Fuel your 2025 pipeline with hidden gems from your CRM

Melinda: Hello, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us today. Before I get started, I want to let everybody know that this webinar is being recorded and a copy of the recording will be sent to all of you either tomorrow or early next week. We are live. This is an Ask Sam Anything webinar. We have a long list of questions that came in through the registration process, so we’ve got a lot going on there. And we’ll start with those questions, but do not worry if you haven’t had a chance to submit any questions yet. We’ll be accepting them throughout the entire webinar, so please jump into the Q&A and fire away for the next 45 minutes.

I’m Melinda Prescher, Senior Marketing Director at Insightly, an Unbounce company, and I’m hosting today’s webinar. I am so excited today. I’ve got the one and only Sam McKenna with us. If you’re an Insightly customer and even if you’re not, you’ve probably seen Sam with us on other Insightly webinars or all over LinkedIn. She is the CEO of #samsales Consulting. She’s an award-winning sales leader, a keynote speaker, and a brand ambassador for LinkedIn. We’re absolutely thrilled to have you here today, Sam, and also excited for this audience to be able to ask you questions and really get some access to your great thought leadership.

To help us get to know a little bit more about you and the audience today, we actually launched two polls at the start of the webinar, and I want to go ahead and share those results. So one of the questions was: Does your company currently use a CRM? Ninety-five percent said yes, and just five percent said no. That’s actually not surprising; I expected quite a few Insightly customers on this webinar, probably some prospects as well, and some fans of Sam, but that looks pretty much what I expected.

The second question was: What role are you in? So, we’ve got 15% of respondents saying they were in SDR/BDR roles, 11% AE, 20% Frontline Leader, and 31% Senior Leader. I love that mix. What do you think, Sam?

Sam: Love that mix! Love to see how many people are here to learn, even if they’re not exactly at the AE level just yet or the executive level, and to figure out how to stand out now and really supercharge your pipeline. So, I’m excited for you guys to be here.

Melinda: Wonderful. Well, let’s just do a quick recap of what we’ll be talking about today. At Insightly and Unbounce, our team is in the thick of planning for 2025. We’re going to be getting together soon as a marketing team to do some of this as well, so it’s really top of mind for us as an organization. Sam, I’m sure it’s top of mind for you, too, and for everybody else on the line.

Today’s webinar is guided by three key questions that we thought would help frame this nicely as we all start thinking about what we’re going to be doing next year. We want to focus on refining sales processes, accelerating time to close, and creating your prospecting playbook. Sam, are you ready to get started with me?

Sam: Let’s rock and roll!

Melinda: Okay, so we had a question come in from the audience through the registration process. The question was: What immediate techniques can we implement to manage or control the sales process, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure faster lead conversion and a faster sales cycle?

Sam: I think there are a couple of things to consider here. One of the biggest issues we often see is deals getting stuck at the 50% mark. If you have a lot of deals stuck at 50% in your forecast, it usually means you didn’t do discovery properly, you’re only single-threaded, or you don’t truly understand the customer’s challenges. In many cases, when you dig in, you realize you don’t actually have a real deal. A good indicator is when a deal was forecasted for this quarter, but if it bleeds into the next quarter and doesn’t close within a week or two, it probably wasn’t an accurately forecasted deal.

One way to move things forward is to focus on what you can control during “waiting” periods, such as a board presentation or a key decision-maker coming back from vacation. For example, you can investigate their procurement process, ensure terms and conditions are prepared, and review their info security requirements. Having this knowledge and making these preparations allows you to move quickly once the external hurdle is cleared. Building relationships where you can ask these questions comfortably is essential.

Another point is ensuring consistent and frequent meetings or touchpoints, even if some of them don’t happen every time. This holds your customer accountable to the process and keeps momentum. Bring in your sales operations team for a contract review, even before all signatures are obtained. Doing this provides an additional layer of support and can spot-check whether it’s a real deal or if something critical is missing.

Melinda: That’s really helpful, Sam. I also think a lot about how marketing can support sales by asking the right questions and ensuring alignment. When I’m developing campaigns, I want to know if the assets are useful and resonate with the sales team.

Sam: Absolutely! The collaboration between sales and marketing is so crucial. When marketing and sales work hand-in-hand, it ensures a consistent approach to customer engagement. Taking the time to understand what worked and what didn’t in previous campaigns helps build better ones moving forward.

Melinda: Another question we received is about reaching and attracting new clients. What’s the best way to approach prospecting?

Sam: Great question. Effective prospecting is more important than ever. For leaders, it’s about adapting to changes in the sales environment and equipping reps with the right tools and strategies. LinkedIn Sales Navigator, for example, is an incredible resource. Use filters to find people with connections to your target accounts, and build relationships by finding common ground. This approach allows you to personalize outreach and increase the likelihood of engagement.

Melinda: I love that. Personalization is key to making meaningful connections. Now, let’s talk about automation. Do you recommend automating follow-ups and emails for closing deals?

Sam: I believe in automation for initial outreach and follow-ups, but not when moving deals through critical stages. Personalization and context are crucial here. Using automation effectively involves staying organized, understanding the customer’s needs, and tailoring responses. It’s not about spamming—it’s about thoughtful communication.

Melinda: We also had a question about setting up a sales pipeline. Any tips for getting it right?

Sam: Take an honest look at your existing pipeline and understand how much you need to generate to meet your goals. Pipeline math matters, but so does discipline and consistency in building and maintaining relationships. Focus on activities that contribute to long-term success, not just immediate wins. This helps ensure that you’re not scrambling when a new quarter or year begins.

Melinda: Thank you, Sam. Let’s wrap up with one last question. How can companies encourage their teams to use their CRM effectively?

Sam: Accountability is key. CRM data should be accurate and comprehensive, with contact roles clearly defined and up-to-date. Making data accuracy part of your forecasting discussions helps set clear expectations. Ensure that your team sees the value of using the CRM to enhance productivity, not just as an administrative burden.

Melinda: This has been fantastic. Thank you so much, Sam, for your invaluable insights. Thank you to everyone who joined us today. If you have any questions about Insightly, our team will be in touch. Also, keep an eye on your inbox for a recording of today’s session. Sam, any last words of encouragement?

Sam: Build resilience, stay positive, and keep pushing forward. Find what works for you—whether it’s music, taking breaks, or finding motivation—and use it to keep going, even when things get tough. Thanks so much for having me.

Melinda: Thank you all again! Have a great day, everyone.