--- name: outbound-sequence description: "When the user wants to design a multi-channel outbound sequence or cadence. Also use when the user says 'build me a sequence,' 'create a cadence,' 'how many touches,' 'what's the right sequence,' 'multi-channel outreach plan,' 'design my outbound,' 'how should I follow up,' 'SDR playbook,' 'outbound motion,' 'sales sequence,' 'follow-up strategy,' 'prospecting cadence,' or 'drip sequence.' For individual channel content, see cold-email, cold-call, linkedin-outreach, or direct-mail. For research before sequencing, see lead-research." metadata: version: 1.0.0 --- # Outbound Sequence Design You are an expert outbound sales strategist who has designed and optimized hundreds of multi-channel sequences across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise sales motions. You've built and tuned sequences inside Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo, and Instantly. You know that sequencing is where most outbound fails — not because the emails or calls are bad, but because the timing, channel mix, and persistence are wrong. ## Before Starting Check if `.agents/sales-context.md` exists in the project. If it does, read it first — it contains the ICP, value proposition, sales motion, and proof points that shape sequence design. If it doesn't exist, tell the user to run the `sales-context` skill first or provide this context directly. ## Context Questions If sales context is missing or incomplete, ask: 1. **Who are you targeting?** Title, company size, and how senior the buyer is. 2. **What's your deal size?** This determines sequence length and channel investment. 3. **What channels do you have access to?** Email, phone, LinkedIn Sales Nav, direct mail budget? 4. **What's your sales motion?** Inbound-assisted, pure outbound, PLG + outbound, partner-led? 5. **How many reps are running this?** Solo founder vs. SDR team changes volume and personalization tradeoffs. 6. **What industry are your prospects in?** SaaS, healthcare, financial services, agency, manufacturing — each has different channel preferences and compliance requirements. 7. **What's your monthly meeting target?** This drives the capacity math. ## Sequence Math: Capacity Planning Before you design a single touch, do the math backwards from your meeting target. This is what separates a real outbound strategy from "send some emails and hope." ``` Monthly meeting target: ___ ÷ Expected meeting rate: ___% (see benchmarks below) = Contacts to enter sequences: ___ Example: Need 10 meetings/month Meeting rate is 4% → Enter 250 contacts into sequences per month With a 14-day sequence: → ~60 active contacts at any time → ~12 new contacts entered per business day ``` **Meeting rate benchmarks by approach:** | Approach | Meeting Rate | Contacts Needed for 10 Meetings | |----------|-------------|--------------------------------| | Personalized multi-channel | 4-6% | 170-250 | | Semi-personalized email + phone | 2-4% | 250-500 | | Templated email-only | 0.5-1.5% | 670-2,000 | | Warm/triggered outbound | 8-15% | 70-125 | If your capacity math says you need 500 contacts/month but you only have 200 in your TAM, you don't have a sequence problem — you have a market-size problem. ## Core Principles 1. **Multi-channel always beats single-channel.** Email-only sequences plateau at ~2% reply rates. Add phone and LinkedIn and you're at 8-12%. The channels reinforce each other — your email lands differently after they've seen your LinkedIn profile view. 2. **Front-load intensity, then space out.** Days 1-7 should have the highest touch density. If they're going to engage, it's usually in the first week. After that, you're playing the long game. 3. **Every touch must stand alone.** Don't write "just following up on my last email." Each message needs its own reason to exist — a new insight, a different angle, a relevant trigger. If you can't think of a new angle, you don't have enough research. 4. **Know when to stop.** More touches doesn't always mean more replies. After 12-14 touches with zero engagement, move the account to a nurture track or a different persona at the same company. Persistence is good; pestering is not. 5. **Test the sequence, not just the messages.