, Devin Reed, a sales rep turned content strategy leader, reveals five essential plays to break through the noise and engage buyers effectively. These strategies include crafting irresistible cold email offers, using humor to lower defenses during cold calls, leveraging Cunningham's Law to avoid being ghosted, employing disarming subject lines for executive engagement, and utilizing text messaging to build momentum with buyers. Each play is designed to stand out in the competitive attention economy and drive sales success.

Takeaways

• 📈 In the current digital landscape, traditional sales tactics are insufficient due to increased distractions and noise, necessitating new strategies to capture attention and win in the attention economy.
• 🔍 Successful sellers break through the noise by using specific principles, strategies, and tactics, which are not based on luck but on repeatable and effective methods.
• 💌 Sales Play 1: Make irresistible offers in cold emails to stand out and initiate conversations, rather than directly asking for meetings which are often ignored.
• 😄 Sales Play 2: Use humor and acknowledgment in cold calls to lower the prospect's guard and get permission to pitch, avoiding the common pitfalls of aggressive sales approaches.
• 👻 Sales Play 3: Apply Cunningham's Law by giving wrong answers to provoke responses from unresponsive buyers, leveraging the human tendency to correct misinformation.
• 📧 Sales Play 4: Use disarming subject lines like 'no action required' in emails to maintain engagement with busy executive buyers and keep deals moving forward.
• 📲 Sales Play 5: Utilize texting as a communication channel with buyers to build momentum and relationships, but do so respectfully and only after establishing consent.
• 🚫 Avoid cold texting prospects as it can be perceived as invasive and spam-like, which can harm the relationship before it begins.
• 📝 Devin Reed, a sales rep turned content strategy leader, shares these insights and strategies in a micro course aimed at helping sales professionals improve their outreach and conversion rates.
• 📚 The course includes practical examples and templates for cold emails and texts, providing actionable steps for sales reps to implement these strategies in their sales cycles.

Q & A

What is the main challenge faced by salespeople in the digital age according to Devin Reed?

The main challenge is getting the attention of prospects and buyers due to an overwhelming number of distractions and noise.

Why do traditional sales tactics fail in the current digital environment?

Traditional tactics fail because they do not effectively break through the noise and engage buyers throughout the sales cycle.

What is Devin Reed's professional background?

Devin Reed is a sales rep turned content strategy leader.

What are the five sales plays Devin Reed introduces in the micro course?

The five sales plays are: 1) Making irresistible offers in cold emails, 2) Lowering the guard for smoother cold calls, 3) Giving wrong answers to avoid getting ghosted, 4) Using disarming subject lines to keep execs engaged, and 5) Unlocking texting to build momentum with buyers.

How does Devin suggest changing the call to action in cold emails to stand out?

Instead of asking for a meeting, Devin suggests making an irresistible offer that provides value without expecting anything in return.

What is the purpose of using humor in the opening line of a cold call according to Devin Reed?

Using humor is meant to lower the prospect's guard and get permission to pitch, acknowledging the awkwardness of an unannounced call.

What is Cunningham's Law and how does Devin Reed apply it in sales?

Cunningham's Law states that the best way to get the right answer on the internet is to post the wrong answer. Devin applies this by providing common reasons for unresponsiveness, hoping the buyer will correct the wrong assumption.

Why does Devin Reed recommend using the subject line 'No action required' in emails to executives?

The subject line 'No action required' is disarming and hooks the reader by indicating low lift, making them more likely to open and read the email.

What are the three tactics Devin suggests for texting buyers without being invasive?

The three tactics are: 1) Sending an intro text before the first meeting, 2) Texting a post-meeting follow-up, and 3) Asking during next steps if it's okay to text for updates.

What is Devin Reed's stance on cold texting prospects?

Devin Reed advises against cold texting prospects because it can be perceived as spammy and rub prospects the wrong way.

How does Devin Reed's micro course aim to help salespeople?

The course aims to help salespeople by teaching them specific principles, strategies, and tactics to win in the attention economy, capture attention, and convert it into pipeline and revenue.

Outlines

00:00

📨 Mastering Cold Emails with Irresistible Offers

The first paragraph emphasizes the challenge of capturing attention in a noisy digital marketplace and introduces Devin Reed's micro course on effective sales strategies. Devin, a sales expert turned content strategist, outlines the first sales play: crafting irresistible offers in cold emails to stand out and initiate more meetings. He critiques the common practice of asking for a meeting directly, which he argues is ineffective due to its ubiquity. Instead, he suggests making an unexpected offer of value upfront, like an email deliverability report, to pique interest and start a conversation. This approach is designed to build trust and set the stage for future engagement.

