4 Must-Have Touch Patterns for New Account-Based Sales Development Teams

Introduction

In 2016, we had a great epiphany and created what is now widely accepted as: Account-Based Sales Development. Since then, the space has evolved considerably — the tools, the processes, the playbook.

Account-Based Sales Development is a journey, not a destination. If you are early in your journey, consider the process in three steps:

1. Is ABSD right for you?
2. Do you have the right tech stack in place?
3. How do you start executing?

Executing the Right Touch Pattern

This is where it gets very tactical. In this infographic, we’re specifically focused on the “Touch Pattern” of your prospecting.

But, before going any further, it is essential to keep in mind: “Your Mileage May Vary!” Your results will depend on many factors, such as the stage of your company, the industry of your ideal customer profile, the roles of the key personas you are targeting, the skillset of your team, and your solution’s product/market fit.

We have provided a framework and recommendations based on our own experience and industry best practices. We have successfully implemented these touch patterns and strategies for our customers.

Remember, these touch patterns are a starting point, not a perfect solution. Test, tune, and tailor them to your market.

Below is an interactive infographic that outlines 4 must-have touch patterns we recommend for new sales development teams.

We encourage you to click around, explore the comments and best practices, and experiment with these touch patterns in your sales engagement tool.

Outbound vs. Inbound Touch Patterns

Outbound and inbound touch patterns should be structured differently. Focus inbound on speed and frequency — think higher touch. Outbound should be more strategic and methodical — focus on personalization and nurturing.

In both outbound and inbound, constantly add value to the prospect. In Josh Braun’s words, make “deposits.”

The “Turing test” for this is: who do you find yourself talking about more? The prospect and their needs, or yourself and your solution? Always prioritize the prospect and solving their problems over talking about yourself.

Outbound – Differentiated by Account Tiers

Understanding the potential lifetime deal value of a customer is crucial before engaging for the first time. Knowing the different segments, such as “Tier 1” (high deal value potential) and “Tier 2” (lower deal value potential), allows you to allocate your time and resources effectively. We recommend spending 80% of your time on 20% of your Tier 1 Accounts.

Even within an email or touch pattern, consider the Pareto Principle and personalize 20% of the email while using a template for the remaining 80%. Similarly, for an entire sequence/cadence, it often makes sense to have 20% of the touch pattern be manual and 80% automated.

Inbound – Differentiated by Lead Source

Your messaging should vary depending on the inbound lead source. Start by having two “tracks” and bucketing all potential inbound lead sources into one of those buckets.

For example, be more direct with a lead source like “Demo Request.” Someone has explicitly requested your follow-up, inviting you to reach out more frequently. In contrast, a lead source like “Downloaded Whitepaper” requires a longer touch pattern and a more educational framework. The buyer has signaled potential interest — it’s still on you to personalize, educate, and add value in your outreach.

Personalization

Check out our friend, Becc Holland, over at Chorus.ai’s series on Personalization-at-scale.

As mentioned, dedicate most of the personalization to accounts with the highest potential deal value. If the company can pay you $200K per year, it’s worth spending more time per email and within each touch pattern manually personalizing. For a company that could only ever pay you $5K per year, lean more heavily on a touch pattern that is mostly automated.

So how do you personalize?

We use a framework to personalize around three areas:

• Company level (e.g., industry, location, size)
• Personal level (e.g., pain points associated with different titles)
• Person-to-person (e.g., a recent blog or social post by your prospect, attended the same school, from the same hometown, or another connection that adds value to the conversation)

Closing Thoughts

Be sure to click the orange “View All Comments” button to see more tips and tricks as you set up your Touch Pattern.

Keep in mind that your results will vary depending on many factors. However, we are confident that implementing these 4 touch patterns will give you a significant jumpstart on your Account-Based Sales Development journey.

We are here to support you. As you set up your Touch Pattern(s), please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Contact us at [email protected]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Lars Nilsson and Travis Henry.