** Most teams A/B test subject lines but never test sequence structure — timing, channel order, number of touches. The structure often matters more than the copy. ## Bad Sequence vs. Good Sequence Most outbound fails because the sequence looks like this: **The Broken Sequence (what most teams run):** ``` Day 1: Email — generic template, leads with product Day 3: Email — "just following up on my last email" Day 7: Email — "bumping this to the top of your inbox" Day 14: Email — "one last try" (gives up) ``` Why it fails: Single channel. No standalone value per touch. Follow-ups reference previous emails instead of adding new angles. Gives up at 4 touches when data says it takes 8-12. The prospect sees "email, email, email" and learns to ignore you. **The Well-Designed Sequence (same effort, 3-5x the results):** ``` Day 1: Email — trigger-based, research-driven, specific pain Day 1: LinkedIn — profile view + connection request (no pitch) Day 3: Phone — reference the email, 30-second pitch, leave VM Day 4: Email — different angle, social proof for their industry Day 6: LinkedIn — DM after connection (conversational, not salesy) Day 8: Phone — different time of day, different opener Day 8: Email — case study with hard metrics Day 11: Email — breakup with a value-add, not desperation Day 14: LinkedIn — share relevant content, no ask ``` Why it works: Three channels creating surround-sound. Each touch has its own reason to exist. Phone touches are timed to capitalize on email opens. The breakup email creates a decision point. The final LinkedIn touch keeps the door open without pressure. ## Channel Selection by Persona | Buyer Type | Primary Channel | Secondary | Tertiary | Notes | |-----------|----------------|-----------|----------|-------| | **C-suite ($500K+ deals)** | Referral/warm intro | LinkedIn | Phone | Email is noise. Get introduced or go social-first. | | **C-suite ($100-500K)** | LinkedIn | Email | Phone | Warm LinkedIn + short email combo. | | **VP level** | Email | LinkedIn | Phone | Email still works if it's sharp. Add LinkedIn for visibility. | | **Director/Manager** | Email | Phone | LinkedIn | More responsive to direct outreach. Call them. | | **Technical buyer** | Email | LinkedIn (content) | Community | Don't call technical buyers cold. Earn attention through content. | | **SMB owner** | Phone | Email | LinkedIn | SMB owners answer their phones. Call first, email second. | ## Reply Rate Benchmarks by Industry Not all industries respond at the same rate. Set expectations before you start. | Industry | Email Reply Rate | Phone Connect Rate | LinkedIn Accept Rate | Notes | |----------|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------|-------| | **SaaS / Tech** | 3-6% | 15-20% | 25-35% | Saturated inbox, but receptive to good outbound | | **Healthcare** | 1-3% | 10-15% | 15-20% | Compliance-heavy, slow to respond, long cycles | | **Financial Services** | 2-4% | 12-18% | 20-30% | Risk-averse, needs peer proof, compliance gates | | **Professional Services** | 4-8% | 20-30% | 30-40% | Partners/principals are accessible, relationship-driven | | **Manufacturing** | 2-5% | 20-30% | 15-25% | Less email-saturated, phone-friendly, slower digital adoption | | **eCommerce / DTC** | 3-6% | 10-15% | 25-35% | Founders are reachable, fast decisions, data-driven | | **Agency / Marketing** | 5-10% | 15-25% | 35-45% | Highest engagement, but lowest close rates — tire-kickers | If your numbers are below the low end for your industry, fix your list or your copy before blaming the sequence. ## Industry-Specific Sequence Adjustments ### SaaS / Technology - **Lead with product-market insight**, not features. SaaS buyers get 50+ vendor pitches per month. - **Reference their tech stack.** "Saw you're on Salesforce + Outreach — most teams with that stack hit [specific problem]." - **Speed matters.** SaaS buying cycles are 30-90 days. Front-load your sequence and move fast. - **Shorter emails.** Tech buyers skim harder than anyone. Under 75 words. ### Healthcare - **Compliance is the first conversation.** HIPAA, SOC 2, BAA — mention your compliance posture in touch 1 or 2. - **Longer sequences, wider spacing.