Happy Friday,

Yesterday I was on a Reachdesk webinar (the one from 2 editions ago) with Peter from Nooks and Stefano from 6Sense. One attendee asked a question that stuck with me:

"Given that we often use the same tools and data, how do we make sure we're making it (outbound) relevant beyond attaching snippets based on these signals?"

The answer the 3 of us kept landing on: the only data your competitors can't copy is what you learn from an actual relationship.

So how do you create those relationships:

Use dinners for connection, not closing. Stefano's team stopped taking notes at executive dinners. Just asked execs to connect and remember 1 or 2 things. One prospect mentioned D&D, so they sent personalized dice. Meeting acceptance rates went up after that.

Gift at the right time. Stefano's data shows 70-77% of deals are won or lost during shortlisting. That's when gifting has the most impact. A cold prospect who doesn't know you yet may not care what you send.

Make the boss the hero. Peter offered Nooks soccer jerseys ahead of the World Cup for managers to give their teams as a spiff. The gift worked because it made the manager look good, not Nooks.

I used to think gifting was for breaking into accounts. Now I think of it more for deepening the relationships you already have.

Watch the replay here

- Natalie Marcotullio (Head of Growth + Product Marketing)