05:01

📞 Smoothing Cold Calls with Humor and Permission

In the second paragraph, Devin shares his personal experience and strategy for improving cold call success rates. He discusses the common defensiveness of prospects when interrupted by sales calls and introduces a method to lower their guard using humor. His approach involves acknowledging the awkwardness of cold calling and asking for permission to pitch, which he believes earns him more time and attention. Devin's opening line is designed to be friendly and casual, aiming to convert the initial 'no' or hang-up responses into more engaging conversations, ultimately leading to more meetings being booked.

10:02

👻 Avoiding Ghosting with Cunningham's Law

The third paragraph focuses on a unique tactic to avoid being ghosted by unresponsive buyers, leveraging Cunningham's Law. Devin explains that by providing potential buyers with common reasons for their silence, such as timing, price, or scope issues, he invites them to correct him if his assumptions are wrong. This strategy is based on the human tendency to correct incorrect information, thereby prompting a response. The email template provided is designed to be non-pushy and casual, aiming to re-engage buyers and get deals back on track without coming across as nagging or demanding.

🔒 Keeping Executives Engaged with 'No Action Required' Emails

In the fourth paragraph, Devin addresses the issue of keeping executives engaged during sales trials, where they often disengage after the trial begins. He introduces a subject line strategy that has a high open rate—'No action required'—and an email template that provides updates without asking for anything in return. This approach is unexpected and disarming, which Devin claims results in high engagement and positive feedback from executives. The strategy is aimed at maintaining momentum and securing executive sponsorship without being intrusive.

📲 Building Momentum with Texting in Sales

The final paragraph introduces the concept of using texting as a sales tool to build momentum with buyers. Devin argues that texting can be a powerful way to communicate when done correctly and without being invasive. He outlines three tactics for texting buyers: an intro text before the first meeting, a post-meeting text to gather feedback, and asking during next steps if texting is acceptable for updates. Devin advises against cold texting prospects due to the risk of coming off as spammy. The goal is to establish texting as a channel for more immediate and intimate communication, which can lead to stronger relationships and deals.

Keywords

💡Attention Economy

The 'Attention Economy' refers to the competition for an audience's time and attention, particularly in the context of marketing and sales. In the video, Devin Reed emphasizes the importance of standing out in the attention economy by using innovative sales tactics to capture the interest of prospects and buyers. The concept is central to the video's theme, as it addresses the challenge of cutting through the noise created by numerous distractions and competitors.

💡Irresistible Offers

In the context of the video, 'Irresistible Offers' are unique and valuable propositions made in cold emails that go beyond the typical request for a meeting. Devin Reed suggests changing the call to action from asking for time to making an irresistible offer, such as providing a valuable report or guide without any strings attached. This strategy is highlighted as a way to stand out and initiate a conversation, which is a key goal in the sales process.

💡Cold Emails

Cold emails are unsolicited messages sent to potential customers with the aim of initiating a sales conversation. The video discusses the common pitfalls of cold emailing, such as the overuse of direct calls to action that are often ignored. Devin Reed provides an alternative approach by suggesting the use of irresistible offers to book more meetings and engage prospects effectively.

💡Cold Calls

Cold calls are unsolicited phone calls made to potential customers with the intent to sell a product or service. The video script mentions Devin Reed's experience with cold calling and how he adapted his approach to be more effective. A key strategy shared is using humor and asking for permission to pitch, which contrasts with the typical aggressive sales tactics and aims to lower the prospect's guard.

💡Cunningham's Law

Cunningham's Law, as mentioned in the video, states that the best way to get the right answer on the internet is to post the wrong answer, prompting people to correct it. Devin Reed applies this concept to sales by suggesting a tactic where he provides common but potentially incorrect reasons for a buyer's lack of response, hoping the buyer will correct him and engage in a conversation.

💡Ghosted Buyers

In sales, 'ghosted buyers' are those who stop responding to communications after initially showing interest. The video provides a tactic to re-engage these buyers by sending an email that includes common reasons for their silence, with the expectation that the buyer will correct the wrong assumptions and re-engage in the sales process.

💡Disarming Subject Lines

A 'disarming subject line' is one that is designed to lower the recipient's defenses and encourage them to open the email. In the video, Devin Reed shares his strategy of using the subject line 'no action required' to keep executives engaged during a sales trial. This approach is effective because it signals to the recipient that they do not need to take immediate action, which can be appealing in a busy professional's inbox.

