What is Outbound Sales?

Definition

Outbound sales is a proactive sales strategy where a salesperson initiates contact with a potential customer who has not previously expressed interest in their product or service. This process, often referred to as « prospecting, » involves identifying and reaching out to potential leads through methods like cold calling, emailing, or social media. The goal is to create awareness, generate interest, and build a pipeline of new opportunities.

Examples

• Cold Calling: A Business Development Representative (BDR) calls a list of target contacts who fit their company’s Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) to introduce their solution.
• Cold Emailing: A salesperson sends personalized email sequences to key decision-makers at target companies to start a conversation about their business challenges.
• Social Selling: A sales professional uses a platform like LinkedIn to identify potential prospects, connect with them, and share valuable content to build a relationship before making a sales pitch.
• Event Prospecting: Attending an industry conference to network and initiate conversations with potential customers directly.

Advantages/Benefits

• Precise Targeting: Allows you to specifically target high-value accounts or niche markets that might not be reached through inbound marketing.
• Creates Demand: Generates new opportunities proactively rather than waiting for leads to come to you, giving you more control over your sales pipeline.
• Faster Feedback: Direct interaction with the market provides immediate feedback on your messaging, pricing, and overall value proposition.
• Predictable Pipeline Growth: When done systematically, outbound sales can create a consistent and predictable flow of new leads.

Related terms

• BDR (Business Development Representative)
• Prospecting
• Lead Generation
• Cold Calling
• ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
• Sales Cadence