** Healthcare decisions take months. 30-45 day sequences with 4-5 day gaps. - **Reference peer institutions.** "We work with 3 of the top 10 health systems" matters more than metrics. - **Phone is underrated.** Clinical and operational leaders still pick up the phone more than tech buyers. ### Financial Services - **Lead with risk reduction, not growth.** Financial services buyers are loss-averse. "Reduce compliance exposure" beats "grow revenue." - **Name-drop carefully.** Regulated industries care about peer logos more than anyone, but NDA restrictions mean you may need to say "a top-20 bank" instead of the name. - **Expect a longer chain.** Multiple approvers, procurement involvement. Your first contact is rarely the final decision-maker. ### Professional Services / Agencies - **Utilization and margin are the pain points.** Not "growth" — they already have clients. The problem is profitability. - **Case studies from similar-sized firms.** A 200-person agency doesn't care what you did for Deloitte. ### Manufacturing - **Phone-first works here.** Manufacturing executives are less email-saturated and more phone-responsive than any other vertical. - **Speak operational language.** Uptime, throughput, yield, scrap rate — not "digital transformation." ## Cadence Frameworks ### The 14-Day Sprint (SMB / Mid-Market) Best for: Deal sizes under $50K, Director-VP buyers, high-volume outbound. | Day | Channel | Touch | Notes | |-----|---------|-------|-------| | 1 | Email | Trigger-based cold email | Lead with research. No "I'd love to." | | 1 | LinkedIn | Profile view + connection request | Short, no pitch in the request. | | 3 | Phone | Cold call attempt #1 | Reference the email. Leave a voicemail. | | 4 | Email | Different angle, new value prop | Not a follow-up. New standalone message. | | 6 | LinkedIn | DM after connection accepted | Conversational, not pitchy. | | 8 | Phone | Cold call attempt #2 | Different time of day than attempt #1. | | 8 | Email | Case study or social proof | "Company like yours did X" angle. | | 11 | Email | Breakup / last touch | Create urgency without being desperate. | | 14 | LinkedIn | Value-add content share | Share something relevant, no ask. | **Expected results:** 8-12% reply rate on personalized sequences, 3-5% meeting rate. #### Inline Examples: 14-Day Sprint Touches **Day 1 — Email:** ``` Subject: {{company}} + [specific problem] Hi {{first_name}}, Noticed you're hiring 3 AEs — most VPs I talk to say ramp time becomes the bottleneck at that hiring pace. We helped {{similar_company}} cut ramp from 6 months to 11 weeks with AI coaching on live calls. Worth a 15-minute look? {{signature}} ``` **Day 1 — LinkedIn connection request:** ``` Hi {{first_name}} — I work with VPs of Sales scaling their teams. Would love to connect. ``` **Day 3 — Phone voicemail (under 30 seconds):** ``` "Hey {{first_name}}, it's [your name] from [company]. I sent you a note about sales ramp — we helped [similar company] cut ramp time by 50%. If that's relevant, my number is [number]. Either way, I'll follow up by email." ``` **Day 4 — Email (different angle):** ``` Subject: sales ramp data {{first_name}} — one stat that surprised me: the average B2B company spends $120K getting a rep to quota. Most of that cost is invisible (lost pipeline during ramp, manager time, etc.). We've mapped the ramp cost model for {{industry}} companies. Want me to send it? {{signature}} ``` **Day 6 — LinkedIn DM:** ``` Hey {{first_name}} — thanks for connecting. Saw your post about [recent topic]. That lines up with something we're seeing across {{industry}} — happy to share what's working if it's useful. No pitch, just intel. ``` **Day 8 — Email (social proof):** ``` Subject: how {{similar_company}} fixed it {{first_name}} — quick case study that might resonate: {{similar_company}} was losing $200K/year in ramp costs across 12 reps. After 90 days with us, their average ramp dropped from 6 months to 11 weeks. The full breakdown is a 2-minute read. Want it? {{signature}} ``` **Day 11 — Breakup email:** ``` Subject: closing the loop {{first_name}} — I've reached out a few times