The Complete B2B SaaS Outbound Sales Playbook: From Cold Lead to Closed Deal

Your B2B SaaS company needs predictable revenue.

Inbound is inconsistent. Some months: 100 leads. Other months: 20 leads.

You need outbound. Predictable, scalable, controllable.

But most outbound fails:

1-2% response rates
Few meetings booked
Even fewer deals closed
Team burns out

Top performers nail outbound:

35-45% response rates
50+ meetings/month
18-25% close rates
Scalable, repeatable process

The difference: A proven playbook.

At SalesUp, we run outbound for 50+ B2B SaaS companies. Here's the exact playbook that generates $50K-200K in new MRR per month.

The Outbound Framework Overview

The 5-Phase Process

Phase 1: ICP Definition (Week 1)
→ Who to target

Phase 2: List Building (Week 1-2)
→ Where to find them

Phase 3: Multi-Touch Outreach (Week 2-4)
→ How to reach them

Phase 4: Meeting & Demo (Week 3-6)
→ How to sell them

Phase 5: Close & Onboard (Week 5-8)
→ How to close them

Timeline: 60-90 days from cold lead to closed deal

Conversion funnel:

1,000 prospects → 350-450 responses (35-45%)
350-450 responses → 50-70 qualified meetings (12-18%)
50-70 meetings → 12-18 closed deals (18-25%)

Phase 1: ICP Definition (Week 1)

Define Your Ideal Customer Profile

Don't target "everyone." Target specific ICP.

ICP Framework:

Firmographics:

Company size: [X-Y employees]
Industry: [Specific industries]
Revenue: [₹X-Y crore]
Location: [Specific regions]
Tech stack: [What tools they use]

Buyer Persona:

Role: [VP Sales, Director Marketing, etc.]
Seniority: [Mid-level, senior, C-level]
Responsibilities: [What they own]
Pain points: [What keeps them up at night]
KPIs: [What they're measured on]

Example ICP (Project Management SaaS):

**Firmographics:**
- Company size: 50-500 employees
- Industry: B2B SaaS, professional services, agencies
- Revenue: ₹5-50 crore
- Location: Tier 1 cities in India
- Tech stack: Using Slack, Google Workspace

**Buyer Persona:**
- Role: VP Operations, Director of PMO, Head of Delivery
- Seniority: Director+ level
- Pain: Projects running over budget/timeline
- KPI: On-time delivery rate, team utilization

How to validate ICP:

Analyze existing customers
- Who closes fastest?
- Who has highest LTV?
- Who refers others?
Those are your ICP attributes

Define Your Value Proposition

For your ICP, answer:

What problem do you solve?

Example: "Remote teams struggle to track project progress in real-time, leading to delays and budget overruns."

How do you solve it?

Example: "Real-time project dashboard that shows exactly where every project stands, with automated alerts when things go off track."

What's the outcome?

Example: "15-20% improvement in on-time delivery, 10-15% reduction in budget overruns."

Why you vs competitors?

Example: "Unlike [Competitor A], we don't require 3 weeks of setup. Unlike [Competitor B], we integrate with Slack so teams don't need another tool."

Phase 2: List Building (Week 1-2)

Where to Find Your ICP

Option 1: Data Providers (Fastest)

Tools:

Apollo.io: B2B contact database (50M+ contacts)
ZoomInfo: Premium B2B data
Hunter.io: Email finding + verification
LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Premium LinkedIn access

Process:

Apply ICP filters
- Company size: 50-500 employees
- Location: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune
- Industry: SaaS, Professional Services
Apply persona filters
- Job title contains: VP Operations, Director PMO, COO
- Seniority: Director+
Export list (500-1,000 contacts)
Verify emails (Hunter.io or NeverBounce)

Cost: ₹10-30k/month depending on volume

Option 2: Manual Research (Higher Quality)

Sources:

LinkedIn search (free, time-consuming)
Company websites (career pages show growth)
Funding announcements (TechCrunch, YourStory)
Job postings (LinkedIn, AngelList)
Industry events/webinars (attendee lists)

Process:

Find companies matching ICP
Go to LinkedIn, search employees
Filter by job title matching persona
Find email pattern (hunter.io or manual)
Add to CRM with notes

