Quantum's Sales Blitz as a Service Best Practices Playbook

The 6 C’s of Sales

A Data-Driven Framework for Building Consistent Pipeline

Calls: Activity at the Top of the Funnel

• Measure daily/weekly call volume to gauge rep productivity
• Key Metrics: Total dials, talk time per rep
• Purpose: Fill the top of the funnel and establish rep rhythm
• Coaching Tips: Set dial goals, address time blocking discipline

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Connections: Are We Reaching People?

• Measure effectiveness of dialing tools and list quality
• Key Metrics: Connection rate, time to first connect
• Purpose: Diagnose list, script, or tool issues
• Coaching Tips: Optimize timing, list sources, and scripting

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Conversations: Are We Talking to the Right People?

• Focus on right-party contacts and decisionmaker conversations
• Key Metrics: Conversation length, qualified discovery calls
• Purpose: Improve targeting and gatekeeper navigation
• Coaching Tips: Train on permission-based openers, roleplays

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Conversions: Are We Creating Next Steps?

• Track ability to move conversations into sales motion
• Key Metrics: Meeting rate, lead hand-off velocity
• Purpose: Identify strengths/weaknesses in positioning
• Coaching Tips: Reinforce objection handling and CTAs

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Closes: Are We Driving Revenue?

• Measure the effectiveness of the entire sales cycle
• Key Metrics: Close rate, revenue per meeting
• Purpose: Understand hand-off quality and follow-through
• Coaching Tips: Analyze AE feedback, use call recordings

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Capturing Data: Build a Flywheel, Not a Silo

• Enable continuous learning and system improvements
• Key Metrics: CRM hygiene, activity tracking, stage duration
• Purpose: Drive insight-based coaching and decisions
• Coaching Tips: Leverage automation, set CRM standards

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Bringing It All Together

• Each C builds on the last to optimize your sales engine
• Use this framework for onboarding, reviews, and dashboards
• Let data lead, but let coaching drive performance
• Call to Action: Implement this across tools like HubSpot or Salesforce

Next: Targets and Lists

Lead Lists

An accurate lead list is the bedrock of a successful outbound call campaign. It empowers your team to engage with the right prospects, deliver personalized messages, and drive positive business outcomes.

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Data Sources

We strongly advise integrating warm leads into your call campaign strategy. These warm leads encompass prospects you've already engaged with through marketing efforts or previous calls. This category can also extend to existing customers who are ripe for upselling.

Our RevEfficiency model operates on a fundamental principle: prioritize optimizing opportunities within your existing customer base and the leads in closest proximity. It's about capitalizing on the potential within familiar territory before venturing into new waters. The overarching objective is revenue maximization, focusing efforts on prospects with higher odds of conversion, rather than expending resources on colder leads with lower chances of success.

When it comes net new lead lists, we'd like to understand whether you'll be supplying the net new leads or if Quantum will be responsible for furnishing these lists.

List of Lists

1. KEEP: Retain Your Current Clients

The foundation of revenue efficiency is protecting what you already have. These lists help ensure you don’t lose existing accounts.

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• Current Clients: Maintain relationships, track activity, and ensure ongoing value delivery.
• Setting Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs): Schedule structured, strategic reviews to show value and uncover new opportunities.
• Upcoming Lease End Dates: Pinpoint contracts nearing renewal; a natural moment to upsell, refresh equipment, or renegotiate terms.
• Surveys: Capture client satisfaction, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and service gaps before churn risk emerges.
• Check-in Calls: Simple “how are things going?” touchpoints that surface needs early and keep competitors out.

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2. GROW: Expand Inside Current Accounts

Once retention is secure, maximize wallet share with your existing base.

• Cross-Sell Services to Current Clients: Sell adjacent products (e.g., if they have copiers, introduce Managed IT).
• Upsell to Current Clients: Move them to a higher package, add features, or expand seats/licenses.
• Re-Sell to Current Clients: Replace outdated or underperforming solutions with your upgraded offering.
• Leads from Clients: Ask for introductions to other departments, divisions, or affiliated companies.

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3. MULTIPLY: Turn Clients into Multipliers

This leverages relationships and networks to accelerate new revenue.

• Referrals: Create a systematic referral program to generate introductions.
• Former Customers Who Have Changed Jobs: Track past champions who moved companies (high-conversion opportunities).
• LinkedIn Contacts: Expand into second-degree networks from your current client base.

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4. CONVERT: Re-Engage Warm or Missed Opportunities

• This is the largest and most diverse category: all about turning warm, neglected, or unfinished opportunities into revenue. Each list is designed to systematically ensure no opportunity slips through.
• Former Clients: Win back accounts that churned. Often easier than net-new if the break wasn’t due to performance.
• Stalled Deals: Deals stuck in pipeline with no recent activity; re-ignite them with new messaging or timing.
• Past Meetings: No Deal, Contacts you’ve met but didn’t close; check if conditions have changed.
• Lost Deals: Deals lost to competitors; re-approach when contracts expire or competitors underperform.
• Past Deals: Any deal discussed historically (open, closed, or stalled); revisit with updated solutions.
• Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs): Prospects who showed marketing engagement but weren’t yet ready to buy.
• Form Submissions: Leads who filled out a form (demo request, content download, pricing inquiry).
• Webinar Attendees: Participants who actively engaged in your webinar.
• Webinar Registrants (Didn’t Attend): Registered interest but missed the session; still a buying signal.
• Contact Us: Direct inbound inquiries; often high intent but require fast follow-up.
• Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs): Leads vetted by sales but not yet converted; need re-engagement.
• Leads Not Contacted in Last 30/60/90 Days: Opportunities left untouched; ensures consistent follow-up.
• Open Deals: Any active deal in pipeline; monitor and push toward decision.
• No Follow-Up for 30/60/90 Days: Pipeline contacts who’ve gone cold due to lack of outreach.
• Website Visitor Leads: Prospects identified through site tracking (often enriched via ZoomInfo, HubSpot, or intent data).
• Trade Show Attendees: Leads gathered at events; typically warm due to face-to-face exposure.
• Follow-Ups: All tasks created for next steps; ensure they don’t get missed.
• No-Shows: Prospects who scheduled but didn’t attend; often still interested, just poor timing.

