How to Build a Sales Pipeline

Today, I want to walk you through how to build a sales pipeline. In other words, how do you build content that takes somebody from, let’s say, a cold DM or a cold email through a process, building collateral along the way so that they progress through a sales funnel? It's not super easy to do, but it's also not rocket science. It’s really a matter of having a framework in place and then being able to plug content into it. Then you evaluate as you put it into practice in the real world: is this working for us? Is this effective?

The good news is that you get pretty instant feedback on whether or not sales collateral is effective because people either totally ignore it or they respond to it. So, let’s kind of walk through what we've implemented at Hire a Writer and Winsome Marketing as far as sales pipelines go. I’m going to literally show you what we use, and then you can think about how to leverage this strategy to build a sales pipeline yourself. So, let’s dive into it.

Our Approach to Building a Sales Pipeline

As you know, I’m a huge fan of showing our work, so I’m going to just go ahead and give you exactly what we have built for two of our biggest product lines. One of the big things that we sell is SEO content packages. We sell the initial evaluation, the SEO strategy, and ongoing SEO content. So, what we do is we find who we’re going to target. We identify categories of industries and specific companies we want to reach out to within those industries. This process involves a lot of alignment on who to pursue and then building the structure and collateral around it.

One thing we did early on is to have anyone involved in outbound marketing add a link to what we’re ultimately selling in their email signature. This is an easy way to subtly nod to what we’re selling in ongoing communications. You don’t want the first email or DM to be an ask.

You have to offer before you ask, especially if you don’t have an existing relationship. Yes, they’ll be aware of what you sell, but if you want to get a foot in the door, there has to be an established rapport and proven value first. This entire structure is about proving value.

Content for Different Contingencies

In our specific SEO sales sequence, we have six messages. These are contingent upon responses because you have to be careful not to be spammy. The pipeline begins with an offer—an asset that we have called an SEO benchmarking survey. It’s ten quick questions that help people understand how much they spend on SEO compared to others in the industry, what kind of SEO personnel they have, and other relevant data. This survey gives them valuable comparables.

The only information we gather initially is name and email. We gather this so we can send the PDF and follow up with them. Your initial asset needs to be an offer, not an ask. It needs to be easy to use, add genuine value, and not have overtones of sales. It should be simple, straightforward, and value-driven.

Handling Different Response Scenarios

There are a few ways this can go.

No Response

If they don’t answer, we wait three business days and then send them the survey results. This global data is useful and shows how much we understand about SEO. We wait another three business days and offer another asset, like an SEO evaluation worksheet, for free. Again, no sales pitches, just value. We wait another day and send one more asset. If there’s still no response, we consider it a cold lead and move on.

Response with No Form Submission

If they respond but don’t fill out the form, we treat it similarly to no response. We send the survey results, another resource, and a third asset, all while ensuring we don’t come across as pushy. We profile this lead to understand why they didn’t engage fully and adjust our approach accordingly.

Completed Form Submission

If they fill out the form, we immediately follow up. This triggers an automated sequence in HubSpot that categorizes them as a lead and sends a follow-up email with an additional SEO evaluation asset. We continue to nurture this lead with timely, valuable content. For higher-value resources, we send tools like a technical SEO toolkit or a backlink pitch template. Finally, we send information about our SEO packages and services, accompanied by a case study in video format.

Building and Maintaining the Pipeline

Having a standardized process for building and maintaining a sales pipeline is crucial. It ensures that you’re consistently providing value and nurturing leads effectively. The assets you use should reinforce your brand story, showcasing your expertise and approach to working with clients.

Each asset, from the initial offer to the final package information, needs to be useful and relevant. By doing this, you establish who you are and how you work, subtly but clearly communicating your brand’s value.

Crafting a Successful Sales Pipeline

Building a sales pipeline involves creating valuable content and strategically nurturing leads through a structured process. By focusing on offering value first and carefully managing responses, you can effectively convert cold leads into engaged prospects. Remember, the key is to provide useful, relevant information and establish your expertise without being pushy.

If you have any questions, hit me up in the comments below. I do look at those and try to get better about responding. If you’re interested in learning more about my businesses, visit Hire a Writer, Winsome Marketing, Baby Got Backlink, or the Academy of Continuing Education. Subscribe to my channel for more content like this, and best of luck with your sales pipeline!