Time: 20-40 prospects per day

Quality: Higher (more context per prospect)

List Segmentation

Don't treat all prospects the same. Segment by:

Tier 1: Hot prospects (10-15% of list)

Recently raised funding
Posted about relevant problem on LinkedIn
Hiring for roles indicating growth
Using competitor (switch opportunity)
Responded to previous outreach (nurture list)

Tier 2: Warm prospects (30-40%)

Fit ICP perfectly
Active on LinkedIn (engage-able)
Part of relevant communities
Moderate growth signals

Tier 3: Cold prospects (50-60%)

Fit ICP
No other signals

Why segment: Tier 1 gets personalized approach, Tier 3 gets volume approach

Phase 3: Multi-Touch Outreach (Week 2-4)

The 8-Touch Sequence (21 Days)

Channels: Email, Phone, LinkedIn

Day	Touch	Channel	Goal
1	Touch 1	Email	Initial value-based outreach
2	Touch 2	LinkedIn	Connection request
4	Touch 3	Email	Share resource/case study
7	Touch 4	Phone	Cold call + voicemail
10	Touch 5	Email	Breakup email #1
14	Touch 6	Phone	Follow-up call
17	Touch 7	Email	Content share
21	Touch 8	Email	Final breakup

Expected results:

35-45% total response rate
12-18% meeting booking rate

Email Templates

Touch 1: Value-Based Email (Day 1)

Subject: Quick question about [their company's] project delivery

Hi [Name],

I saw [specific observation: recent funding / hiring 5 PMs / LinkedIn post about project delays].

Most [their role] at [similar companies] struggle with [specific problem: projects running 20-30% over budget].

We help companies like [similar customer] [specific outcome: reduce overruns by 15-20%].

Worth a 15-minute conversation?

[Your name]

P.S. Here's a 2-minute video showing how [Similar Customer] solved this: [Link]

Why it works:

Personalized opening (specific observation)
Identifies problem (not feature dump)
Social proof (similar company)
Low commitment ask (15 minutes)
Value in PS (video)

Touch 3: Resource Email (Day 4)

Subject: Resource for [specific problem]

Hi [Name],

Not sure if you saw my email, but wanted to share something useful regardless.

We recently published a case study on how [Similar Company] reduced project overruns from 30% to 8% in 90 days.

Key insights:
- Real-time visibility reduced surprise delays by 40%
- Automated alerts caught issues 2 weeks earlier
- Team productivity increased 22%

Download: [Link]

Hope it's helpful!

[Your name]

P.S. If you'd like to discuss how this could work for [their company], just reply here.

Touch 5: Breakup Email #1 (Day 10)

Subject: Should I close your file?

Hi [Name],

I've reached out a few times about [problem], but haven't heard back.

I'm guessing:
1. Not interested (totally fine!)
2. Interested but swamped (I get it)
3. Emails going to spam (happens often)

Can you reply with the number that fits?

That way I know whether to:
- Close your file (1)
- Try again next quarter (2)
- Use different email (3)

[Your name]

P.S. If it's #2, here's my calendar: [Link]

Response rate: 12-18% (highest of all emails)

Touch 8: Final Breakup (Day 21)

Subject: Closing your file

Hi [Name],

This will be my last email.

I've reached out 8 times about helping [their company] with [problem].

No response, so I'm closing your file and won't reach out again.

But if anything changes, my door's always open—just hit reply.

Best of luck with [their goals]!

[Your name]

Phone Scripts

Touch 2 & 4: Cold Call (Day 2 & 7)

If they answer:

"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company].

I sent you an email yesterday about [problem].

I work with [their role] at companies like [similar company] to [achieve outcome].

Do you have 2 minutes now, or should I call back at a better time?

[If NOW:]
Great! Quick question: How are you currently handling [problem area]?

[If NOT NOW:]
When's better—today at 3 PM or tomorrow morning?"

Voicemail:

"Hi [Name], [Your Name] from [Company].

Quick question about [specific problem you solve].

I sent you an email yesterday with some ideas.

Give me a call at [number], or just reply to my email.