This category is about recapturing demand you already paid to generate (events, marketing, sales calls). It often delivers the fastest wins in the model.

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5. EXPAND: Go After Net-New Clients

• This is the “outer layer” of the RevEfficiency model: net new logos that match your Ideal Client Profile (ICP).
• Net New Clients: First-time prospects with no prior relationship.
• Net New Client with Specific Intent Topics: Prospects showing research intent on solutions you provide (ZoomInfo intent signals, Google trends).
• Target Accounts: High-value accounts strategically chosen (ABM).
• ICP Persona: Leads who match your Ideal Client Profile criteria.
• Buyer Personas: Contacts matching specific decision-making roles (CIO, CFO, IT Manager, etc.).
• ZoomInfo Intent Leads: Accounts showing intent on buying signals (research, content engagement).
• ZoomInfo Scoops Leads: Accounts with new developments (leadership changes, funding, M&A) that indicate opportunity.
• Leads Meeting Your Buyer Persona and ICP Criteria: The highest-priority prospects who perfectly fit your profile.

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More on each stage

• Grow: Find Upsell Opportunities in Your Customer Base
• Grow: Build a Resell List From Current and Past Clients
• Convert: How to Work Your Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)
• Convert: How to Work Your Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)
• Convert: Revisit Past Meetings That Never Became Deals
• Convert: How to Reactivate Stalled Deals
• Convert: Re-engage Lost Deals Before Their Contract Renews
• Convert: How to Win Back Former Clients

Mining for Gold: Unlock Hidden Revenue in HubSpot

Overview

Your CRM is full of opportunities you’ve already paid to acquire, they’re just buried in call notes, account notes, or forgotten deals. Quantum’s Mining for Gold process surfaces these hidden signals so your team can re-engage and close overlooked deals.

Instead of only focusing on net-new leads, we help you recover sunk client acquisition costs (CAC) by finding deals where the buying intent is already visible, but never acted on.

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The Mining for Gold Process

Step 1: Define Your “Gold Keywords & Tracked Terms”

Build a keyword library that your team can use to mine call notes and account notes. Examples include:

• Competitors: “Canon,” “Ricoh,” “Microsoft,” “Outsourced IT provider”
• Renewals/Timing: “Contract ends,” “lease renewal,” “expires in,” “vendor up for review”
• Outsourcing: “Managed IT,” “outsourced security,” “outsourced helpdesk”
• Buying Triggers: “Budget reset,” “switching vendors,” “leadership change”

Best Practice: Store this keyword list in a shared document and update quarterly.

Example: for Office Equipment and Managed IT it may be:

Call Notes contains exactly 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 1 year, 1 yr, 2 year, 2 years, 2 yr, 2 yrs, 3 year, 3 years, 3 yr, 3 yrs, 4 year, 4 years, 4 yr, 4 yrs, 5 year, 5 years, 5 yr, 5 yrs, Agreement, Agreements, already have, another company, another year, Applied, Canon, comes up, coming up, Contract, contracted, Contracting, Contracts, COTG, current company, End, End Date, exp, expiration, expired, expires, expiring, five year, five years, for another expires, four year, four years, happy with, has someone, have someone, HP, IT company, HPS, just go, just signed, Konica, Lease, Lease Agreement, Leased, Leases, Leasing, managed IT company, MPS, MSP, one year, outsource, outsourced, outsourcing, Provider, remaining, renew, renewal, renewed, renewing, renews, Ricoh, sign, signed, three year, three years, Toshiba, two year, two years, up in, Vendor, works with, Xerox, years left, or yrs left

Step 2: Mine Call Notes & Transcriptions

Use HubSpot’s Calls object to search across call logs and recordings.

Apply filters for “Call Notes contains [keyword]” to pull conversations with hidden triggers.

Create saved views like:

• Calls mentioning a competitor
• Calls referencing contract/lease dates
• Calls mentioning outsourced IT

This ensures reps don’t just rely on memory, the system surfaces overlooked opportunities.

Step 3: Mine Account Notes (Global Search)

Use HubSpot’s global search bar to look for gold keywords across all account notes, calls, and engagements.

Create filtered views like:

• “Notes contains ‘renewal’”
• “Notes contains competitor name”

This allows you to mine insights even if they were never tied to a deal or logged properly.

Step 4: Build Call Lists Around Engagement Gaps

Combine mining keywords with activity-based call lists to ensure no deal is forgotten. Examples:

• Contacts associated with deals that have no engagement in 30, 60, 90 days
• Stalled deals in pipeline (no next activity logged)
• Deals with no associated contacts or companies
• Former clients with no contact in 90 to 180 days

These lists create “catch-up” call blitzes, ensuring reps always have a prioritized set of warm opportunities.

Step 5: Automate with Smart Lists & Workflows

Smart Lists: Segment deals and contacts with gold keywords, stalled activity, or upcoming renewal dates.