💡Texting in Sales

The video discusses the use of texting as a sales channel to build momentum with buyers. Devin Reed advocates for texting as a way to establish a more immediate and personal connection with prospects, provided it is done respectfully and with the buyer's consent. He outlines tactics for introducing texting into the sales process, such as sending a confirmation text before a meeting or asking for permission to text during a call.

💡Sales Plays

In the context of the video, 'Sales Plays' refer to specific strategies or tactics used to advance a sale. Devin Reed outlines five sales plays, each designed to help sales reps stand out, engage prospects, and close deals. These plays include making irresistible offers, using disarming subject lines, and leveraging texting to maintain momentum, among others.

💡Content Strategy

Content strategy in the video is mentioned as a broader approach to creating and delivering valuable content to attract and engage an audience. Devin Reed, a content strategy leader, implies that a well-crafted content strategy can help sales reps break through the noise and keep buyers engaged throughout the sales cycle. The video itself can be seen as a form of content strategy, as it aims to educate and persuade viewers to adopt the sales tactics being presented.

Highlights

The modern sales environment is challenging due to increased distractions and noise, making traditional tactics less effective.

Successful sellers use specific principles, strategies, and tactics to stand out in the attention economy.

Devin Reed, a sales expert, introduces a micro course with five sales plays to help capture attention and convert it into revenue.

Sales play one: Make irresistible offers in cold emails to stand out and book more meetings.

Traditional direct calls to action in emails often become noise; offering value first can break through.

Examples of irresistible offers include valuable guides, templates, or checklists with no strings attached.

Sales play two: Lower the prospect's guard with humor and get permission to pitch during cold calls.

Using light humor can make cold calls more effective by earning a few more seconds of the prospect's attention.

Sales play three: Apply Cunningham's Law to avoid getting ghosted by providing wrong answers and prompting correction.

By giving potential wrong reasons for non-response, you may prompt the buyer to correct you, thus re-engaging the conversation.

Sales play four: Use disarming subject lines like 'no action required' to keep executives engaged during trials.

An email template with a 'no action required' subject line can maintain engagement and momentum in deals.

Sales play five: Unlock texting as a communication channel with buyers to build momentum without being invasive.

Texting can be a powerful tool for maintaining contact and building relationships with buyers.

Tactics for effective texting include the intro text, post-meeting text, and asking during next steps for texting permissions.

Never cold text prospects to avoid coming off as spammy or disrespectful.

Opening up texting as a channel can help stand out from competitors and build stronger relationships.

Devin Reed offers a newsletter and a playbook titled 'Content that Converts' for further sales and content strategy insights.

Transcripts

It's harder than ever

to get the attention

of prospects and buyers

because there's too many

distractions and more

noise than ever before.

And relying on the

same old tactics in

the new digital playing

field doesn't work.

If you don't know how

to win in the attention

economy, your quota

and career are at risk.

Have you ever wondered

why some sellers are able

to effortlessly break

through the noise and keep

buyers engaged throughout

the entire sales cycle?

It's not luck or magic.

There are specific

principles strategies

and tactics that they

use time and time again.

That's why they win

more often make more

money and have an

almost unbelievable

amount of success.

My name is Devin Reed.

I'm a sales rep turned

content strategy leader.

This micro course gives

you the five sales plays

that help you pierce

through the noise.

capture attention,

and convert it into

pipeline and revenue.

Sales play number one is

make irresistible offers

in your cold emails.

This prospecting

tactic is going to help

you book a lot more

meetings via cold email.

Think about the number

one goal for sellers

when they're outbounding,

to book meetings.

As a result, they default

to the most direct

call to action, which

is asking for time.

Scroll to the bottom of

almost any prospecting

email, and it'll end with

something like Do you have

30 minutes to discuss?

Because prospects are

bombarded with dozens

of these asks every

single day, they've

been conditioned

to expect them.

So this email

approach becomes noise

and doesn't work.

Buyers simply

delete or reply, not

interested, instead

of taking a meeting.

So if you want to stand

out and pierce through the

noise, Do the unexpected.

Here's what to do.

Change your CTA from

asking for time to making

an irresistible offer.

Here's what it looks like.

This is an example from

Jed Marley, friend,

fellow Hooper, and head

of outbound at Mailshake.

Instead of Asking

for something, he

reaches out and gives

something valuable with

no strings attached.

In this case,

it's an email

deliverability report.

It breaks the norm and

does the exact opposite

of what most sellers

do in their outreach.

And that's why

it's so effective.

Plus, the offer is so

relevant and compelling

that it's hard to resist.

You can create a

powerful offer too.

It could be a quick step

by step guide, like the

one you're watching now,

a copy paste template that

they can apply to their

job, Or a checklist that

shows them exactly how to

reach a specific outcome.

