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The average person makes over 35,000 decisions each day, but in high-pressure situations, our brains use "signaling" to filter out non-essential information, allowing us to focus on what truly matters. This same principle applies to successful sales conversations.
In this month’s email:
Why traditional "ice breakers" are killing your cold calls
The scientific reason prospects tune out after 27 seconds
A tested framework for earning attention in the first half-minute
🌵 Join us in Scottsdale: Ready to transform your sales leadership journey alongside industry experts? Reserve your spot at Revenue Revelry - where intentional learning meets desert views! Learn more here:
What happened in January?!
You know what's fascinating about content creation? Sometimes the posts that you think will take off... don't. And then there are the ones that unexpectedly strike a nerve.
How to get blocked…
When I share cringe-worthy LinkedIn messages, I honestly thought it was just going to be a fun way to demonstrate what NOT to do. But it also speaks to what’s missing in outbound today.
There's a real hunger for authenticity in outbound. We're all tired of AI-generated, impersonal messages.
We have no shortage of information. But from these messages it is clear that the knowledge is not there. It’s understandable to become overwhelmed by everything we can access today. That is why sellers need systems to support them before they resort to this style of messaging.
Reflection + goal setting
Opening up about only hitting 4 of my 8 goals last year felt vulnerable. But what resonated wasn't the misses – it was the intentional pivots.
Like choosing to keep Business Book Club intimate instead of chasing subscriber numbers, or maintaining Revenue Revelry's values even when it meant saying no to easy money.
Are success metrics shifting? Is there value in the impact that matters more than income?
The In/Out List
This post was honestly just meant to be a fun way to kick off 2025.
I think we're all craving permission to do things differently.
Whether it's embracing "aggressive OOO messages" or rejecting "predatory subscription models," there's a collective desire to change how we work.
The way we've always done things isn't the way we have to keep doing them. Your team is looking for leadership that supports work-life boundaries and questions status quo practices.
ICE BREAKERS
YOUR FIRST 30 SECONDS
Here's the truth that most sellers don't want to hear: Your prospects don't care about you. They don't care that you "hope this message finds them well," and they definitely don't care that you "noticed they went to [university]."
Why? Because your prospect's brain has already decided whether to trust you within the first 27 seconds of your interaction. This isn't just a random number - research from Princeton psychologists shows that people make lasting judgments about trustworthiness in these crucial opening moments. Additional exposure rarely changes these initial impressions.
THE PROBLEM
Let's get real about why traditional approaches fail:
"I hope this finds you well" - If you're hoping your message finds them well, you haven't done your homework.
"I noticed you [viewed/downloaded/attended]" - Activity tracking isn't personalization.
"I wanted to introduce myself" - Your prospect doesn't care about your introduction without context.
These openers signal one thing to your prospect: This is going to be a seller-centric conversation.
EARN THE RIGHT
Instead of trying to break ice that doesn't need breaking, focus on earning the right to your prospect's attention. Here's how:
Lead with Relevance Instead of generic personalization, use value-based segmentation. Understand your prospect's industry, role, and challenges deeply enough to say something that matters to them.
Focus on Their World, Not Yours Remove "I", "we", and "our" language from your opener. Replace it with voice-of-customer language that reflects their reality. For example: "The VP of HR at a 2.3B CPG firm shared that..." resonates more than "I think you should..."
Deliver Value Before Asking for Time Every interaction should make your prospect feel smarter. If they wouldn't pay $500 to have this conversation (yes, that's my actual litmus test), you haven't earned the right to their time.
DELIBERATE PRACTICE
Your first 27 seconds should:
Reference a specific insight about their business (not just their LinkedIn profile)
Connect that insight to a relevant business outcome
Offer a perspective they haven't considered
Remember: Discovery calls are the last step in ToFu (yes, this is the hill I will die on). You need to earn the right to even have that conversation.
This where I turn it over to YOU!
How is your work-life balance these days?
With the constant pressure to hit numbers, I'm curious what's actually working for you. Maybe it's a morning routine, a boundary you've set, or something your manager does that helps.
Reply and share your wins (or struggles) – I read every response and will feature the best tips in next month's newsletter!
Appreciate you for taking the time to read through this month’s issue. My next event is coming up soon, check it out here!
Chat soon,
Leslie