Workflows: Trigger tasks or notifications when a keyword is detected or a deal hits an inactivity threshold.

Example: If a deal has no activity in 60 days → auto-create a task for the owner.

Example: If call notes include “renewal” → add company to Renewal Watchlist.

Step 6: Run Quarterly Mining Reviews

Align this process with Sales Blitz and QBRs.

Review mined lists, prioritize by revenue potential, and assign ownership.

Track conversions from mined leads to prove ROI.

Why It Works

• Maximizes ROI: Recovers opportunities from past investments.
• Shortens Sales Cycles: Prospects already know you.
• Creates Accountability: Lists + workflows ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
• Scalable: Run every quarter to fuel pipeline alongside net-new outreach.

Ideal Client Profile(ICP)& Buyer Personas

Whether you're furnishing the lead list or Quantum is sourcing the data, the utmost importance lies in having a well-defined Ideal Client Profile (ICP) and Buyer Personas. This clarity serves as a pivotal foundation for targeted and effective outreach.

Lead List Format

Lead lists you are providing to Quantum should be submitted as a CSV file in the following template, which will be provided to you. If you are submitting lists for specific reps, we will need a separate file for each sales rep.

Next: Messaging and Training

Messaging / Training

Attached is a video message from Chris Beall, CEO of Connect and Sell that provides important insight on the type of messaging

Breakthrough Messaging with Chris Beall, CEO of Connect and Sell

Open the training video

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Breakthrough Script: Framework

Phase 1, Version 1

©Quantum Business Solutions, Shawn Peterson

PDF Version of this Template: https://hubs.ly/Q02HmHj30

Word Document Version: https://hubs.ly/Q02HmHh80

Tone: Non-supplicative, confident without pushy…to be delivered authentically and with just enough of a stammer and a thoughtful grasping for words so it feels non-scripted. Deliver with slightly above a monotone hitting the emphasis on the highlighted words… (your status alignment will come from this tone). This is NOT to be delivered with overt enthusiasm).

We should come across as:
1. “Pre-chasm” Thought leaders, we are Company name…We passionately CARE about the entire client experience…from the pitch to the sale to the technology impact!

2. Seasoned professionals, utilize deeper tones, slower pace, more ‘banking and executive-like,” and less small talk. Confident but never cocky.

3. Very collaborative in setting up any next steps or passing on “one-pager executive briefing documents” (Tier 2 leads) No neediness!

Pace: Tease this with a slow and “careful” pace out of the gate and proceed faster with each paragraph until the “nurture” step when asking for the meeting. These are predominantly business owners, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, partners…so be aware of unnecessary modulation and be conscious of your attitude!

Regions: Target Region

Additional Information: Have the website up in your browser for additional reference and soundbites.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Tip: You have 7 seconds to create trust on a cold call

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Breakthrough Messaging Framework

Response Matrix

Breakdown of Breakthrough Messaging Framework

After You Ask for Their Calendar

Next: Rep Performance

PREPARATION for Reps: Day Prior to Calling

Review your lists to know what persona you will be speaking with.

Review script/screenplay to familiarize yourself with what you will say.

Roleplay/Practice script with a co-worker/manager. Practice, practice, practice until it feels natural.

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Calling Day

Always access Connect and Sell through Google Chrome browser.

Access Google Chrome in ‘INCOGNITO’ mode by clicking on the 3 dots located in the top right corner of your screen, select “New Incognito Window."

Once signed onto Connect and Sell, refresh your lists. You do this by clicking on the 3 dots located on the right side of your screen next to the list you will be working. Hit the button with the 2 swirling arrows in the ‘List Actions’.

Once the lists are refreshed, change your Caller ID to ‘Local Touch’. This will show a local number that you will be calling from.

List Prioritization

For each blitz day, it is crucial for your sales reps to adopt a strategic approach to maximize their opportunities. Here's how they should prioritize their calls.

Start with No Shows and Follow-Ups

Sales reps should kick off their calling sessions by prioritizing No Shows and Follow-Ups if there are callable targets in these lists. These are contacts who have previously engaged and have explicitly expressed interest in meeting or being contacted again later. Notably, they have already demonstrated their responsiveness (picker-uppers) and are statistically 50% more likely to accept a meeting compared to other call categories.

Manager-Assigned Lists

Next in line are lists specifically assigned by their respective managers for the day's blitz. Reps should diligently work through these lists, adhering to any specific instructions provided by their managers. This ensures that we address high-priority leads and opportunities as directed by your leadership.

Strategic List Selection

In the absence of explicit directions, reps should prioritize calling lists that hold the highest likelihood of conversion. This includes identifying upsell opportunities among existing customers and focusing on leads that have been nurtured and warmed up through marketing efforts. By targeting leads that are more likely to convert, we can make the most efficient use of calling time.

By following this prioritization strategy, sales reps can make the most of their blitz days, optimizing their efforts for higher engagement, conversion rates, and ultimately, success in building your sales pipeline.

Call Dispositions Overview:

In Connect and Sell, call dispositions refer to the categorization and labeling of the outcomes of sales or prospecting calls. Each call is assigned a disposition to document what happened during the call, such as whether it was a successful connection, a voicemail, a not interested response, a follow-up required, and so on.

The importance of appropriately dispositioning calls in Connect and Sell cannot be overstated. Here are key reasons why it's crucial:

Tracking Progress: Dispositions help sales teams track their progress and performance over time. By categorizing calls accurately, you can measure metrics like conversion rates, response rates, and success rates.

