Selling into companies with long sales cycles can feel like running a marathon with blinders on. Complex sales typically involve large-ticket deals, multiple approvals, and extensive back-and-forth communication.
The decision maker — the person who ultimately signs off on the deal — is your key contact in any B2B sales process. They are often a VP, Director, or C-level executive, depending on the company’s size. They care about ROI, risk, and results. Your message needs to speak their language — one that is strategic and outcome-driven.
Research: The First Step to Precision Targeting
Before you write a single email or pick up the phone, you need to know who you’re talking to — and what they care about. Research isn’t busywork. It’s how you ensure you target decision makers directly, rather than wasting time on low-influence contacts. It also helps you avoid wasting time chasing contacts who can’t move the deal forward.
- Use LinkedIn to map org charts: Check company pages and employee lists. Look at job titles, reporting structures, and shared posts. You can piece together who is involved in which department and who likely holds decision-making power.
- Dig into the company’s content: Their website, blog, and press releases are goldmines. Look for recent updates: Are they hiring? Expanding into new markets? Launching new products? These shifts suggest challenges or priorities you can address in your outreach.
- Spot pain points and initiatives: Reveal what matters most to decision makers — these insights make your outreach timely and relevant. Pay attention to patterns. A hiring spree in engineering? They’re scaling. A new CMO? Expect marketing changes. Mentioning these moves in your outreach shows you’ve done your homework — and that your solution is relevant now.
- Use the right tools: Sales Navigator, ZoomInfo, Clearbit, and other data platforms can give you deeper insights, from direct emails to job changes and buying intent signals. Use these tools to verify your assumptions and fill in any blanks.
If you’re unsure where to start, consider partnering with a lead generation company. SalesAR specializes in B2B sales outreach and knows how to communicate with decision-makers, influence their choices, and accelerate deal velocity.
Build a Multi-Channel Outreach Plan
Once you have identified the right decision makers, it’s time to reach out to them consistently across multiple channels. People are busy. Some ignore emails, others don’t check LinkedIn. That’s why a multi-channel strategy gives you the best shot.
Here’s how to stack your outreach:
- Email: Still the bread and butter. Keep it short, relevant, and personalized. Mention something specific from your research. Always include a clear call-to-action, and avoid asking for a 30-minute commitment on the first touch.
- LinkedIn: Connect with a thoughtful message. Don’t pitch right away. Engage with their content, comment on posts, and build familiarity before sliding into DMs.
- Phone: Yes, cold calling still works — if it’s done smartly. Call after you’ve made an impression via email or LinkedIn. Voicemails should be quick and reference your other touchpoints.
- Referrals: Utilize mutual connections whenever possible. A warm intro from someone inside the company or a shared network adds instant credibility.
Most replies come after the 4th or 5th touch: consistency and timing matter. You’re not being pushy — you’re showing persistence and professionalism.
Craft Personalized, Value-Centric Messaging
You’ve done the research. You know who you’re reaching out to. Now it’s time actually to say something that makes them stop and pay attention. The fastest way to get ignored? Sending a generic pitch with a list of features no one asked for.
- Speak to their role: A CFO wants to hear about cost savings or return on investment (ROI). A Marketing Director wants better campaign performance. A Head of IT wants reliability and ease of integration. Tailor your value to what they care about, not what your product does in a vacuum.
- Focus on outcomes, not features: Don’t just say “our platform offers customizable dashboards.” Say “our clients reduced reporting time by 40% in the first month.” Be specific. Be relevant. Make it about results.
- Use insights and social proof: Did they just raise funding or launch a new initiative? Bring it up. Have you helped a similar company in their industry? Mention that. A quick stat or case study can instantly build credibility and interest.
Conclusion
Chasing every contact in a complex sales cycle is a recipe for burnout. Real success comes from knowing how to target decision makers with the right message, at the right time — especially in B2B sales.