The Complete Outbound Sales Playbook

This comprehensive guide will take you from zero to mastery in outbound sales, with specific approaches for both startups and enterprise companies.

1. Understanding Your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)

Startup ICP Research Process

1. Initial Market Analysis

   • Company size: 50-500 employees
   • Annual revenue: $5M-$50M
   • Industry verticals: Start with 2-3 specific verticals
   • Geographic location: Start local, expand gradually
   • Tech stack: Compatible technologies
   • Pain points: Urgent, solvable problems

2. Data Collection Sources

   • LinkedIn Sales Navigator
   • Crunchbase
   • G2 Crowd
   • Industry reports
   • Competitor case studies

Enterprise ICP Research Process

1. Comprehensive Analysis

   • Company size: 1000+ employees
   • Annual revenue: $100M+
   • Industry presence: Global/regional leaders
   • Regulatory requirements
   • Decision-making structure
   • Current vendor relationships

2. Advanced Research Tools

   • ZoomInfo
   • Gartner reports
   • Industry-specific databases
   • Annual reports
   • Earnings calls transcripts

Research Template

2. Persona Development

Key Personas for Startups

1. Founder/CEO

   • Pain points: Growth, efficiency, cost
   • Motivations: Quick wins, ROI, competitive advantage
   • Communication style: Direct, value-focused
   • Decision authority: High

2. Head of Department

   • Pain points: Team productivity, resource constraints
   • Motivations: Department success, measurable results
   • Communication style: Practical, results-oriented
   • Decision authority: Medium to High

Key Personas for Enterprise

1. C-Level Executive

   • Pain points: Strategic impact, risk management
   • Motivations: Market leadership, innovation
   • Communication style: Strategic, business outcome-focused
   • Decision authority: Final approval

2. Director/VP Level

   • Pain points: Operational efficiency, team performance
   • Motivations: Departmental goals, career growth
   • Communication style: Detail-oriented, process-focused
   • Decision authority: Recommendation power

3. LinkedIn Outreach Templates

First Connection Request

Make sure to personalize the message with the problem they might be looking to solve. Never send a generic message.

Do not follow random templates which does not make sense for the persona. Your research on the person should speak volumes about the person you are reaching out to.

4. Research and Personalization Process

Pre-Outreach Checklist

1. Company Research

   • Recent news
   • Press releases
   • Funding rounds
   • Product launches
   • Leadership changes

2. Contact Research

   • LinkedIn activity
   • Published content
   • Speaking engagements
   • Professional background
   • Shared connections

3. Industry Context

   • Market trends
   • Competitor moves
   • Regulatory changes
   • Technology shifts
   • Economic factors