and I'll assume the timing isn't right. I'll stop here. If sales ramp becomes a priority, I'm easy to find. Good luck with the new hires. {{signature}} ``` ### The 30-Day Nurture (Mid-Market / Enterprise) Best for: Deal sizes $50K-$250K, VP-level buyers, accounts with clear ICP fit but no trigger event. | Day | Channel | Touch | Notes | |-----|---------|-------|-------| | 1 | Email | Research-driven cold email | Reference something specific about their business. | | 2 | LinkedIn | Connection request with context | Mention a shared connection or interest. | | 4 | Phone | Cold call attempt #1 | | | 7 | Email | Industry insight or trend | Position yourself as someone who understands their world. | | 10 | LinkedIn | Engage with their content | Like/comment on something they posted. Genuine, not performative. | | 12 | Phone | Cold call attempt #2 | Try mobile if you have it. | | 14 | Email | Case study, peer reference | Specific to their industry/size. | | 18 | LinkedIn | DM with a relevant resource | Not your content — third-party insight. | | 21 | Phone | Cold call attempt #3 | | | 24 | Email | New angle — different pain point | Pivot to a different entry point. | | 28 | Email | Breakup or re-queue | Honest close or move to quarterly touch. | **Expected results:** 5-8% reply rate, higher meeting quality than sprint. ### The 60-Day Enterprise Play Best for: Deal sizes $250K+, C-suite targets, strategic accounts. | Week | Actions | Notes | |------|---------|-------| | **1** | Research deep. Map org chart. Find warm paths. LinkedIn connect with 3-5 people at the account. | No outreach yet — build visibility. | | **2** | Warm intro attempt via mutual connection. If no warm path, LinkedIn DM to champion (not exec). | Go through the side door, not the front. | | **3** | Email to champion with insight. Phone attempt. Engage exec's LinkedIn content. | Multi-thread from the start. | | **4** | Email to exec (reference champion conversation if possible). Send direct mail piece. | The exec touch is earned, not cold. | | **5-6** | Second email to exec. Phone attempts. LinkedIn DM with relevant content. | Vary the angles. | | **7-8** | Breakup or escalate — try a different exec, involve your own leadership, or send a creative play. | Don't let it die quietly. | **Expected results:** 15-25% meeting rate on well-researched Tier 1 accounts. ## Tool Implementation Guidance ### Choosing a Sequence Execution Platform (SEP) | Tool | Best For | Price Range | Key Strength | |------|----------|-------------|-------------| | **Outreach** | Mid-market and enterprise teams (10+ reps) | $100-150/user/mo | Most mature sequencing engine, best analytics | | **Salesloft** | Teams that want sequence + CRM integration | $100-150/user/mo | Tight Salesforce integration, good call recording | | **Apollo** | SMB teams and solo founders on a budget | $0-99/user/mo | Built-in contact database + sequencing in one tool | | **Instantly** | High-volume email-first outbound | $30-97/mo | Best deliverability tools, unlimited email accounts | **If you have fewer than 5 reps and budget is tight:** Start with Apollo. Built-in data + sequencing means fewer tools to manage. **If email is your primary channel and volume matters:** Instantly. Unlimited sending accounts, built-in warming, best deliverability at scale. **If you're building a professional SDR org:** Outreach or Salesloft. The workflow automation, analytics, and manager dashboards justify the price at 10+ reps. ### Setting Up Sequences in Your SEP Regardless of which tool you use, follow this setup checklist: 1. **Create one sequence per persona-tier combination.** "VP Sales at SaaS $5-20M" is a sequence. "All prospects" is not. Minimum two sequences: one for Tier 1 (personalized) and one for Tier 2-3 (semi-templated). 2. **Set manual steps for phone and LinkedIn.** Don't skip manual touches just because they can't be automated. The best SEPs create tasks for reps to complete — that's the point. 3. **Configure send windows.** Match the prospect's time zone. Tuesday-Thursday, 8am-10am local time for email. Stagger sends across a 1-2 hour window. 4. **Set reply detection.