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The most recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees were celebrated this past week. Every year there seems to be debate about the relevance of these awards – and all entertainment awards shows, for that matter. If you think I’m not going to use this as an opportunity to throw in as many song titles or lyrics from the list of inductees as I can, you’ve got another thing comin’!

Give this song a listen with me as we see what the experts are saying this week.

Best Times for Cold Calling

Over the years and the 1000s of campaigns we’ve run, we’ve compiled reams of data around customer response rates to marketing campaigns. Since the pandemic started, however, much of this has changed – remote work, adapted workplaces and predominantly digital tactics have made prospects more difficult to reach during their 9 to 5.

UpLead recently published a report on the best times for cold calling in 2022. Aggregating multiple sources in the B2B marketing world, this is a great reference point for anyone managing teams that are involved in outreach.

Does the time you call really matter? YES! Out there is a fortune waitin’ to be had! The more ideal the time is that you call, the higher your connect or answer rate will be! And as we know, it’s all about having a conversation and moving the buyer’s journey along.

Over the years, we’ve found that ideal call times vary by industry and by title/functional role. Best time to reach an exec? Usually early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Be hungry like the wolf and track your own results so that you can adjust your technique as needed.

What about the best day of the week for making cold calls? Across all sources, hit them with your best shot on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Monday and Friday should be avoided if possible – the first day of the week is generally spent responding to emails, attending meetings, and dealing with pressing tasks. Your prospects are likely to prioritize their workflows and deliverables. And Friday is too close to the weekend – many are mentally “checked out” and their weekend mode is already coming around again.

What do you see in your organization? Is there something I should know? Or are there clouds in your coffee? I’d love to hear your feedback on this one and see how you compare!

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony

Did you watch it? Folks like Bob Lefsetz may debate the merit and relevance of the Hall of Fame – but it’s still fun to see the show! In case you missed it, here are the 2022 inductees:

  • Performers: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo; Duran Duran; Eminem; Eurythmics; Dolly Parton; Lionel Richie; Carly Simon
  • Musical Excellence Award: Judas Priest; Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
  • Early Influence Award: Harry Belafonte; Elizabeth Cotten
  • Ahmet Ertegun Award: Allen Grubman; Jimmy Iovine; Sylvia Robinson

Sure – we can debate how many of these are actually ‘rock & roll’ – but overall an interesting list.

What happens tomorrow in B2B? I think it’s interesting to see how the artists respond to the nomination and induction, and how they ‘market’ themselves and their rockin’ years as a result. You may have followed the Dolly Parton nomination in the press – but I think for many it’s a great case study of positioning and branding. What do you think?

As always, don’t hesitate to call me to brainstorm or just say hello!

Looking forward,
Rick

Rick Endrulat, President | ricke@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/rickendrulat