Segmentation: Properly labeled dispositions enable you to segment your leads and prospects effectively. This segmentation can inform your follow-up strategy, ensuring that you tailor your messaging to the specific needs and interests of each group.

Personalization: Call dispositions provide valuable insights into a prospect's objections, interests, or concerns. This information is vital for crafting highly personalized follow-up emails and messages that address their specific pain points.

Lead Nurturing: By dispositioning calls appropriately, you can identify warm leads that require immediate follow-up and prioritize them over colder leads. This ensures that your team focuses its efforts on leads more likely to convert.

Feedback Loop: Dispositions facilitate a feedback loop between the sales team and the marketing team. Marketing can use disposition data to refine lead generation strategies, content, and messaging to better resonate with prospects.

Compliance and Reporting: Accurate call dispositions are essential for regulatory compliance, especially in industries with strict calling regulations. They also provide a foundation for generating meaningful reports and analytics.

Sales Forecasting: Disposition data plays a role in sales forecasting, helping organizations project future revenue and set realistic sales goals based on historical call outcomes.

Efficiency: When calls are dispositioned correctly, sales reps can quickly identify the next steps required for each lead, streamlining their workflow and improving productivity.

In summary, call dispositions in Connect and Sell serve as a critical tool for managing and optimizing the sales process. They enable sales teams to track progress, personalize outreach, prioritize leads, and maintain compliance. By consistently and accurately dispositioning calls, you can improve your follow-up strategies and increase the likelihood of converting leads into customers.

Sales Reps require comprehensive training to ensure the accurate marking of custom call dispositions, thereby enhancing the precision of future interactions. Equally vital is preventing the improper labeling of calls as "Do Not Call," which could inadvertently exclude viable leads from further engagement. Additionally, it is imperative to conduct regular reporting reviews to identify and address instances where specific reps disproportionately apply disqualifying dispositions. For such individuals, personalized training may be necessary.

Custom call dispositions can be configured in both Connect and Sell and HubSpot, unlocking the potential for automated sequences and workflows based on these dispositions.

Select Appropriate Call Dispositions

Select the correct disposition when the call is completed by using the attached reference table. This should be kept in sight while dialing.

Overview:

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Call Disposition Standards:

Conversion Rate:

Over 5% Pass

3, 5% Neutral

Under 3% Fail

Meeting No Show Rate:

65% + Pass

50, 59% Neutral

Under 50% Fail

D2C: Dial to Contact:

1, 10 Pass

11, 20 Neutral

Over 20 Fail

D2M: Dial to Meeting:

> 400 Pass

400, 700 Neutral

Over 700 Fail

Meetings per Hour:

GT 0.41 Pass

0.25, 0.40 Neutral

Under 0.25 Fail

Disposition Outcomes:

Do NOT Call: never exceed 5%

Disqualified: never exceed 5%

Quick Hang-up never exceed 10%

No Pitch: never exceed 10%

Wrap Time Average:

30, 45 sec p/conversation Pass

45, 60 sec p/conversation Neutral

>60 sec p/conversation Fail

Common Custom Questions

Listed below are samples of Customer Questions that can be used to gather information from your prospects when calling on the dialer

Who is in the Buying Role?

Who is your current IT provider?

Do you outsource your IT services or support?

Competitive Copier Lease Expiration Date?

Are your copiers owned or leased?

Who services your copiers and printers?

Type of copiers/printers?

Post Meeting Follow-up Best Practices

Effective follow-up after a sales meeting is a cornerstone of successful sales strategies. It's the bridge that transforms promising discussions into closed deals and long-term customer relationships. In this guide, we present a comprehensive list of best practices for post-sales meeting follow-up. These strategies not only ensure that prospects remain engaged throughout the sales cycle but also demonstrate your commitment to solving their challenges and meeting their needs. By implementing these practices, your sales team can build stronger client relationships, increase conversion rates, and drive business growth.

Prompt Thank-You: Send a personalized thank-you email immediately after the sales meeting to express appreciation for the prospect's time and reiterate key takeaways.

Meeting Recap: Provide a concise summary of the meeting's discussions, highlighting pain points, solutions, and action items, and share it with the prospect.

Follow-Up Timeline: Establish a clear follow-up timeline, including specific dates for next steps, follow-up calls, and additional meetings, and communicate this timeline with the prospect.

Personalized Content: Tailor follow-up materials and content to address the prospect's unique needs and challenges, demonstrating a commitment to solving their problems.

Joint Sales and Marketing Efforts: Collaborate closely with the marketing team to ensure a seamless transition from marketing-generated leads to sales engagement post-meeting. Use marketing-approved content and resources to reinforce key messages and educate prospects further.

Active Lists and Reporting: Maintain active lists and reporting to identify contacts who have had a meeting but have not been contacted in 30, 60, or 90 days. Regularly review and update these lists to prevent leads from falling through the cracks.

Automated Nurturing Sequences: Implement automated nurturing sequences for prospects who are not ready to move forward immediately. These sequences can include follow-up emails, relevant content, and reminders for scheduled touchpoints.

Personalized Touchpoints: Make personal follow-up calls, emails, or messages at agreed-upon intervals to keep the prospect engaged. Address any questions or concerns raised during the sales meeting promptly.

Value Delivery: Continuously provide value to the prospect by sharing industry insights, relevant case studies, or success stories that align with their interests.

Feedback Loop: Gather feedback from the prospect regarding their experience and any additional information or resources they may require. Use this feedback to refine your approach and customize your follow-up efforts.

