Have you defined your target before prospecting? Do you know it in all its aspects? Do you have a prospecting plan? And if not, how do you plan to contact your prospects? If these questions interest you, you are on the right page.
Any business should have defined one or more personas before prospecting. This will allow you to develop an effective prospecting strategy But the mere fact of knowing your target buyers will not help you transform them into customers. You have to get in touch with them. But how to do it? By what means ? Which prospecting channels to choose to have the best results ? We tell you everything in this article.
How to choose your prospecting channels?
First of all, you need to know that there are no “good” prospecting channels per se. These are the channels that you choose based on your target , your persona and your budget that are the best. So, before thinking about prospecting , make sure you have these three elements as a priority.
If you have defined your persona well, you should have relevant information on your prospects. You know their habits, their interactions, their values, their tastes, and many other details. But it is particularly important to know where you can find them. Thus, you will know on which channels your prospects are the most active and on which they would be willing to listen to you. If you want to be more likely to convert them, you have to go where they are.
For example, if your target is not on Facebook, it would be useless to advertise it. But if it is an entrepreneur who regularly monitors his reception box, it would be more judicious to include him in the list of contacts in your email campaign.
What are the main prospecting channels?
Two main approaches exist in terms of prospecting channels. Either you attract your prospects to you or you will get them. In the first case, we are talking about inbound marketing. In the second case, we are talking about marketing outbound. These two approaches are based on different concepts, but can be complementary. Your customer acquisition strategy can be better by combining both. It is essential to understand these different methodologies to define what are the most appropriate prospecting channels
Currently, there are many channels for prospecting that it is sometimes difficult to choose . With the evolution of the web in recent years, prospecting methods have also evolved. Now it's easier to get lead information There are websites , social networks , professional events , etc. But make sure you choose your channels based on your persona. Also, you should know that there are two main types of prospecting channels.
Physical prospecting channels
These are the communication that allow you to get in direct contact with your prospects. They can come spontaneously when they are looking for information or solutions . We can take into account prospecting missions carried out by a company's salespeople with other companies. In this context, the salesperson goes directly to the prospect. He will therefore have used a physical channel.
Some examples : field prospecting (door-to-door), trade shows or business events.
2 – Digital channels
Digital channels designate the different digital communication channels. In other words, these are the online communication solutions that companies can use to get in touch with their prospects and customers. Although these channels are varied, it is not necessarily necessary to use them all to have a strategy that works.
Some examples: emailing, social networks, podcasting, speaking, chatbot, blogging, etc.
Multichannel prospecting: 2 premium channels!
Today, the monocal prospecting strategy is exceeded. The evolution of digital constantly modifies the behavior of prospects . They now tend to navigate between several prospecting channels simultaneously. It is therefore your turn to adapt to this new pace . It is no longer a question of choosing between physical or digital channels, you must combine both to obtain the best strategy .
In addition, your business can have one or more Buyer Personas depending on the different target segments. This means that your prospects can be on different prospecting channels . So you have to go where they are. You must get in touch with them, engage and then convert . You have to approach them on the platforms where they are the most active. You will increase your chances of conversion . This is why it is best to launch a multi -channel prospecting .
Here are two channels to favor for your multichannel prospecting strategy .
1 – Emailing
Do not believe that email marketing is no longer effective. It is always one of the prospecting channels that convert best. According to studies, it is said that each euro spent in an email campaign earns around € 34 . It is interesting for a return on investment .
To ensure good results, you must have a quality email base and generate more leads . You must also make sure to share relevant content that perfectly responds to the real problems of your prospects. When you send a prospecting email , you are mainly trying to convince. This is why it is essential to master the good emailing practices to get good performance. If you meet the slightest blocking, our experts can help you.
2 – Telephone prospecting
Phoning or telephone prospecting relates to direct marketing carried out by phone . It is also an effective way to acquire new customers, especially when it applies to qualified prospects . For many commercial representatives in the world, phoning is the privileged sales channel. The proof is that 92% of interactions with a prospect are still done by phone. You can say that phoning remains a safe bet for sales professionals.
But time evolves and with it the emergence of new technologies . The practices and habits of prospects are not static either. Now, if your prospecting strategy is based only on a single channel, you may miss out on many opportunities . The ideal would therefore be to switch to multichannel prospecting .
Expert opinion and user feedback on prospecting channels by persona
👔 Testimonials from professionals on prospecting channels
Pauline Martin-B2B acquisition manager (Fintech sector)
* »For our CFO personas, we combine LinkedIn Sales Navigator with hyper-personalized email campaigns. The click? Send a personalized video message after the first LinkedIn connection-our meeting rate jumped 40%. »*
Mehdi El Amrani-founder of a Growth Marketing
* "agency" With our e-commerce customers, we discovered that the Instagram ads + automated SMS combo worked miraculously for 25-35 year olds. The secret: an SMS message 24 hours after the engagement on the post, not before. »*
Sophie Lambert - Commercial development manager (industry)
“Professional fairs remain essential for our buyers engineers. But we preheat them now by Linkedin and we extend via technical webinaries. Our pipeline increased by 30%. »»
🎓 Expert analysis
Prof. Antoine Lefèvre - Omnical strategies specialist (ESCP Europe)
“In 2024, prospecting should no longer be linear but circular. For example: a cold lead on LinkedIn → an email with added value → a retargeting display → a telephone call. It is this combination that pierces attentional barriers. »»
Camille Dubois-Consultant in ABM (Account-Based Marketing)
"For big accounts, I saw the best results with the 'Golden Triangle': 1) Personalized content sent by physical mail, 2) followed by an EMMA from the DG, 3) then invitation to an exclusive event. 3x conversion greater than pure digital approaches. »»
Dr. Hugo Morel - Expert in Psychology of B2B Purchase
* ”Our studies show that a prospect must see your message on 3 different channels in 2 weeks so that memorization is optimal. But these prospecting channels must be carefully chosen according to the persona - a HRD does not react to the same stimuli as a CTO. »*
Nathalie Stern - Director of commercial innovation at Salesforce France
* ”The classic error is to want to cover all the prospecting channels. In 2024, the performers focused on 2-3 channels per persona, but with perfect execution and coherent storytelling between each key. »*
🚀 Concrete case
• Greentech Solutions (Startup Climate)
“Our persona 'CSR' did not respond to Cold Calling. We tilted towards: 1) podcasts nestled, 2) contributions in sectoral whitepapers, 3) invitations to round tables. Our qualified leads increased by 70%. »»
• Luxury & you (creator marketplace)
“For our independent creators (Persona Artist), the Pinterest + handwritten Newsletters + IRL workshops work much better than conventional digital approaches. It respects their natural operating mode. »»
💡 The word of the expert
“The best combination of prospecting channels is the one that marries the natural journey of your persona. Observe where they spend time, how they make their decisions, and be present at these key moments-not everywhere all the time. »
- Émilie Cortez , founder of 360 ° prospecting