Remember, your first goal

when prospecting isn't

to book a meeting, it's

to spark a conversation.

If you want to get on your

prospect's radar and build

trust, make a deposit of

immense value before you

ever ask for anything.

That's how you stand out

and book more meetings.

with irresistible offers.

All right, next, you're

going to learn the all

time best cold call

opener that I ever wrote.

Sales play number two

is lower their guard

for smoother cold calls.

I spent the first six

years of my career as

a SaaS sales rep you

And I took pride in

building my own pipeline.

I didn't have much SDR

or marketing help for

most of my career, so

I had to learn how to

cold call confidently

and effectively.

But I didn't start

out that way.

After being hung up on,

cursed at, and told,

not interested, stop

calling, I realized

something had to change.

I needed to tweak

my approach.

So I asked myself, why

do most cold calls fail?

There are a lot

of reasons, but I

realized that prospects

get defensive.

They've been interrupted

by a stranger, and

once they realize

it's a salesperson,

they expect to be sold

to, which they hate.

So after tons of trial

and error, I discovered

a cold call opening

line that works almost

every single time.

My goal was simple.

Lower their guard, and

get permission to pitch.

I decided to use light

humor to lower their

guard, then acknowledge

the awkward scenario and

get permission to pitch.

that I caused by calling

them unannounced.

My hope was that by

immediately showing

high emotional

intelligence, I'd earn

a few more precious

seconds on the phone.

And just like that,

my best cold call

opening line was born.

Here it is.

Hey Chris, this is

Devin from Sell Better.

I know I'm catching

you on the fly.

Did I catch you

at a good time?

If there is such a thing?

Tonality and timing

are huge here.

I deliver it like I'm

calling my friend.

Calm and casual.

Then after the pause,

I say it with genuine

curiosity and a smile so

they recognize I fully

understand there's no

good time for a cold call.

This works because most

salespeople bulldoze

prospects and jump right

into a pitch without ever

asking for permission.

This repels prospects

because they feel

disrespected when

called unannounced

and pitch slapped.

By doing the unexpected,

I went from no's and

hang ups to to laughter

and, all right,

what you got, Devin?

And that led to

better calls and

more meetings booked.

Give it a try.

You can use what I wrote

word for word or tweak

it for your own style.

You'll have smoother

conversations, more

confident delivery,

and a lot more success.

Next up, how to get

replies from buyers

who ghosted you using

an unusual tactic.

Fail's play number three

is give wrong answers to

avoid getting ghosted.

I gotta say, this

is straight up my

favorite sales tactic,

mostly because it's

counterintuitive, and

it solves one of the

most annoying parts

of being in sales.

You're going to learn

how to use Cunningham's

Law to get unresponsive

buyers to come out of

the dark and give you

meaningful responses.

Let's start with context.

Cunningham's Law states,

the best way to get

the right answer on the

internet is to is not to

ask a question, it's to

post the wrong answer.

For example, in forums

like Reddit, simply

asking a question

often gets crickets

instead of responses.

But when someone posts

incorrect information,

people jump into the

conversation to provide

the right answer.

It's like people can't

resist correcting

information.

I was curious if this

phenomena could be

applied to buyers who

are in a sales cycle but

stop responding to me.

If you've ever chased a

buyer who's ghosting you,

you know the messages

are usually a mix of just

following up or recycling

the same CTA based on your

previous conversation.

And neither work.

So I made an email

template for when buyers

become unresponsive.

It's a small sample

size, but it's literally

worked every single time.

Here's the email template.

Hey, Suze, are we still

pacing toward the live

workshop for your team?

Usually when I don't

hear back after sending

an SOW it's because

there's a conversation

to be had around

timing, price, or scope.

Let me know if that's

it or if it's something

else that has us on hold.

Here's why it works.

By providing the three

common reasons why a

buyer would avoid me,

timing changed, price

is too high, or scope

has shifted, I make

it easy for my buyer

to pick an answer.

But, that's not

the real strategy.

My hope is that they'll

recognize one of those

is the wrong reason, and

and respond to correct

me, either by picking

one of those answers or

replying with a completely

different reason.

Both give me information

to help me get the

deal back on track.

The tone of the email

is to keep it short

and casual so it's

easy to read and reply.

I am specifically not

being pushy, naggy, or

guilting my prospect

into replying to me.

You can steal this

template for the next

time you get ghosted.

Just change the details

to fit your deal and

selling scenario.

It'll turn ghosts into

responsive buyers and move

deals forward and build

a healthier pipeline.

All right, next up,

my email template for

keeping the attention of

busy executive buyers.