Regular Updates: Keep the prospect informed about any developments, updates, or new offerings that may be relevant to their needs. Share relevant news or industry trends that showcase your expertise.

Personalized Proposals: If applicable, create customized proposals or quotes that address the specific solutions discussed in the meeting. Ensure timely delivery and follow-up regarding proposal acceptance.

Scheduled Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-in calls or meetings to maintain an ongoing dialogue and build a strong relationship with the prospect.

Documentation and CRM Updates: Maintain detailed records of all interactions and update the CRM system with the latest information, ensuring data accuracy.

Continual Assessment: Continually assess the prospect's engagement level and adjust your follow-up strategy accordingly. Identify potential obstacles or objections and proactively address them.

By following these best practices, sales reps can nurture prospects effectively, maintain engagement throughout the sales cycle, and increase the likelihood of successful conversions. This approach helps build stronger client relationships and ensures a more seamless transition from initial contact to closing the deal.

Boost Show Rates and Handle No-Shows

Learn effective strategies to boost your show rate for meetings and appointments.

Automated Meeting Reminders

Utilize an automated reminders to ensure attendees receive timely notifications about the upcoming meeting, enhancing their preparedness and punctuality.

Provide Insightful Pre-Meeting Email:

Send a concise and informative email detailing what participants can anticipate during the meeting. This summary not only sets clear expectations but also primes attendees for a productive and focused discussion, enhancing the overall meeting experience.

10 Common Mistakes of Sales Follow-ups

Following up on sales calls effectively is crucial for converting leads into customers. Here are the top 10 mistakes people often make when following up on sales calls:

1. Lack of Timeliness: Waiting too long to follow up can result in lost opportunities. Follow up promptly to keep the conversation fresh.

2. Being Too Pushy: Being overly aggressive can turn potential customers away. It's important to balance persistence with respect for the prospect's time and decision-making process.

3. Not Personalizing the Follow-Up: Sending generic follow-up messages can make prospects feel undervalued. Personalize your follow-up to show that you remember their specific needs and concerns.

4. Failing to Provide Value: Simply asking if they've made a decision isn't enough. Provide additional value in your follow-up, such as answering questions, offering new insights, or sharing relevant resources.

5. Ignoring Multiple Channels: Relying solely on one communication channel (e.g., email) can be limiting. Use a mix of channels such as phone calls, emails, social media, and even handwritten notes.

6. Not Tracking Follow-Ups: Without a system to track your follow-up efforts, it's easy to lose track of where each prospect is in the sales process. Use a CRM or other tracking tools.

7. Forgetting to Confirm Details: Confirming key details and next steps ensures clarity and helps avoid misunderstandings. Make sure both parties are on the same page.

8. Neglecting to Address Objections: If prospects have concerns or objections, address them head-on rather than ignoring them. This builds trust and can help move the sale forward.

9. Lack of Consistency: Inconsistent follow-up can make you appear unreliable. Establish a follow-up schedule and stick to it to build trust and show commitment.

10. Not Asking for Feedback: Feedback from prospects can provide valuable insights into how you can improve your approach. Don’t be afraid to ask how you can better meet their needs.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can improve your follow-up strategy and increase your chances of closing sales.

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Next: Quality Assurance and Coaching

Quality Assurance

Calls should undergo regular review for training purposes and to provide feedback. The following scorecard can be utilized for this process:

Next: Expectations and Commitments

Client Commitments

Sales Rep Accountability and Remaining in the Seat are pivotal factors for the success of the Sales Blitz as a Service program. To ensure the program's effectiveness, we have outlined several essential guidelines.

Consistent Sales Training: Implement a robust Sales Training Cadence, ensuring your sales representatives are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge.

Diligent Calling Commitment: Each sales rep should commit to dedicating a minimum of X hours per week to proactive dialing, maximizing outreach efforts, and ensuring consistent engagement with clients and potential clients.

Accountability Standards: Hold the entire team accountable to the established expectations of a Sales Rep, ensuring a high standard of professionalism and performance across the board.

Pre-Blitz Preparation: Sales Reps should confirm their prospect lists a day before each blitz, ensuring thorough preparation and enhancing the quality of interactions during the blitz sessions.

Messaging Discipline: Maintain discipline in adhering to the designated messaging, ensuring consistency and clarity in communication with clients, thereby reinforcing your brand identity and message.

Optimizing Show Rates: Follow best practices for improving show rates, and implementing effective strategies to increase attendance and participation during scheduled meetings and presentations.

Sales Rep Expectations:

Your organization is committed to a substantial investment in this program, offering your team members an exceptional opportunity to accelerate their sales pipeline development compared to traditional dialing methods. To maximize the value of this initiative, it's essential that sales reps have a well-defined and transparent set of expectations that cover activity levels, results, and behaviors. These expectations are designed to provide clarity regarding their roles within this program and to ensure its success. These expectations should include:

Activity Levels

Call Volume: Sales reps should be available for calls for at least 80% of dedicated blitz time. This metric ensures that reps maintain an active and consistent presence to maximize the opportunity.

Meetings: As a baseline standard, sales reps following best practices should be able to book .5 meetings per hour based (will vary based on skill level, quality of lists, calling on cold leads vs. warmed-up prospects or current customers, etc.).

Results

Sales Targets: Clearly articulate the revenue or sales targets that reps are responsible for achieving. This should include both short-term and long-term goals, allowing reps to measure their progress and impact on the company's bottom line.

Conversion Rates: Define the expected conversion rates at each stage of the sales funnel, such as lead to opportunity, opportunity to closed deal, etc. This helps reps understand where they should focus their efforts for maximum impact.

