Easy Sales Cadence: Create a Simple Flow Today

If you’re a manager or sales representative, you know how essential the sales cadence flow is to guide the lead from the top to the bottom of the funnel, generating revenue for the company.

This structure can have various configurations, with different durations, number of approaches, and channels used, depending on the type of business, market segment, and the company’s sales process.

To discuss more about this structure, its elements, and variations, we created this article.

We will also cover the best practices for a sales cadence to ensure your strategy is complete!

What is a Sales Cadence Flow?

A sales cadence flow encompasses the entire journey from the first commercial contact with the consumer to the closing of the sale.

Within this flow, factors like frequency, number of contact attempts, type of message, waiting time, support content, and communication channels used at each step of the process are defined.

Having this process well-structured makes a big difference for standardizing commercial work, better tracking metrics, and improved performance.

There are several types of sales cadence flows, and we’ll detail them below.

Manual vs. Automatic Cadence Flow

Cadence flows can be manual or automatic:

Manual: The manual flow does not use any automation tools during the process. The flow may be outlined in a tool like a CRM, but the sales representative must consult it themselves to take the next step.

Automatic: On the other hand, the automatic flow utilizes automation tools that send some follow-ups (through messages or emails, for example) and assist the representative with reminders for the next steps and centralized record-keeping in the tool.

🔎 Keep reading: What Is a Sales Pipeline, Benefits, and How to Create One

Simple vs. Mixed Cadence Flow

Cadence flows can also be divided into simple and mixed:

Simple: Simple cadence flows use only one communication channel with the consumer. For example, the entire sales process could be conducted via phone.

Mixed: Mixed flows use various communication channels with the consumer, alternating according to the stage and intent of the contact. Some studies show that mixed flows can convert up to five times more than simple flows.

What are the Elements of a Sales Cadence Flow?

There is no single formula, model, or methodology that works for all cases.

However, there are six elements common to all flows.

Take a look:

1. Target Audience

Understanding the audience you will interact with is the foundation of any commercial flow.

Based on the audience’s characteristics, preferences, and challenges, you can determine the other elements.

Therefore, you need to create personas (representations of ideal customers), identify the decision-makers, and segment your contacts accordingly for a more accurate approach.

2. Communication Channels

By understanding the audience, you’ll also identify the best channels to reach them.

These should be defined within the flow, which we recommend being mixed, if possible.

Some channels that can be explored include email, phone, face-to-face meetings, WhatsApp, video calls, social networks, online chat, etc.

3. Number of Contact Attempts

The number of contact attempts should also be specified in your flow.

80% of sales require at least five follow-up contacts.

Therefore, we recommend your cadence includes between 8 to 12 touchpoints from the initial contact with each lead.

4. Time Intervals Between Contacts

In addition to defining how many contacts will be made and through which channels, you also need to consider the waiting time between each approach.

Think about the type of approach and set a time interval that isn’t too intrusive but also ensures the lead doesn’t forget about your solution.

5. Total Cadence Duration

With these points established, you should define the total duration of the sales cadence, from the first to the final contact.

This also depends on the market you operate in and the type of solution you sell.

Typically, more complex sales, higher-priced items, and B2B negotiations have longer cycles and a larger number of contacts.

6. Content of Each Approach

What draws your lead closer to the purchase, aside from a well-designed process, is the content of your approaches.

To capture attention and generate interest, consider the lead’s needs, their purchasing objections, and the positive impact your solution will have.

Prepare base content for each phase and approach in the cycle with these factors in mind.

Examples of Sales Cadence Flows

Let’s look at some examples of sales cadence flows?

8×8 Strategy

In this flow, the goal is to make 8 contacts over 8 days.

These contacts don’t need to be one per day

Breaks between days are fine as long as 8 contacts are made by the end of the flow.

On the same day, you can make an attempt through a call and by email or WhatsApp, for example.

This strategy is mainly for the prospecting phase when you’re trying to make initial contact with the lead.

8×16 Strategy

Another flow in this same format is the 8×16.

As you might have guessed, it consists of 8 contacts in 16 days.

This version adapts to other stages of the sales funnel, not just to prospecting for the initial contact.

The choice of channel in these two methods is not fixed.

You and your team should understand and test what works best for your audience.

Methodical Flow

If you’re looking for flow tips with channel suggestions, let’s present some options, starting with the methodical flow.

Over a total period of four weeks, this type of cadence is recommended for longer negotiations with high value involved.

Day 1: Email
Day 3: Message on LinkedIn and Email
Day 7: Email
Day 10: Message on WhatsApp and Call
Day 15: Message on LinkedIn and Email
Day 17: Email and Call
Day 20: Message (choose the channel where the lead responds best: LinkedIn or WhatsApp) and Call
Day 25: Email and Call
Day 30: Email and Call

Check out now: 14 Key Negotiation Techniques for Sales.

Aggressive and Fast Flow

In a more aggressive flow designed for smaller negotiations, the interval between contacts is shorter, multiple channels are used for each contact (for reinforcement and formalization of what was discussed), and the entire flow has a shorter duration.

In this type of flow, the proposed sequence is:

Day 1: Email
Day 3: Email and Call
Day 5: Message on LinkedIn and Email
Day 7: Call
Day 10: Email

Flow with Leads at Different Hierarchical Levels

Especially in the B2B market, it is common for sales representatives to need to speak with various professionals at different hierarchical levels within the company until they get a response from a decision-maker.

