Sellers are growing more convinced that deals should simply not go through a single thread—and they’re certainly right. The evidence comes from Backlinko’s study, which analyzed 12 million outreach emails to confidently proclaim that engaging more than one contact within an account can improve response rates by 93%.

Industry experts validate the possibility of establishing relationships with multiple contacts at top-tier accounts to increase the odds of getting through—as long as sellers are tactful and diplomatic:

“You have every right to engage multiple contacts within the prospect organization. Granted, there may be some diplomacy needed and you may wish to tread lightly to avoid alienating your key contact.”
—Kevin Graham, Key Account Manager at Oracle

Engaging the Key Contacts Within Your Target Account

Some experts explain that a well-orchestrated account-based initiative typically engages 2-3 contacts at a time. Alternatively, others argue that sellers shouldn’t use industry averages to determine how many contacts each rep must target per account.

What is certain is that sellers should go through at least 2-3 key contacts to increase their probability of closing a deal. This targeted outreach strategy should focus, according to Rishi Mathur, Content Producer at LeadIQ, on a triangle of influence:

• The User—an individual that is educated on the value of a company’s product/service;

• The Implementer—a middle manager that plays a critical role in initiating the discussion;

• The Financier—a director-level manager that has the final say in any strategic decision made by the company.

Regardless of the number of contacts you reach out to, it’s important to “look for 1-2 decision-makers (which could be targeted by your AE),” as Dominique Levin, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Winning By Design, suggests “and 1-3 initiators (which could be targeted by your SDR).” This will allow you to identify the pain points of different stakeholders and broaden relationships at multiple levels of the organization.

It All Starts with Identifying the Right Contacts

The average buyer’s circle is 6.8 people. If your account relationships are strictly focused on only one contact (or worse—the wrong contact within the target account!), you may inevitably be at risk of losing a valuable client.

Inaccurate data will make a seller’s path towards identifying the right-fit contacts much rockier.

When valid contact data fuels each account-specific interaction, sellers are not only engaging with the right contacts; they’re also consistently improving their response rates and fostering a connection with key decision-makers.

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