The ‘Seven Touches’ That Lead to the Golden Sale
Understanding the importance of seven touches in your sales process puts you well on the path to securing more conversions. If you’re aiming to turn cold leads into loyal customers, this principle is key.
Why “seven touches” matter
One of the most repeated (and true) clichés in marketing is that it takes at least seven touches to convert a cold lead into a sale.
The more interactions you have with a prospective customer – across multiple channels – the more likely you are to build a relationship and ultimately, make the sale.
These can be flexible according to what works for both you, and your prospect. Some ‘touches’ include:
- Personal email
- Phone call
- Text message
- One-on-one conversation
- Online video meeting (e.g. Zoom)
- Mail (including: catalogue, brochure, samples, etc.)
- Event invite
- Social media invite (e.g. LinkedIn)
Why most sales people stop too soon
Most sales-focused organisations give up after the second or third touch. This happens for many reasons:
- It’s outside their comfort zone
- The first interaction wasn’t warmly received
- They simply forget to follow up – because there’s no system in place
That last one might sound silly, but it’s surprisingly common. How many times have you lost a prospect’s number scribbled on a scrap of paper or missed the follow-up window and felt too awkward to re-engage?
Build systems to stay consistent
The solution is structure. When you have a consistent system for follow-ups and outreach, prospecting becomes less awkward and more effective.
Your prospect should see your name – or hear from your company – on a regular basis. This keeps you top of mind and builds familiarity over time.
Above: A CRM system like Pipedrive (shown above) can automate some of the contact points in addition to helping you keep track of prospects.
Tailor the touches to your offer
How and when you apply the seven touches will depend on your product or service – especially its price and how frequently it’s needed. But the principle remains the same: consistent, multi-channel engagement converts cold leads into sales.
Start building your own system of seven touches – and you’ll start seeing results others give up on too soon.