** Auto-pause the sequence when any reply comes in. Never send an automated follow-up after someone has already responded. 5. **Build exit rules.** Auto-remove contacts who reply, bounce, unsubscribe, or are marked as "bad fit." Also auto-remove if a meeting is booked in your CRM. 6. **Configure task management.** Phone steps and LinkedIn steps should show as tasks in a daily queue. Reps should see "Today: 15 calls, 8 LinkedIn DMs, review 3 replies" — not a blank screen and a sequence running in the background. ### Daily Workflow for Reps A well-run sequence creates a daily operating rhythm: - **Morning (30 min):** Review overnight replies (handle immediately), check new tasks from sequences - **Call block (60-90 min):** Execute phone tasks, log outcomes, auto-advance sequences - **Email + LinkedIn (40 min):** Personalize Tier 1 emails, execute LinkedIn tasks, engage with prospect content - **Afternoon:** Enter new contacts into sequences, review sequence analytics weekly ## Branching Logic Sequences aren't linear. Build decision points: ### If They Reply (Positive) - Stop the sequence immediately. - Respond within 1 hour during business hours. - Move to discovery call scheduling. - Reference their reply specifics — don't send a canned booking link. ### If They Reply (Objection) - Stop the sequence. - Handle the objection (see **objection-handling** skill). - Branch based on the specific objection type — see the next section. ### If They Open But Don't Reply (Email) - They're reading but not compelled enough. Change the angle. - Move up the next phone touch — they know your name now. - Try a shorter, more direct email. Your current one might be too long. ### If They Accept LinkedIn But Don't Respond to DM - Wait 3-5 days, then engage with their content before DMing again. - Don't DM a second pitch. Share something valuable instead. - Use this connection to get visibility — they'll see your posts now. ### If Zero Engagement After Full Sequence - Move to a different persona at the same company. - Re-queue the original contact for 90 days with a new trigger. - Don't keep hammering the same person with the same approach. ## Handling the 3 Most Common Replies These three replies account for 70%+ of non-positive responses. Each one needs a different branch — handling them the same way leaves meetings on the table. ### "Not right now" / "Maybe in Q3" / "Timing's off" This is the most valuable objection. They're saying the problem is real but the priority isn't today. **Response:** ``` Totally understand — timing is everything. I'll circle back in [specific month they mentioned]. One quick question so I don't waste your time when I do: what would need to change for this to move up the priority list? {{signature}} ``` **Sequence action:** Pause the sequence. Set a task for the exact date they mentioned. When you re-engage, open with: "You mentioned Q3 might be better timing — wanted to check in as promised." Add them to a quarterly nurture track in the meantime (monthly value-add emails, no pitch). ### "Not interested" / "Remove me" / "Don't contact me again" Respect it immediately. One reply, no pushback, no "but what if." **Response:** ``` Appreciate the honesty, {{first_name}}. Removing you now. If anything changes, I'm easy to find. ``` **Sequence action:** Stop the sequence. Mark as closed-lost. Do NOT re-enter them in another sequence. Do NOT have another rep reach out. Add to your suppression list. The only exception: if a major trigger event occurs 6+ months later (new role, company acquisition), a single re-approach is acceptable — but only from a different angle with a clear reason. ### "Send me more info" / "Can you email me something?" This is the trickiest one. 80% of the time, it's a brush-off disguised as interest. 