In Conversation with Yana Butryk: Sales Management and Lead Generation Insights

The Sales Manager at Sparklead, Yana Butryk, discusses modern lead generation, sales techniques, and the role of AI tools in the process.

What does a typical day look like for you as a Sales Manager at a lead generation agency?

A typical day in my life as a sales manager starts with a much-needed cup of coffee.

Once I'm energized, I dive into my daily sales processes: answering emails, checking team updates, and prioritizіng tasks in HubSpot. A quick morning meetup and strategic sales plan follow to make sure everyone is in the picture and ready for the day ahead.

And then it's time to prep for the day’s activities. I spend the morning preparing for upcoming calls and follow-up conversations, making sure I'm fully equipped to address client needs and concerns.

The afternoon is when the action really ramps up with client demos. These sessions are important for showcasing our solutions and demonstrating how we can add value to their businesses.

As the day winds down, I shift my focus to sales data analysis, reviewing our performance key metrics and identifying trends and opportunities for improvement.  

Each day is dynamic and challenging, but incredibly rewarding as I help drive the success of my sales team and our clients.

What trends do you see shaping the lead generation industry in 2024 and beyond?

I'd say it’s the ABM approach. ABM is revolutionizing lead generation by focusing on highly targeted accounts rather than broad-reaching campaigns. This strategy involves more personalized and meaningful interactions with potential customers, resulting in higher conversion rates, revenue growth and stronger customer relationships.

In addition to ABM, I think that AI is revolutionizing the sales cycle lead generation processes, so it's better to learn how to use it to increase your sales performance and stay ahead of your competitors.

How has the role of sales in lead generation evolved over the past few year

My take is that the focus now is less on generating a high quantity of unqualified leads and more on attracting high-quality leads with a strong potential to convert. The grass was greener in 2019, and you could just write a “Quick question” subject line and still catch prospects’ attention.

Now you have to really think outside the box and work with sales team on non-trivial outreach campaigns, as well as implement marketing strategies. And with the development of AI, it has become easier to perform customized lead generation.

What are some of the most effective lead generation strategies you’ve implemented recently?

Well, there was a focus shift from email to LinkedIn. Email has become overcrowded, so LinkedIn is the perfect arena for maintain relationships and nurturing leads. However, you have to work with the leads constantly in order to warm them up a bit. Keep track of whether they accepted your invite and whether they shared any news. But it’s working.

Let me give you an example.

Practical case: For example, in my LinkedIn campaigns, I use some one-pagers that I send to potential customers. This shows that we are really willing to help rather than just quickly booking a call. I also ask if this is relevant for them and if I can send them more information. Be human, not a robot blasting everyone with generic messages.

How do you approach personalization in your lead generation efforts?

Personalization in my lead generation efforts is paramount. I begin by segmenting our audience based on various criteria such as demographics, behavior, and past interactions. This segmentation allows me to tailor my messaging and content to address the specific needs and pain points of different segments.

We use data analytics and CRM tools to gather insights into each prospect and customer base's preferences and behavior. This helps us create personalized emails, messages, and content that resonate with their interests and challenges.

And here is one more example in action.

Practical case: For instance, in some of my campaigns, I searched for people recently hired into managing positions. Usually, newcomers are energetic, full of ideas, and more inclined to hear your offer than those who have been in the position for a long time. You can use whatever information is available and build your personalization campaigns around that.

What role does technology play in your lead generation efforts? Are there any specific tools or platforms that you find indispensable?

Technology definitely plays a crucial role in our lead generation efforts. My personal list of tools which I use day-to-day includes: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Generect, Clay Apollo.io, Reply.io,  LinkedHelper  and, of course, ChatGPT.

Let me go through their main functions and strengths. But first of all, it's worth mentioning that a certain tool fits a certain company.

Sales Navigator tool from LinkedIn is used solely for client searching. LinkedIn is quite skeptical about automation, which is why, for messaging and extracting databases, you have to cooperate with other helpers. Alongside scraping tools like Phantom Buster, there is a possibility to build a database and find relevant emails.

I do love Generect cause it is user-friendly and serves both functions: making up-to-date searches for emails and LinkedIn accounts. It's a young Ukrainian tool that I'd definitely recommend.

Apollo.io is another tool that can rival Generect. It has a solid database, serves two functions as well, and offers a standard set of filters.

Clay. Personally, I'm not a big fan because it is difficult to use and takes time to get used to.

Speaking of emails, the top spot should be given to Reply.io. It is ideal for email automation or mixed automation.

Technologies are developing at a very fast pace, and I can't help but try some new tools. Two that have caught my attention are Instantly and Smartlead.

Besides tools, there is one more very important aspect worth mentioning: experience. Expertise is earned through mistakes and real-world cases. My piece of advice here is: when searching for leads, don't go for a large sample.

Nowadays, there is a huge turnover in the corporate world, which means your relevant contact might have changed their job since you found them.

How do you use AI and data analytics to improve your lead generation strategies?

First of all, nowadays, enterprise sales management can't get by without AI. We use AI, sales management software, and data analytics to improve our marketing and sales strategy by automating and optimizing key processes.

Predictive analytics helps us identify high-potential leads, while AI-driven personalization allows our outreach to resonate with prospects. Data analytics provide insights into our performance, enabling continuous refinement of our sales strategies. This integration of AI and data analytics allows us to achieve sales objectives by targeting the right leads more effectively and efficiently.

I mentioned Apollo.io earlier, and they have a nice feature called Buying Intent. It helps you see if your prospects or companies have searched for your services in the recent week or so. If the buying intent is high, you can use this to your advantage and drop them an email.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in lead generation today, and how do you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges in lead generation today is reaching the right audience amidst increasing competition and noise. We overcome this by using advanced targeting tools and data analytics to identify and focus sales efforts on high-potential leads.

Another challenge is maintaining engagement with leads who have become more discerning and selective. To tackle this, we use personalized and relevant content to nurture relationships.

Plus, adapting to ever-changing technology and data privacy regulations requires continuous learning and compliance efforts. By staying informed and agile, we can effectively navigate these obstacles and improve our lead generation and marketing strategies further.

How do you handle the balance between quantity and quality of leads?

We achieve this by refining our targeting criteria and optimizing our lead generation channels. This involves using data analytics to identify high-quality leads and adjusting our strategies to attract them while maintaining a steady flow of leads.

By continuously monitoring and optimizing our strategies, we make sure that we strike the right balance to meet our sales goals.

How do you build and maintain strong client relationships with your clients?

I believe that a sales manager could have a successful track record of strong client relationships, thanks to their sales skills and the commitment of the entire team.

Well, the sales manager's role involves a deep understanding of clients' needs and goals. Regular communication and personalized interactions are key.

We prioritize transparency and honesty, trying to exceed expectations and show our commitment to their success. By consistently giving value and staying proactive in our support, we build long-term partnerships on trust and mutual respect.

How will sales process and your role evolve in the next five years?

Beyond the traditional responsibilities of overseeing sales teams and driving revenue, the role will mostly focus on using technology and data-driven insights. I think sales representatives will need to know how to integrate AI and automation to reach their sales targets and build a strong sales pipeline.

I'd like to make a final point here and say that effective sales managers are the leaders who combine their honed communication skills, team management with innovative approaches to drive steady growth in an unpredictable business world.

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If you want to learn more about B2B lead generation and sales, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. Looking forward to chatting with you there!