Kiran Ramaiah | 5 European Outreach Practices Americans Must Adopt In 2024

Have you ever wondered how the sales process is in Europe? One of the key differences between American and European outreach methods is phone usage. European sales representatives rely less on phone calls than in America when contacting potential customers. But why is this, and could it be a better outreach strategy? In this exciting episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with guest Kiran Ramaiah, a sales expert, on European outreach strategies. Sales representatives across the globe rely less on spamming their prospects and instead focus on building authentic relationships when selling. Tune in and discover why it’s better to follow this method. Understanding GDPR and Sales Outreach in Europe The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has significantly shifted the landscape of sales outreach in Europe.  Consent is paramount, with emails and LinkedIn messages being the go-to methods, while phone calls require prior consent.  Kiran and Donald discuss how prospecting in Europe demands a nuanced approach—longer cadences, compelling subject lines, and concise messaging—to navigate this regulated environment successfully. Prospecting with Precision Kiran outlines the cornerstone of European prospecting: tailored messaging and meticulous research on buyer personas.  He emphasizes the effectiveness of LinkedIn for uncovering trigger events and crafting relevant connections.  Donald concurs, stressing the importance of simple yet impactful messages resonating with the prospect's interests and needs. Sales Sequences in the European Market Challenges in Europe include the difficulty in cold calling and the necessity to refine sales tactics based on contacts' roles and industries.  Kiran shares why grasping buyer personas and industry-specific peculiarities is key to developing effective sales sequences. Sales Cadences and Cultural Considerations Recognizing cultural differences in outreach is crucial.  European cadences stand in stark contrast to their American counterparts, requiring thoughtful spacing of communication to respect the recipient's time and avoid being marked as spam.  Kiran advises against requesting calls in the first email, promoting respect for the prospect's decision-making process. Closing Deals with Relevance and Value Both Donald and Kiran concur on the significance of communicating value.  Kiran shares methodologies that accentuate relevance to prospects, boosting the chances of successful deal closing.  The expert duo caution against repetitive 'bumping up' of emails, advocating for personalization and aligning with the prospect's priorities. Leveraging LinkedIn and Crafting Subject Lines Kiran's strategy of leveraging LinkedIn to engage prospects illustrates the power of platform research and personalized subject lines.  Donald emphasizes using LinkedIn to stay informed on current events and fostering genuine connections. Timing and Follow-Up Communication An essential strategy that Kiran highlights is the timing of follow-ups.  He suggests allowing at least five days for recipients to respond, advocating for patience, and respecting the prospect's process. Before you try selling to a client in Europe, learn some of the techniques sales representatives use to help win them over. European sales representatives rely on social media and email before calling a potential customer.  Building a relationship with a prospect before selling to them is important. If you do it the American way, you’re more than likely going to get ignored.  “But the moment you ask them for a call on the very first email, they will not even reply to you at some time. They will say, okay, not interested.” - Kiran Ramaiah. Resources Kiran Ramaiah on LinkedIn Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.