The bar for getting replies is higher than ever because sending an email is easy. Getting a reply, especially from the most qualified lead, takes going the extra mile.
If you need a refresher, sales prospecting is the process of identifying and reaching out to potential customers. We actually have a great guide on automating sales prospecting with an overview.
This guide brings tips from some of the best outbound agencies (companies that run prospecting for their clients) on how to do it well.
Why is sales prospecting important?
Disciplined and well-executed sales prospecting can benefit your company in a couple of ways:
- Reduces wasted time by focusing on high-quality leads more likely to convert
- Improves conversion rates through targeted messaging tailored to each prospect's needs
- Builds a consistent pipeline of opportunities to keep your sales team productive
- Provides valuable insights into your target market and competitive landscape
As a sales rep, if you invest in a systematic approach to sales prospecting, you can ensure a steady stream of qualified leads. I get it, it’s time-consuming. You might have 50 tabs open trying to dig into different sources of potential customers.
But, even with a strong inbound lead pipeline, it’s still critical to personally spend time engaging with prospects who have a genuine need for your solution, ultimately leading to more closed deals and revenue growth.
What are sales prospecting methods?
Sales prospecting methods can be divided into two main categories: inbound and outbound. Inbound prospecting involves attracting potential customers to your business through marketing efforts such as content marketing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing. Outbound prospecting, on the other hand, involves actively reaching out to potential customers through methods such as cold calling, email marketing, and direct mail.
Here are a few (just kidding, there’s a lot) of sales prospecting methods, along with their benefits, how to get started, and when to use them:

- Cold calling: Cold calling involves calling potential customers who have not previously expressed interest in your product or service. Benefits include the ability to have a direct conversation with the prospect and get immediate feedback. To get started, create a list of potential customers and a script for your call. Use cold calling when you have a large list of prospects and want to quickly gauge their interest.
- Cold emailing: Email marketing involves sending targeted emails to potential customers. Benefits include the ability to reach a large audience quickly and track the success of your campaigns. To get started, build an email list and create a compelling email campaign. Use email marketing when you have a large list of prospects and want to provide them with valuable information.
- Social media prospecting: Social media prospecting involves using social media platforms to identify and engage with potential customers. Benefits include the ability to build relationships and establish thought leadership. To get started, create a social media strategy and start engaging with your target audience. Use social media prospecting when you want to build relationships and establish your brand as a thought leader.
- Referral marketing: Referral marketing involves asking current customers to refer new customers to your business. Benefits include the ability to acquire new customers at a lower cost and with a higher level of trust. To get started, create a referral program and incentivize current customers to refer new business. Use referral marketing when you have a satisfied customer base and want to acquire new customers at a lower cost.
- Networking: Networking involves attending events and building relationships with potential customers and industry professionals. Benefits include the ability to build personal relationships and gain valuable insights into your industry. To get started, identify relevant events and start attending them regularly. Use networking when you want to build personal relationships and gain valuable insights into your industry.
- Content marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable content to attract and engage potential customers. Benefits include the ability to establish thought leadership and build trust with your target audience. To get started, create a content strategy and start producing high-quality content. Use content marketing when you want to establish thought leadership and build trust with your target audience.
- Webinars: Webinars involve hosting online presentations or workshops to educate potential customers about your product or service. Benefits include the ability to demonstrate your expertise and generate leads. To get started, choose a topic and promote your webinar to your target audience. Use webinars when you want to demonstrate your expertise and generate leads.
- Trade shows: Trade shows involve exhibiting at industry events to showcase your product or service. Benefits include the ability to meet potential customers face-to-face and generate leads. To get started, identify relevant trade shows and plan your exhibit. Use trade shows when you want to meet potential customers face-to-face and generate leads.
- Direct mail: Direct mail involves sending physical mail to potential customers. Benefits include the ability to stand out in a crowded digital landscape and target specific geographic areas. To get started, create a mailing list and design an eye-catching mailer. Use direct mail when you want to stand out in a crowded digital landscape and target specific geographic areas.
