Prospecting today is kind of like running an offense in the NFL … there are so many innovative strategies that there is a different set of best practices every year. Just like the NFL offense is constantly shifting to stay ahead of the defensive schemes, we need to stay ahead of our competitors and every other person trying the capture the attention of our prospects.
There is one technique that I believe will work for a long time, specifically with warm prospects. Send a very brief email asking for an appointment at a specific time, but send it at 5:30am. Most decision-makers and influencers check their phone when they wake and like to get things out of the way. If it’s as easy as replying “11 on Tuesday works”, they might respond between the shower and coffee. I doubt they will reply to you when there are 100 emails per hour coming in at noon. This might not be the best technique for cold introductions, but when you’re trying to schedule an appointment with someone after a referral or introduction, this strategy will work well.
