3 Methods To Reengage Cold Leads

As a B2B sales professional, you’ve likely been trained to channel your energy into high-potential or warm leads or into generating new leads altogether. But a cold lead is also an untapped reserve to boost sales, if you have the right approach. 

In our 2023 Business Structure Survey*, we asked 244 sales leaders how their companies reengage cold leads and share their top three methods with you below. We also spoke to two sales professionals [1-2] to provide a real-world perspective of what it takes to move a cold prospect through your pipeline. Our survey data and interview insights aim to give you the confidence you need to convert cold leads.

Our first method to reengage a cold lead is to provide new features, discounts, or processes. This is the most popular reengagement method per our survey* results—selected by 43% of respondents.

Incentives such as discounts can be attractive to leads who are hesitant to commit due to cost. A recent Gartner survey [3] found that B2B leads are 38% less likely to close a sale if they’re facing moderate-to-high uncertainty in the workplace, which can include economic difficulties. But what happens when the price of a product or service isn’t within your control as a sales rep? 

Bobby DeSeyn [1], who has 14 years of experience in technology and beverage sales, recommends being prepared with nonfinancial incentives to warm up cold prospects: “You might not be able to change pricing or give away free products, but what can you do that your competitors can’t?”

Bobby DeSeyn, Sales professional [1]

Of course, that answer will vary depending on your business and industry. If possible, DeSeyn recommends offering a trial version of your product or service. Another option he suggests is to offer complimentary staff education or training on your offerings: “Differentiating yourself can go a long way toward building a relationship with a prospect who’s otherwise reluctant to engage.”

If a lead says it's not the right time for them to buy, chances are they’re not just brushing you off. B2B buyers can take 103 hours, on average, to assess whether a purchase will drive revenue, lower costs, and improve operations [4]. You can take the pressure off this process by following the 39% of sales professionals* who reengage cold leads by trying to work within their timeline.

Playing the long game in sales can have its benefits. Anne Claire Brewer [2], a sales representative for wine and craft spirit distributor Maverick Beverage Company, says it’s easier for her to sell when she takes the time to invest in a relationship with a potential client rather than stress about the timing of the purchase decision.

Anne Claire Brewer, sales representative at Maverick Beverage Company [2]

For Brewer, this means checking in with leads on a weekly basis and keeping those attempts conversational rather than sales-focused. “If I’m selling to a restaurant, I’ll text my contact, ‘I saw on Instagram that you’re offering a new special. How’s it selling? I’m excited to try it!’ Once the business aspect has been put to the side, it’s a lot easier to figure out what an account needs.”

Finding out why a sales lead has stopped engaging can provide both your marketing and sales teams with valuable insights. Thirty-six percent of sales professionals* say they try to find the reason behind a lead’s silence so they can start strategizing ways to reengage them.

One way to do this is to assess the current level of engagement of an otherwise qualified lead [5]. Whether you haven’t engaged with a cold lead in months or are waiting for a response, you can adjust your messaging accordingly. See the table below for examples.

Both DeSeyn and Brewer acknowledge that a prospect can stop engaging due to communication preferences as well. “Some salespeople value in-person interactions above all other forms of contact, but I know that’s not going to work for all of my accounts,” says Brewer. 

Meanwhile, DeSeyn recalls an account that preferred to use Snapchat to submit their orders. “Some people communicate differently; this is especially true if you’re working with a younger generation of buyers. You’re going to have to adapt in order to keep certain accounts engaged.”

Providing incentives, working within the lead’s timeline, and finding out the reason behind a lead’s silence are all effective ways to keep your sales funnel moving. But what’s most important is that you use a variety of methods to reengage leads. Other methods that our survey respondents* use are as follows:

• Implementing retargeting (35%). Retargeting is the use of website trackers to target leads elsewhere—for example, with display ads or email marketing—and lure them back to complete the conversion.

• Crafting value-based communication for reengagement (25%). Value-based communication focuses on what matters to your customer base, such as a cause or social movement.

• Creating a multichannel reengagement strategy (22%). Multichannel reengagement refers to the use of multiple channels, such as text, email, and social media, to reengage cold prospects.

• Aligning the reengagement strategy to the buyer journey (20%), or the series of connected experiences that customers want and need from your company.

Trying these different tactics can help you discover new customers, capture leads attention, and more effectively manage their needs and expectations.

Note: Questions and responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.