In this scenario, the following three-week flow is proposed:

Day 01: Personalized email to the decision-maker
Day 05: New email about your product/service
Day 08: Follow-up email
Day 10: Call, message, and email to the decision-maker
Day 13: New email with a customized presentation of your solution
Day 16: Follow-up email
Day 18: Email to a mid-level professional in the hierarchy
Day 20: Follow-up email to this professional
Day 22: Call, message, and email to this professional
Day 25: Email to a lower-level professional in the hierarchy.
Day 26: Call, message, and email to this professional

Flow with only emails

It is quite common to find flows composed solely of emails, especially when dealing with leads that still need to be qualified for the sales approach or educated about the solution your company offers.

In these cases, you can work with shorter flows of 15 days or longer flows of 30 days.

An example of a sequence could be:

Personalized email
Follow-up email
Email with case studies
Email highlighting the benefits of your solution
Follow-up email
Personalized email
Break-up email

Inbound Sales Flow

If the leads being approached have already come from marketing efforts and are familiar with your solution, the sales representative can opt for the Inbound Sales flow:

Day 01: Call
Day 03: Call with a message or WhatsApp message and Email
Day 05: Follow-up email
Day 07: Call with a message or WhatsApp message
Day 10: Follow-up email
Day 15: WhatsApp message
Day 20: Call with a message or WhatsApp message
Day 25: Follow-up email
Day 30: Call with a message or WhatsApp message and Email

Flow for Leads with Limited Contact through Email and LinkedIn

If you identify that your audience does not respond well to channels like email and LinkedIn, or even if they do, but slowly, you can explore a flow mostly carried out through channels such as phone and WhatsApp.

Day 1: Call
Day 4: WhatsApp message
Day 7: WhatsApp message and formalization email
Day 10: Call

Best Practices for Creating a Sales Cadence

Creating an effective sales cadence that works for your goals is not always simple.

Therefore, we’ve separated some tips to help you build the ideal process for your company.

Identify the Best Days and Times to Contact your Prospect

You can find pre-made flows or models that also suggest the best days and times for each type of contact.

However, the truth is that this can vary greatly depending on the location, consumer profile, or industry.

For example, for B2B approaches, business hours usually work best.

But when selling to the end consumer, many sectors see better results during lunch hours or early evening.

Once again, we emphasize the need to know your audience well and test what works best in your process.

Know When to end Contact

It is important to know when to stop.

Persistence is part of the sales cadence flow, but after a certain point, it is just wasting your team’s time.

Longer flows tend to be more spaced out, while shorter flows have a higher frequency of contacts, but both need to have an end.

It’s important that you make it clear to the lead that it’s the last contact—and truly stop reaching out.

When you Receive a Rejection, try to Understand the Reasons

Even when the customer’s response is negative, try to learn from it.

This helps improve your sales pitch and increases the success of future approaches.

Track Metrics and Performance

32% of sales representatives make up to four attempts before giving up on contact, while the best results are achieved after the fifth attempt.

Even worse, 11% of companies don’t track this at all.

Setting and tracking metrics is crucial to understanding the quality of your sales flow and identifying areas that need improvement.

Use Sales Tools to Automate Parts of the Process

You can make your team’s work easier by using an automated or semi-automated sales flow, as well as tools like CRM and integrations.

This way, any sales representative has access to the lead’s history, and standardization of processes is guaranteed.

You might also like: Sales Software: Best Options to Boost Your Business

How to Measure the Results of the Cadence Flow?

Since metrics are a fundamental part of building a good sales flow, how do you measure them?

What indicators should be tracked, and what do they tell us?

Percentage of Emails Opened and Clicked

Of the emails sent, what are the open and click rates?

You can track these metrics and test different subject lines, sending times, and CTAs to see if the rates improve.

Percentage of Emails Opened and Replied to

The email reply rate is another important metric for evaluating the success of approaches through this channel.

Percentage of Emails/Calls and Scheduled Meetings

For many sales processes, meetings are key to building a stronger relationship with the lead and closing sales.

If this is the case for your company, this meeting scheduling rate should be monitored.

Percentage of Emails/Calls and Proposals Sent

Commercial proposals are a more advanced stage of the flow, as the lead has shown interest in your solution and opened the door for a proposal to be sent.

So, an interesting metric is the ratio between the number of contacts and the number of proposals sent, allowing you to gauge the work effort and the number of follow-ups within your flow.

Rejection Rate

Receiving negative responses is part of the sales process.

But do you know the rejection rate of your flow?

Track the metric between the number of leads approached and those that reject the solution you offer.

Why Should you Start Now?

If you’ve made it this far in the article we’ve prepared and still aren’t convinced you need to implement a sales cadence flow, we have a few points you should consider:

To Increase Focus and Productivity of Salespeople and SDRs

With a defined flow, sales representatives know where to focus their efforts.

This tool also automates part of the process, and salespeople work more efficiently since the next step and the contact dates don’t get lost.

To Make it Easier to Measure and Improve the Sales Process

Without a flow, it’s tough to understand the rates and where improvements are needed.

From the moment you start monitoring each metric, solving process issues through testing and analysis becomes much simpler and clearer.

To Create a Predictable and Scalable Sales Process

A flow and the metrics derived from it make results more predictable.

For example, you’ll know how many contacts are typically needed to close a sale.

Or, to give another example, how many leads are approached and how many will become clients.

Another benefit is scalability through standardization, as the work becomes faster, and any new sales representative who joins the company will know what to do.

To Avoid Wasting Leads

Without a well-defined process, leads might end up being forgotten.

And what if those leads would have eventually converted into sales?

To Increase Conversions and Close More Sales

Here we come to the crucial point of all the benefits: increasing conversions.

With a process that has the right number of contacts, channels that are interesting to the lead, appropriate spacing, and content tailored for each phase, the rate of leads becoming opportunities and opportunities turning into sales will only grow.

If you’ve reached the end of this article, we’re sure you’re eager to build and implement your own sales cadence flow.

Any questions?

Our comments section is open!