Prospecting Strategy
ICP, account selection, and the daily structure that separates sellers who build pipeline from sellers who hope it shows up.
is not an activity — it is a system. The sellers who consistently build pipeline run a documented operating model: a precise definition who they target, a ranked list of accounts to attack, an explicit balance between and , and a non-negotiable weekly of prospecting blocks. Everything else is luck.
Define the ICP with discipline
An is a definition, not a list. It combines (industry, size, geography, business model), (existing stack, maturity), and behavioral triggers (compelling events) that correlate with your highest win rates, fastest cycles, largest ACVs, and best retention.
- Build the from your closed-won and closed-lost data, not opinions
- State it as inclusion AND exclusion criteria — what you will NOT pursue is half the discipline
- Refresh quarterly; markets shift faster than most docs
- Tier within the — not all qualified accounts deserve the same investment
Account selection and prioritization
Inside the , prioritize ruthlessly. A useful working model is the 1:10:30 ratio per per quarter:
- 1× Strategic accounts — multi-year, executive-led, board-relevant logos. Custom plan per account.
- 10× Focus accounts — strong fit + active . These get full multi-channel + field activity.
- 30× Watch accounts — strong fit, no current trigger. Lightweight nurture; activate when a signal hits.
Review the list monthly with your manager. Drop accounts that have not moved; replace from the bench.
Outbound vs inbound balance
feels easier and converts faster — which is exactly why over-relying on it is dangerous. Inbound is a function your marketing engine, not your skill. When the engine slows, the who never built muscle has nothing.
- A healthy senior- pipeline is typically 60–70% self-sourced through and field motion
- Treat leads with the same rigor as — high intent does not mean high fit
- Use signals (downloads, repeat visits) as triggers into the , not just the form-filler
Daily and weekly structure
Time-block or it does not happen. The standard senior- rhythm:
- Daily: 90-minute block, mornings, calendar-protected. Phone first, then email/LinkedIn.
- Weekly: 4 hours personalized account research; 1 hour of ; 1 hour of message iteration based on reply data.
- Monthly: refresh the focus/watch list; retire dead accounts; add new ones from the bench.
- Quarterly: revisit the against actual closed-won data.
Measure inputs (touches, conversations, meetings booked) AND outputs (pipeline created, conversion rates). The inputs predict next quarter; the outputs grade last quarter.
Examples — strong vs weak prospecting structure
Weak: 'I prospect when I have time, mostly through LinkedIn. I don't really have a target list — I work whoever responds.'
Strong: 'My is Series C–E B2B SaaS, 200–1,500 employees, with a recent VP hire or a public earnings comment about pipeline efficiency. I have 41 named accounts, tiered. I run a 90-minute morning block five days a week, phone-first, working two cohorts of 10 accounts on a 3-week . Last quarter that produced 14 first meetings and $2.1M of new pipeline, of which $640K is now in late stage.'