Sales Cycle Duration: Set expectations for the average duration of a sales cycle, helping reps gauge how efficiently they are moving leads through the pipeline.

Behaviors

Customer Engagement: Outline the desired behaviors during customer interactions, emphasizing professionalism, active listening, and providing value to leads and customers.

Follow-Up: Specify the timely follow-up and persistence expected from reps, ensuring that no lead or opportunity falls through the cracks.

CRM Usage: Encourage consistent and accurate use of the CRM system for lead management, data entry, and activity tracking.

Continuous Learning: Promote ongoing learning and skill development through training, workshops, or courses, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

These expectations should be communicated clearly, regularly reviewed, and adjusted as needed to reflect changing business objectives and market conditions. By providing sales reps with a well-defined roadmap, they can work more effectively toward achieving their targets, driving revenue growth, and contributing to the overall success of the organization.

MUTUAL COMMITMENT SAMPLE

Next: Objection Handling and Gatekeepers

Handling Common Objections

Objections are buying signals if you handle them correctly. Here's how to manage the most frequent ones.

1. “We’re already working with someone.”

Response

“I’d expect that. Most companies I speak with have something in place, but many find it’s not doing everything they need. May I ask, is there anything you'd improve about your current setup if you could?”

2. “Send me information.”

Response

“Absolutely, so I don’t waste your time, what specifically would you like information on? That way I can tailor it to your situation.”

Or

“Happy to. But typically, what works best is a quick 15-minute call to see if it’s even relevant, then I can send something meaningful. Would tomorrow or Thursday work better?”

3. “Not interested.”

Response

“Totally understand, just before I go, can I ask: is that because you’re all set, or just because this caught you off guard?”

This opens the door to an honest response and often gives you insights or a second chance.

4. “Now’s not a good time.”

Response

“Of course, I know I caught you out of the blue. When would be better? I can make sure I catch you at a more convenient time.”

5. All Set/Not Now

I completely understand, most of the clients we work with today felt the exact same way until they realized the value of working with us, let me ask you... are you currently hiring any salespeople today?

If Yes:

If there was a way to take that same investment and help the current salespeople create more pipeline, close more deals and increase sales without having to recruit, hire, train, retain and hold accountable another person is that something you would be willing to take a quick look at?

If No:

ok, let me ask... if there was a way to help maximize the team you have in place and get more out of them to quickly increase revenue, is that something you would be willing to take a look at?!

For instance, are you currently using HubSpot or ZoomInfo?!

Well, I’ll throw this out at you, these chats via zoom aren’t really to make you buy this or buy that, so keep the wallet at home, But it’s more of a way for us to loop up and introduce ourselves, then you can keep us in the rolodex for when the 1000 pound gorilla shows up… hopefully never… haha… but yeah you game to get connected… say… thursday?

6. Send me an email

Absolutely, what’s the best email for you?

Gotcha and I’ve got a whole farmstead worth of content I can send over… anything from

7. “No Time”

That’s fine, [NAME]. Look, um... I wouldn’t expect anything to happen that quickly anyway. Um…as you know, in this business, things don’t happen that quickly (slow)… it certainly takes a few cycles for sure (speed up). That’s “kinda” WHY… we do these more preliminary 15 min coffee-break chats so that way, down the road, when it is time to evaluate solutions, you can sleep easy at night knowing what options you have available… sooooo, it’s pretty low stakes…leave your wallet at home kind of thing…but, would it be a ridiculous idea to carve out some time next week…um…you a morning person?…..How’s Tuesday?

OBJECTION: I’M NOT INTERESTED OR SEND ME INFO

OPTION 1: Absolutely! May I ask a few questions about your business/your role to ensure I’m sending the most relevant information to you?” (follow with key qualifications questions).

OPTION 2: Absolutely! I am happy to send you more information. Would it also be possible to set up a time for one of our account managers to stop by to explain how we can address some of the issues facing you and your business that we just discussed?

OBJECTION: PRICE

“Our average return on investment is X% in the first 6 months.”

“We have the highest investment in our space around [X] which, in the long run reduces your risks and ultimately costs.”

“We offer the highest level of support in comparison to anyone in our space.”

OBJECTION: “I’M NOT THE DECISION MAKER”

“I understand that you might not be the final decision maker here, but our product/service impacts your role significantly. I’d really appreciate the opportunity to learn a bit more about your needs so that when I engage with the decision maker, I’ll have the right information to share with them. (Follow with key qualifications questions along with an ask for a direct introduction to one of the decision-makers).

OBJECTION: TIMING

“I totally understand timing might not be perfect right now. Most of our customers took several months to consider this type of product/solution before ultimately making a choice. I’d just like to ask a few questions to help me diagnose an appropriate time to reconnect with your team in the future (follow with key qualifications questions). If I can show you how we can deliver value X, would you be open to connecting with me in Y time frame?”

Handling Gatekeepers

Gatekeepers (e.g., receptionists, executive assistants) play a pivotal role in shielding decision-makers. The goal isn't to "trick" them but to earn enough credibility and confidence to be passed through.

1. Mindset: Respect the Gatekeeper

Treat them as influencers, not obstacles.

Build rapport: Use their name, be polite and conversational.

Confidence is key, avoid sounding like you're “selling” anything.

2. Use Positioning Statements

“I was hoping you could help me. I speak with executives like [Decision Maker Name] in organizations like yours about [problem you solve]…”

Make it seem like the decision-maker expects your call (when appropriate).

3. Don’t Pitch the Gatekeeper

Gatekeepers are not your audience. Avoid launching into a full sales pitch.