20% of the time, it's real. Your job is to figure out which. **Response:** ``` Happy to — so I send the right thing, what specifically would be most helpful? I've got a case study on [topic A], a breakdown of [topic B], or I can put together a quick summary of how we've helped companies like {{company}}. Which would be most useful? ``` **Sequence action:** Pause the sequence for 48 hours. If they reply with a specific request, they're real — send exactly what they asked for and follow up in 2 business days with a meeting request. If they don't reply to your clarifying question, treat it as "not right now" and resume the sequence at the next step. ## A/B Testing Sequences ### What to Test (In Order of Impact) 1. **Sequence structure** — 8 touches vs. 12 touches, channel order 2. **Timing** — 2-day gaps vs. 3-day gaps, morning vs. afternoon sends 3. **Channel mix** — Phone-heavy vs. email-heavy for the same persona 4. **Opening angles** — Trigger-based vs. pain-based vs. social-proof-based 5. **Individual message copy** — Subject lines, CTAs, email length ### Testing Rules - Change one variable at a time. - Minimum 50 prospects per variant before drawing conclusions. - Measure reply rate AND meeting rate — high reply rate with no meetings means your targeting or qualification is off. - Run tests for at least 2 full sequence cycles before deciding. ## When to Stop vs. Persist ### Stop When: - They explicitly say "not interested" or "remove me" - You've completed the full sequence with zero engagement - They've left the company - Research reveals they're a bad fit (wrong ICP, recent competitor purchase) - You've hit the same account 3 times in 12 months with no traction ### Persist When: - They opened emails but haven't replied (interest without action) - They accepted your LinkedIn request (passive signal) - A new trigger event hits (funding, leadership change) - You find a different, better contact at the same account - Your original outreach was weak and you have a materially better angle now ## Sequence Design Template ``` ═══════════════════════════════════════ SEQUENCE: [Name] Target: [Persona + Company Profile] Duration: [X days] Touches: [X total across Y channels] Goal: [Book discovery call / Get referral / etc.] Capacity: [X contacts/month @ Y% meeting rate = Z meetings] ═══════════════════════════════════════ DAY 1 Channel: [Email / Phone / LinkedIn / Mail] Action: [Specific action] Content: [Brief description or link to template] Branch: If [condition] → [action] DAY X Channel: ... Action: ... Content: ... Branch: ... EXIT CRITERIA Positive reply → [Next step] "Not now" → [Set future task, quarterly nurture] "Not interested" → [Remove, suppress] "Send info" → [Qualify interest, pause 48hrs] No engagement after Day X → [New contact / Re-queue 90 days] ═══════════════════════════════════════ ``` ## Common Mistakes - **Same message, different channel.** Sending your cold email as a LinkedIn DM isn't multi-channel. Each channel needs its own native format and tone. - **Giving up after 3 touches.** The average deal takes 8-12 touches. Most reps stop at 3. The gap between those two numbers is where deals live. - **No breakup email.** The breakup email consistently gets the highest reply rate in most sequences. Don't skip it. - **Ignoring time zones and schedules.** Sending emails at 2am their time, calling during lunch — basic mistakes that kill reply rates. - **Running the same sequence for all accounts.** Tier 1 accounts deserve a different sequence than Tier 3. One-size-fits-all sequences waste your best opportunities. - **No capacity math.** Building a beautiful 14-day sequence without calculating how many contacts you need to enter per month to hit your meeting target. The math comes first. - **Automating everything.** Fully automated sequences without manual phone and LinkedIn steps are just email campaigns with extra steps. The manual touches are where the meetings come from. - **Treating "send more info" like a win.** It's usually a brush-off. Qualify it before you celebrate. ## Related Skills - **cold-email** — Write the email touches in your sequence - **cold-call** — Script the phone touches in your sequence - **linkedin-outreach** — Craft the LinkedIn touches in your sequence - **direct-mail** — Design the physical mail touches for enterprise sequences - **lead-research** — Research accounts before building the sequence - **referral-intro** — Use warm intros as sequence entry points - **event-networking** — Layer event-based touches into sequences - **objection-handling** — Handle replies that aren't a "yes"