From Stale to Sale: Strategies for Activating Dead Leads

It happens to every sales pro. You’re busy and feeling good. Then, suddenly, without any warning, business drops off. No calls from clients. No quotes for new projects. Crickets.

It’s not the first time this has happened. Figuring out what to do when you slam headfirst into a slow period is one of those “now what?” moments that separate good salespeople from best-in-class performers.

A Dead Lead Strategy

When you have unexpected time on your hands, one smart strategy is looking for ways to reactivate leads that have gone stale.

Let’s start with a definition. If you haven’t emailed, called, texted, mailed, or contacted a lead through LinkedIn in the past 90 days, assume that lead has gone stale. You haven’t thought about them, and most likely, the lead probably hasn’t given you a thought either.

The fact that stale leads don’t think much about you is actually a good thing. Why? Because they didn’t feel neglected, and a slow period is the perfect time to reactivate them.

Get started by putting together a list of stale leads and sort them into two groups. “A-List” leads align with your ideal customer profile.

I like to think of ideal customers this way: you are running a lemonade stand. A-listers represent customers who like lemonade and will spend money to get it. You don’t know if they are thirsty, but you at least know they need what you sell.

The “B-List” are other companies. They are the people who live in the neighborhood near your lemonade stand. They might walk by it, but you don’t know if they might be interested in buying. While you want to figure out if the B-listers have potential, investing time in selling A-list leads makes the most sense.

Over the next 90 days, commit to giving ALL leads some basic attention by sending one email every two weeks.

Put more effort into your contacting your A-list. Call within 24 to 48 hours after sending an email. If you have access to a lead’s mobile number, send a text—maybe including a video clip of something of interest in your plant. Drop a sample or a piece of collateral in the mail with a handwritten note. Reach out via social media with something of interest. To add relevancy, do a little research to see what is up with A-list accounts at the corporate level.

Need a topic? Share information about something new.

• Do you have any new equipment? Anything purchased within the last year would qualify.
• How about a new service? Or something that would be new to a lead about an existing service? For example, ongoing postal promotions are still occurring until the year's end.
• New samples also work. The new sample could showcase how you overcame a challenge or provided benefits—or it could share a story about why a new client decided to work with you for the first time.

If you need help writing emails or developing a plan, AI can help. For tips, check out my previous articles on adding AI to your sales approach:

• “Can ChatGPT Improve Your Next Sales Pitch?” tells you how AI can help you improve messaging and get a buyer’s attention.
• “Sales Pro, Are You Stuck on the ‘Safe-to-Ignore’ List?” offers insights on how to craft more effective business development strategies.
• “Prompt Wizardry: Cast a Spell to Increase Sales” provides help for writing effective AI prompts.
• “Can ChatGPT Help Get More Sales Meetings? Maybe. Here’s How” explores how to use ChatGPT to write effective emails.

A Quick Recap

Identify which leads have gone cold and split them into two lists. For your A-listers, go all in—reach out through multiple channels, remind them you’re there, and show them you care. For your B-listers, send a bi-weekly email to keep you on their radar. Every touchpoint is a step closer to turning stale leads into fresh sales. With attention, you can turn stale leads into sales opportunities—so why not get started now? Your next big win is waiting!