Instead, keep it vague but important: “It’s regarding strategic IT cost reduction initiatives we’ve been advising on.”

4. Use First Names Strategically

Asking “Is Jordan in?” (instead of “Is Mr. Smith in?”) gives the impression you already have a relationship.

5. Ask Smart Questions

“What’s the best time to reach Jordan directly?”

“Does Jordan have a direct phone number that I can use to reach out to him/her?”

“Does Jordan typically prefer email or phone for new vendor introductions?”

Scenario 1: Establishing Credibility Early

You:
Hi, this is [your name} from (your company), can you help me for a quick moment?

Gatekeeper:
Sure, what is this regarding?

You:
I work with technology leaders in firms like yours to reduce IT headaches and costs related to cybersecurity and infrastructure. (insert your own description of services you want) I was hoping to speak briefly with [Decision Maker’s First Name]. Could you let them know I’m on the line?

Gatekeeper:
Do they know what this is about?

You:
I don’t believe we’ve spoken yet, but this is something that's proven valuable for other companies in [industry/type], and I just need 5 minutes to see if it might make sense to talk further. Is there a good time to catch them?

Scenario 2: The “Frosty” Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper:
What company are you with? Is this a sales call?

You:
That’s a fair question, it’s not a sales call. I’m with GoodSuite, and we work with executives to uncover blind spots in their IT and security infrastructure. I’d like to share an idea that’s worked really well with others in your space. Could I get 2 minutes with [Decision Maker]?

Scenario 3: Deflection to Voicemail

Gatekeeper:
You can send us an email or leave a voicemail.

You:
Happy to do that, just curious, what’s the best way to make sure it gets in front of [Decision Maker]? I know emails can get buried, and this might actually help solve some things they’re already looking at.

Scenario 4: Looping Back and Building Trust

Gatekeeper:
They're in a meeting.

You:
Of course, sounds like a busy day! I’ll try back later, but just so I’m respectful of their time, when would you suggest calling? Morning or afternoon usually better for them?

(This often gets a helpful hint like “he’s usually around 8 to 9am” or “call after lunch.”)

Scenario 5: Asking for Help (Warm Gatekeeper)

You:
Hi [Gatekeeper’s Name], I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. I usually work with people handling cybersecurity and compliance risk, would that be [Decision Maker]?

Gatekeeper:
Yes, that’s them.

You:
Perfect. Is [First Name] available for a quick chat, or is there a better time I should call back?

Scenario 6: Shortcut Through the Gate

You:
Hi, this is [Your Name] calling for [First Name].

Gatekeeper:
What is this regarding?

You:
Just a quick follow-up on an IT initiative we’re rolling out to similar firms in the area, nothing salesy. Could you let them know I’m holding?

(This works best when said confidently, without overselling. The tone often determines the outcome.)

Next: Lessons from the Field

These lessons come from running outbound calling blitzes for many teams. They are practices that keep showing up when a program works and when it stalls, not benchmarks. Set your own targets from your own data, and use these to decide what to measure and what to fix first.

What counts as a conversation

A conversation is a live exchange with the person you set out to reach. A gatekeeper connect is not a conversation, and neither is a transfer to voicemail or a wrong number. When all of them are counted together, the conversation number looks healthy while real decision-maker talk is thin.

• Log gatekeeper connects as their own outcome. Use a clear "blocked by gatekeeper" disposition so the conversation count means decision-maker talk.
• Define every disposition in one line, with an example, at kickoff. Include the confusing ones, such as callbacks and "no pitch."
• Log the true outcome, every time. Wrong dispositions break reporting and any automation that runs from them.

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Diagnosing quick hang-ups

A quick hang-up is a call that ends within seconds. Some are normal. A rep whose rate is far above their peers is giving you a signal, not a result. Reps also tend to use "quick hang-up" as a catch-all for any call they are unsure how to log, so review the recordings before you act on the number.

Be ready when the line connects

In a dialer that connects the call for you, the first second matters. Stay in the dialer between connects, keep your headset on and your greeting ready, and do not work in other tabs while you wait. The reps who convert are rarely the ones with the cleverest script. They are the ones who are ready when the person says hello.

Cap the attempts, then rest and recycle

Connect rates are highest on the first attempts and fall as the same unanswered contact is dialed again and again. Dialing a number that has never answered dozens of times costs a rep many calls for very little return.

• Agree a maximum number of attempts for contacts who have never answered, and write it into the program at kickoff.
• Space the attempts. Do not redial the same contact within a session, and set a delay between attempts.
• Rest, then recycle. After the cap, move the contact to a rest period and re-queue it later, with fresh data if you can get it.
• Move exhausted contacts to another channel, such as email or LinkedIn, rather than leaving them in the dial queue.

Validate the list before the blitz

People change jobs, and the list you bought or built months ago is older than it looks. Calls to people who have left the company waste dials, and when they are logged as "connected" they inflate your numbers.

• Check employment before a blitz, especially for senior contacts and for lists that are more than a few months old.
• Use an "invalid contact" outcome for numbers that reach a former employee or the wrong person. It is not a connect.
• Refresh on a schedule. A list that was accurate at import slowly stops being accurate.

Do not let lead status take people off your call lists

Lists are usually built on filters, and one of the most common filters is lead status. A contact left at a status such as "Meeting Set" or "Connected" can quietly fall out of every active list and stay untouched for months.

• Audit your list filters against the statuses your reps actually use.
• Reset stale statuses to a status that puts the contact back in a calling list.
• Track sequence or cadence state in its own property, not in lead status.
• Check coverage. Count how many of your identified decision makers have actually been called, and make sure every contact has an owner who is an active rep.