On to sales play

number four.

Use disarming

subject lines to

keep execs engaged.

Back when I was a

sales rep, I ran free

trials as part of my

sales process, and they

were critical because

a good trial almost

guaranteed a closed deal.

But there was a problem.

It was hard as hell

to keep decision

makers involved.

More specifically,

they faded out of the

scene once the trial

started, insisting

they'd rejoin once I had

something to show them.

Problem was, once they

mentally unsubscribed,

It was often impossible

to get them back.

And even on the few

occasions I managed

to reel them back in,

their interest cooled.

Then asking for the

business was usually

met with disinterest.

I realized I needed

to prevent this from

ever happening in

the first place.

I needed a way to stay

top of mind during the

trial and get them to

attend the trial recap

meeting with as much

context as possible.

The answer?

A three word subject

line that has a near 100

percent open rate, plus

a simple but incredibly

effective email template.

The subject line is

no action required.

Hey Emma, sending

a quick update

regarding your trial.

I just met with Brittany

and we uncovered two

use cases to help grow

Pipeline and EMEA to

support your international

expansion initiative.

The reps are adopting

the platform and sharing

positive reviews.

Next, I'm speaking to

Brian to walk through

integrations and

security review process.

for joining us.

No action required at

the moment, I'll circle

back in a few weeks to

schedule time for me

and you to walk through

the rest of the results.

Talk soon.

This thing works

beautifully, damn

near flawlessly, and

that's because it does

two things that are

completely unexpected.

First, the subject

line is disarming.

Sentence case, no action

required, hooks my reader

in because it appears

low lift, since up

front I'm telling them

they don't need to do

anything but read it.

And two, my CTA

asks for nothing.

I know buyers are

conditioned to expect

sellers to ask for

something, time, money,

access, so instead,

much like sales play

number one, I give

instead of take.

Oddly enough.

I got a lot of replies,

despite specifically

not asking for one.

And the next email

almost always landed the

meeting I really wanted.

Even crazier, after

closing the deal,

execs would commend

me and thank me for

this email approach.

Give it a shot next

time you want to hook

an exec and keep them

involved in your deal.

You'll stay above the

power line, maintain

deal momentum, and unlock

critical exec sponsorship.

All right, y'all, the

final sales play is here,

and it's got nothing to do

with cold calls or email.

The final sales play

isn't about how to

stand out, but where.

Sales play number five is

unlock texting to build

momentum with your buyers.

Let me be clear.

You should 100 percent

be texting your buyers.

The trick is doing it

without being invasive.

Here are three ways you

can start texting your

buyers without pissing

them off or overstepping.

Tactic one,

the intro text.

Text the morning before

your first meeting.

All it takes is a

quick, Hey Sam, Devin

from The Reader here.

Are we still on

for our call at 11?

Looking forward to it.

Keep it casual

and to the point.

If they reply, you've

opened up a new channel

to use in the future.

Tactic number two,

the post meeting text.

Text your main point of

contact or champion right

after a group call with

a simple, Hey, how do

you think the call went?

This is a great way to

get comfortable with

your point of contact.

You'll also get

important feedback

you probably wouldn't

have gotten otherwise.

Tactic number three,

Ask during next steps.

Next time you're wrapping

up next steps on a

call, say these words.

Email is easy to get

lost in the shuffle.

Do you text?

This is going to seem

extremely obvious

and that's the point.

The answer for 99

percent of people

is, yeah, of course.

And then you can

say, cool, me too.

I'll share updates if

that's all right, but

I'll keep it light.

What's the best

number to reach you?

Unless they say no

thanks, you're good to go.

Bonus tip.

And this is a D

read hot take.

Never cold text prospects.

This is my hot take

for one reason, it's

too easy to get wrong.

In a world of spam

and not always the

best cold outreach,

this could rub your

prospect the wrong way.

And that's not worth

the risk in my opinion.

Opening up texting as

a channel is the way to

box out your competitors,

especially during a

crowded evaluation.

Your buyers are human

and have emotions, so

don't overthink it.

It's all good

to text them.

And because you've

earned the right to

a more immediate and

intimate communication

channel, you'll build

stronger relationships

and stronger deals.

All right, here's

what's next.

First, you can subscribe

to my newsletter, The

Content Strategy Reader.

You'll get content

strategy and creation

tips delivered straight to

your inbox every Saturday.

And if you really

want to step up your

content game, I just

published my playbook

content that converts,

which teaches you how

to stand out, build an

audience and get clients

in 30 days or less.

That's it for today.

Shout out to sell

better for putting

this course together.

I'll holler at you later.