- Paid advertising: Paid advertising involves using platforms like Google Ads or social media advertising to reach potential customers. Benefits include the ability to target specific audiences and generate leads quickly. To get started, identify your target audience and create compelling ad copy. Use paid advertising when you want to target specific audiences and generate leads quickly.
By using a combination of these sales prospecting methods, you can effectively reach and engage with potential customers at various stages of the buying process. The key is understanding which channels work for your buyer and user personas - learn from your competitors and experiment to figure out what works best.
Sales prospecting techniques from top experts
Segmentation is critical
Cold outreach works best when you put in the work upfront. Build a solid, targeted list by digging into your prospects’ specific challenges and goals. Use tools like AI to pull insights from sales calls or intake forms, and focus your emails on one clear pain point or desire. Pair that with a solid value prop, a quick social proof, and a low-pressure call-to-action, like asking if they’d like to see a short video. Simple, direct, and effective.
“Don’t try to talk to everyone at once. Get specific,” as Naufal Nugroho, Head of GTM at a top outbound agency puts it. Personalize with sharp, role-specific questions that lead naturally into your value. Forget the fluffy profile mentions; people can spot that stuff a mile away now. Keep it real and keep it focused. When you segment and tailor your outreach, your results will speak for themselves.
How to use AI in sales prospecting
It’s may only a matter of time until AI takes over sales prospecting, but today it is better suited for certain tasks.
Leverage LLMs in parts of the funnel that historically take repetitive human judgement like qualification, personalizing cold emails, and digesting call transcripts for action items. Tools like Bardeen can fully automate a variety of prospecting workflows, like lead prospecting, message personalization, and competitor intelligence.
Copilots are great at keeping you productive while you work.
At Bardeen, we’re optimistic on AI, but believe that AI SDRs and full end-to-end agents aren’t ready yet for prime-time. Take a read about what is an AI SDR and the right way for organizations to leverage AI.
How to use social media (like LinkedIn) in sales prospecting
Social selling is a powerful way for outbound teams to generate high-quality leads by using platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. It’s about connecting with prospects in a personal and authentic way. Start by optimizing your social profiles to appeal to your ideal customers, sharing valuable content, and building trust through meaningful interactions.
Effective tactics include using LinkedIn’s advanced search to find prospects that match your ICP, engaging with their content by commenting and liking posts, and using social proof like testimonials and case studies to build credibility. Personalize outreach by referencing shared connections, company milestones, or recent articles. Join relevant groups and position yourself as a thought leader by providing helpful insights and resources.
Social selling isn’t about quick wins—it’s about building relationships over time. Especially on platforms like LinkedIn, a connection may not turn into a lead until months later - when a particular post resonates at the right timing. Stay consistent, focus on providing value, and watch your efforts translate into stronger connections and more closed deals.
It takes multiple touch-points to convert a prospect
Converting a prospect into a customer often requires reaching out over multiple channels. Why? Because it increases your chances of connecting on the prospect’s preferred platform, whether that’s email, LinkedIn, or a phone call. It also gives you multiple changes to demonstrate value. Use LinkedIn to share tips, email to make the initial contact, and the call to activate the prospect.

Here’s an example: start with a friendly introductory email, then follow up with a LinkedIn connection request and message. If you don’t get a response, make a cold call that references your previous outreach. Keep the momentum by sending a follow-up email with additional value, like relevant social proof or resources. Continue nurturing through email and LinkedIn, but avoid overwhelming the prospect with too many messages or generic outreach. Persistence is key—most cold prospects require 7-10+ touchpoints to convert.
Can you automate sales prospecting?
Sales prospecting can be automated to save time and maximize efficiency. Automation tools can handle tasks like lead generation, email personalization, and data enrichment. For example, a sales team might automate LinkedIn scraping to gather prospects’ details and use AI to personalize emails based on those details. This approach reduces manual effort and increases outreach effectiveness. With our sales prospecting automation guide, teams can set up these processes with ease. Bardeen’s AI-powered browser extension simplifies automating repetitive tasks, turning complex workflows into a single click, making sales and RevOps smoother than ever.