9 Sendoso uses to boost your sales cycle

Don’t leave money on the table. It’s a warning from the B2B marketing experts at Automox. They’re consistently locking in $6 million in pipeline per quarter with Sendoso.

Would they be leaving $6 million on the table if they weren’t using Sendoso as a marketing tool?

Automox’s expertise expands beyond IT cyber-security.

The account-based marketing (ABM) team has become experts at using Sendoso’s automated corporate gifting to move B2B prospects down the sales funnel.

In fact, most of the company uses Sendoso now. It’s how they are clinching that $2 million in pipeline per month.

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Sendoso becomes a must-have marketing tool

Laura Partyka, senior manager of ABM at Automox, knows Sendoso is vital to her company’s expanding sales and marketing goals. It shows in the seven-figure numbers her team routinely nails down.

“We’re generating half a million dollars a week in pipeline with Sendoso,” said Partyka, who used Sendoso at another B2B company and saw how it steadily brought in big returns. “It’s why we have such urgency around making sure we have Sendoso as a tool and making sure that we’re using it effectively.”

Now, Automox is growing their playbook and has worked B2B gifting strategies into the entire funnel to sell and close deals.

1. Using corporate gifts to book demos

A favorite campaign for Automox is sending a trendy gift to book demos. They’ve seen the best results with two hot items: a Star Wars drink set and a Yeti cooler.

Understanding the audience is key.

“We know our prospects like Star Wars,” says Partyka, referencing the IT managers Automox targets. “We know they like the outdoors.”

Marketing outreach is straightforward: offering the gift for a chat over a demo. Within hours of launching the Star Wars campaign, Automox had ten demos booked.

“It was like BOOM, meeting after meeting after meeting, and now they’ve converted them into opportunities.”

Two weeks later, Automox’s sales development representatives generated $500,000 in pipeline and a play they can return to again and again.

2. Sending eGifts to increase email responses

Automox reps are experts at working Sendoso eGifts into almost every marketing email.

“Get yourself a free meal on Automox,” wrote one rep. “You can use it whenever or save it for when we meet later.”

With Sendoso’s uncomplicated eGifts, sending is easy. By offering lunch or a coffee, with redemption a click away, reps keep conversations moving.

Automox email: “If next week works for you and any of your team, we can send your team lunch beforehand.”

Prospect response: “Wouldn’t mind a good meal from our favorite local restaurant. How about next Wednesday?”

With Sendoso’s eGifts, Automox’s reps have built a reputation for being determined to get that pipeline. Partyka shares their actual outreach emails and responses to help train Automox reps.

3. Accelerating deals with business gifts

Corporate gifts help close deals faster too. It’s how Automox converts that $2 million in pipeline per month into actual ROI.

“Typically they’re about 60 days, and we’re trying to get that to about 45 days,” explains Partyka.

So Automox is putting Sendoso gifts to work to put deals on the books.

“What I always tell [sales reps] is, if you have anything closing this month, you need to be sending them Sendoso. Even if it’s, ‘Here’s a coffee to enjoy while you’re reading your contract.’”

It’s a small investment strategy that pays off.

“Just this week we accelerated a deal-close by six days using Sendoso,” says Partyka. “The prospect kept telling us, ‘Yeah, we’ll sign the paperwork.’ We didn’t want to wait, so one of our sales leaders said, ‘If you can get this signed today, I’ll send you lunch.’”

Guess what happened?

“BOOM. Signed that day.”

4. Warming cold calls with incentives

Automox loves catching prospects off guard with a cold call offer.  They turn a “maybe” into a “yes” with Sendoso. Partyka shares a typical phone call to show how it’s done.

Automox representative: “Would you have any interest in an educational 15-minute conversation just to see what Automox offers?”

IT manager/prospect: “Maybe. Not right now, but maybe.”

Seconds later, they had a different answer.

Automox rep: “We want to make the most of people’s time, so I can send you a lunch gift card or an Amazon gift card. Just something to hear us out.”

IT manager: “Okay, maybe next week I could do something.”

Meeting scheduled. Those extra incentives are how Automox continually gets vendors who are on the fence into deeper discussions.

5. Creating social connections by gifting

Automox’s reps browse LinkedIn to narrow down targets in a crowded field of prospects. For this pitch, reps used the Yeti cooler as the gift to open doors.

“I came across your page and thought you might be interested in a free Yeti in exchange for a technical conversation with Automox,” writes a rep.

Reps are clear about the intent and promise the gift after the talks.

“What does your availability look like next week?” writes another. “I’ll send over that Amazon gift card (or a Yeti if you prefer) once we confirm a time.”

“Sure I can have a quick chat,” says the prospect. “Oh man! Not sure if I would like the Yeti or the gift card.”

After the meeting is held, Automox follows up with Sendoso’s Address Confirmation to ensure the gift won’t be lost, making delivery a breeze.

6. Avoiding missed opportunities in the field

Now Automox is really driving every dollar of pipeline by working gifts into each stage of the sales cycle.

What about missed opportunities? Automox is targeting those too.

Automox enjoys hosting pub crawls for prospects at cybersecurity conferences, but some prospects miss them after conference sessions run long.

Reps started reaching out to those folks so that the chance to connect wouldn’t pass them by.

“We’re offering a six-pack of IPAs to anyone that missed us at the pub crawl,” says Partyka.

It keeps the door open and gives reps another shot at making a one-on-one connection.

7. Sweetening meeting confirmations

Automox was tired of seeing prospects skip out on meetings. So they sweetened the deal.

“Friendly reminder for our call today,” starts one Automox demo confirmation. “In the meantime, here is a gift card to Starbucks on me to grab yourself something before or after the meeting.”

“Looking forward to connecting today!” reads another. “I know you’re busy, I thought I’d send over a gift card and buy your lunch for your time!”

When they’re offered a Sendoso eGift, prospects are much more likely to attend, and meeting booked-to-held ratios increase.

8. Thanking partners with swag

Have you ever had a colleague do you a solid for nothing?

Automox gives branded swag to allies who offer up helpful tips and tricks that move business along.

“You didn’t hear this from me,” writes one partner. “You can send my swag here.”

It’s easy with Sendoso’s Swag Store™, and they can even select the swag of their choice.

9. Nudging third-party vendors

In B2B marketing, prospects have their own vendors who also need to come along when there’s a new product.

Automox is so focused on getting deals closed, they use Sendoso gifts to help nudge along sluggish channel partners.

“We’ll reach out to the channel partner to try and accelerate that deal even faster,” says Partyka. “It’s just that relationship building.”

Creative sends can achieve sales goals

Automox is making big strides in pushing deals forward with Sendoso. But $6 million in pipeline per quarter didn’t happen overnight.

“Try and test and [do] not be so rigorous, because you’re not going to know what works unless you try it,” advises Partyka. “Then you’re going to find out what sticks.”

Automox tries to convey a central point with their outreach, regardless of where a prospect is in the funnel: Time is valuable, and reps are appreciative.

Gifting with Sendoso brings that sentiment home.

If you’re determined to turn interactions into millions in opportunities, just like Automox, connect with Sendoso and we’ll help you put those strategies in place.