How to generate B2B leads with cold outreach using cold emailing, Linkedin outreach and cold calling

Cold emailing remains a powerful tool for B2B sales. While some business owners consider it outdated, that viewpoint often stems from ineffective execution. A well-crafted cold email, especially one that is relevant, highly personalised and value-driven, is still an extremely effective channel for creating sales opportunities.

Why Cold Emailing Still Works
Cold email is a crucial channel for generating B2B leads. However, the times of spray and pray are over. there should be a right balance between high volumes, yet personalised and relevant in order to stand out in the crowd.

With so much competition, it’s easy to see why some people think cold emailing has lost its impact. But at Utmost Agency, we view cold emailing as more about delivering the right content than sheer volume. Here’s our approach to making cold emails stand out:

• Recognize that every prospect is unique: Even if prospects have similar roles or industries, each one has unique needs. Using personalization tags like {first name} and {company name} without any deeper relevance won’t cut it.
• Tailor your message to the individual: Prospects may need the same type of solution but face vastly different challenges. Each email should specifically address their situation.
• Focus on value: A cold email is only as effective as the offer it presents. A genuinely useful offer is what makes prospects interested, not just the wording of the email.
• Build your own datasets: Using public databases increases the risk of reaching out to people that are flooded with messages. Instead, use intend data such as Linkedin competitor followers, website visitors or RSS feeds.

By focusing on quality, relevance, and providing real value, we’ve successfully worked with brands like 10pmcurfew, Aerodymax, Rebels, and AAFCPAs, delivering a level of personalisation that captures attention and drives responses.

“LinkedIn’s advantage lies in its ability to reach a wide pool of professionals actively seeking networking and business opportunities.”

Colin Bakker – Utmost

LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for engaging decision-makers directly. By building a professional network and observing prospects’ LinkedIn activity, we can craft highly relevant messages that resonate with each individual.

LinkedIn’s advantage lies in its ability to reach a wide pool of professionals actively seeking networking and business opportunities.

Our LinkedIn outreach approach is straightforward but highly effective:

1. Find the right prospects: We search for decision-makers in target companies who fit the client’s ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
2. Send a personalized connection request: This is more than a “cold” connection; we customize each request to reflect mutual interests or insights based on the prospect’s activity.
3. Follow up with a direct message: After establishing a connection, we send a follow-up message, tailored to spark a conversation rather than jump straight into a sales pitch.

The benefits of LinkedIn are clear, but the platform does have some limitations. For example:
LinkedIn limits the number of connections you can send daily (about 20) and InMails (up to 50).

LinkedIn’s outreach tracking tools require a premium account.
Without third-party tools, LinkedIn outreach can be challenging to scale effectively.

Even with these limitations, LinkedIn remains a powerful tool for accessing B2B prospects directly, particularly when reaching decision-makers at larger organisations.

Cold calling offers a more direct, personal way to connect with prospects by talking to them one-on-one. Though more challenging to scale than emails or InMails, cold calling is especially effective when done after prior contact, such as an email or LinkedIn message.
Our cold calling tips include:

• Don’t truly “cold” call: Whenever possible, call prospects you’ve engaged with before—whether through email, social media, or another platform. This familiarity makes the call feel less intrusive.
• Value-driven pitch: Use the call to explain the value of your product or service briefly, highlighting how it solves a specific problem for the prospect.
• Keep it brief: Time is limited on a call, so we focus on making a strong first impression and inviting the prospect to learn more if interested.

While cold calling isn’t for everyone, when integrated into a broader outreach strategy, it serves as an impactful tool for building rapport and closing deals. It’s particularly useful for follow-up after initial email or LinkedIn contact.

8 Steps to Successful B2B Lead Generation with Cold Outreach

At Utmost Agency, our cold outreach strategy follows an 8-step framework that has proven effective across various industries:

1. Conduct Market Research: Before outreach, we dive into the target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points. This gives us a clear understanding of the market landscape, including competitors, and helps us shape our approach.
2. Define the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP): We identify the businesses that would benefit most from our client’s solution and narrow down the audience to high-potential leads.
3. Identify Key Contacts: Targeting decision-makers is crucial. Using tools like Apollo and LinkedIn, we locate individuals most likely to respond positively to the client’s offer.
4. Build Rapport: Cold outreach is more effective when there’s a personal touch. We work to build connections from the start, whether through personalisation, tone, or relevance.
   Create Engaging Icebreakers: The first sentence in a message is
5. Key to catching attention. We personalise it to make each prospect feel seen and valued.
6. Hyper-Personalise Each Message: Every message, from the subject line to the CTA, is tailored to the individual’s needs and interests. We avoid generic templates and prioritise relevance.
7. Craft a Clear, Simple CTA: Each message includes a straightforward call to action, encouraging the prospect to engage without feeling pressured.
8. Follow Up Consistently: Persistence is key. On average, it takes 5-7 touches to close a deal, so we implement a thoughtful follow-up sequence to stay top of mind.