Push contacts into the CRM before you dial them

If enriched contacts reach your CRM weeks after they were dialed, real conversations are hidden and the dashboard is wrong. Send each contact to the CRM as soon as it is enriched, before it enters a call list, so every call and every outcome lands on a record that already exists.

Aim at the decision maker, and use everyone else as a route to one

Some titles book meetings easily and rarely decide. Office managers are a common example. They are often friendly and helpful, but a meeting with them seldom turns into a deal.

• Define your target titles before you build the list, and aim at senior decision makers first.
• Treat a gatekeeper or office manager as a route to a referral. Ask who handles the decision, and for how to reach them.
• Lead with the business problem, not one product category. A narrow opener narrows who thinks it applies to them.

Prefer direct and mobile numbers, and test your call windows

Direct and mobile numbers reach people more often than switchboards. Mobile numbers can also bring friction, so respect opt-outs and local rules. Time of day matters too, but it differs by market and role, so test windows with your own data rather than assuming a rule.

Work missed meetings first

No-shows and follow-ups are the warmest numbers on your list, and they are the easiest to forget. Put them at the top of the calling order every day.

• Build a no-show list into the dialer so recovery is automatic, not something reps have to remember.
• Keep trying. A prospect who misses a meeting once is often still interested.
• Update the status after every meeting, even a missed one. An unmarked no-show is a lost lead.
• Keep a patient follow-up status for earlier prospects. Call them less often and with more patience than a cold contact.

Never leave a call or a meeting without a dated next step

The cheapest meeting you will ever book is the next one with someone you are already talking to. Before you end a conversation, agree on the next step and put a date on it. Stalled deals very often have one thing in common: nobody set the next meeting.

When transfers are healthy but meetings are not

If calls are being connected but few turn into meetings, check call quality before you blame the list or the script.

• Count quick hang-ups and "no pitch" outcomes by rep.
• Listen to the first minute of a sample of calls from your best and weakest converters.
• Check audio quality and the greeting. A short, clear recorded greeting can help.
• Check how many live connects are routed to the follow-up queue. A rep who never uses it is leaving opportunities behind.

A "no pitch" usually means we lost it, not the prospect

When a call ends before the rep ever gets to pitch, the prospect did not reject the offer. They never heard it. That is almost always a miss in the first few seconds, so treat it as ours to fix.

• Put every no-pitch call in a follow-up bucket and call the contact again, with a better opener.
• Fix the greeting first. A short, clear, recorded greeting and a consistent start often cut quick hang-ups and no-pitch outcomes, because the prospect knows who is calling before the rep speaks.
• Measure pitch rate, not just transfer rate. A healthy number of live connects is wasted if the pitch is never made.

When results fall off a cliff, find what changed

If a program that was working drops suddenly, resist the urge to blame the reps or the list first. Look at what changed around the drop.

• Dialer settings, including the time between calls and how contacts are recycled.
• Platform or system changes, including a migration, new reporting, or a change in how the dialer connects calls.
• Carrier screening and caller ID, which can change how your numbers are treated without any change on your side.
• Peers on the same platform. If other teams on the same setup dropped at the same time, the cause is probably not your reps.
• Your own data from before the drop. Keep a before and after view so you can see exactly when it moved.

Tie targets to hours on the phone

Meetings come from time spent dialing. Measure meetings per hour called, not just meetings per rep, and watch for reps who are good converters but do not call enough hours. A rep who converts well and calls too little is your fastest win: give them more phone time.

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Score calls from the transcript

Reviewing calls works best when everyone scores them the same way. A simple scorecard covers the stages of the call:

• Did the opener land?
• Was the pitch made?
• Was an objection raised, and was it handled?
• Did the rep ask for the meeting, and was it confirmed?
• At what point in the call did the ask happen?

Make the first minute a standing part of every coaching review. The calls that get past it are the calls that book.

A meeting is not the finish line

A program can book many meetings and still produce few deals. Track what happens after the meeting: how many become opportunities, how many close, and where they stall. If meetings are not converting, coach the step after the meeting with the same care you give the dial.

Fields worth capturing

Every lesson above gets easier to act on when the data is in the CRM as a field you can filter, report on and automate from. If you use AI call intelligence or transcript scoring, these are the fields we would add first. Keep each one a dropdown, a yes or no, a number or a date, so it can drive a list or a report.

On the call

On the contact

On the meeting

You do not need all of these on day one. Start with the true outcome, attempt count, last attempt date, show status and next step date. They answer most of the questions in this chapter.

Next: Additional Resources

Connect and Sell Reference Videos & Materials

You can access the Connect and Sell video library for both leaders and users through the following links. In these videos, you'll discover valuable insights on maximizing the platform's capabilities, accessing and reviewing reports, and much more.

User Library

Leader Library

Chris Beall, Breakthrough Messaging

Related resources

• Sales Blitz as a Service: how the program works and what is included.
• The ConnectAndSell guide: how to get the most from the dialer.
• Outbound sales: our full approach to outbound.
• The prospecting playbook: research and outreach habits that work.
• The sales sequences playbook: follow-up that gets replies.
• Cost per meeting calculator: work out what a meeting costs you.
• Outbound email service: the always-on companion to calling.
• The go-to-market playbook: the five-step plan this program plugs into.
• The sales hiring playbook: hire and onboard the reps who make the calls.
• The ZoomInfo as a Service playbook: data and lists that feed your calling.