Talk soon!"

Duration: 25-30 seconds

LinkedIn Outreach

Touch 2: Connection Request (Day 2)

"Hi [Name], I've been researching [their industry] companies and came across your profile. I sent you an email about [problem]. Would love to connect!"

Acceptance rate: 25-35%

After they accept (send voice note or message):

"Hi [Name], thanks for connecting! Quick question: How are you currently handling [problem area] at [their company]? We help companies like [similar customer] [achieve outcome]. Would you be open to a quick 15-minute call to explore?"

Phase 4: Meeting & Demo (Week 3-6)

Meeting Structure (30 Minutes)

Agenda:

Discovery (40% - 12 minutes)

Opening (2 min):
- Build rapport
- Set agenda
- Get permission to ask questions

Current State (5 min):
- "Walk me through your current process for [X]"
- Let them explain
- Take notes

Pain Points (5 min):
- "What's working? What's not?"
- "What's this costing you?"
- Quantify impact

Tailored Demo (40% - 12 minutes)

For each pain point (4 min each):
1. Remind them of problem: "You mentioned leads aren't followed up quickly..."
2. Show solution: [Screen share specific feature]
3. Let them interact: "Try clicking here..."
4. Tie to outcome: "So instead of 4-hour response time, you'd have 5-minute response time. That's 30% more meetings based on your numbers."

Next Steps (20% - 6 minutes)

Objection handling (3 min):
- Preemptively address top 3 objections
- Open floor for questions

Close (3 min):
- "Does this solve your problem?"
- If yes: "Next step is [trial/proposal]. I can have it ready by [date]."
- If hesitation: "What's giving you pause?"

Demo Best Practices

Do:

✅ Spend 40% on discovery (understand before showing)
✅ Show only 2-3 features (that solve THEIR problems)
✅ Make it interactive (let them use product)
✅ Tie everything to outcomes (not features)
✅ Quantify ROI (use their data)

Don't:

❌ Feature dump (show every capability)
❌ Talk 90% of time (they disengage)
❌ Start with screen share (discover first)
❌ Avoid pricing discussion (address it directly)

Phase 5: Close & Onboard (Week 5-8)

Closing Process

After demo, send:

1. Summary email (within 5 minutes)

Subject: Great connecting today!

Hi [Name],

Thanks for the time! Recap of what we discussed:

**Your Situation:**
- Challenge: [Pain points]
- Impact: [Quantified cost]
- Goal: [Desired outcome]

**Our Solution:**
- Solves [pain 1] by [how]
- Solves [pain 2] by [how]
- ROI: [Calculation]

**Next Steps:**
- I'll send [proposal/trial link] by EOD
- You review by [date]
- We kick off on [date]

Questions? Just reply here.

Looking forward to working together!

[Your name]

2. Proposal (same day)

Include:

Problem statement (their words)
Solution overview (how you solve it)
Pricing (clear, simple)
ROI calculation (their data)
Implementation timeline (30/60/90 day plan)
Case study (similar customer)
Next steps (clear CTA)

3. Follow-up sequence

Day 2: "Did you get a chance to review the proposal?"

Day 5: "Any questions I can answer?"

Day 10: "Wanted to check where you're at in the decision process"

Day 14: "Should we schedule a follow-up call to discuss?"

Handling Common Objections

"It's too expensive"

Response: "I understand. Based on your numbers, this would generate [ROI calculation]. The question is: does [X return] justify [Y investment]?"

"Need to think about it"

Response: "Of course. What specifically do you need to think about?"
[Address that specific concern]

"Already using [Competitor]"

Response: "That's great! Can I ask what made you take this call if you're happy with [Competitor]?"
[Usually reveals pain point]

The Numbers: Benchmarks & KPIs

Outreach Metrics

Metric	Good	Great	World-Class
Email open rate	35-45%	45-55%	55-65%
Email response rate	5-10%	10-15%	15-20%
Phone contact rate	15-25%	25-35%	35-45%
Overall response rate	25-35%	35-45%	45-55%
Meeting booking rate	8-12%	12-18%	18-25%

Sales Metrics

Metric	Good	Great	World-Class
Demo show rate	70-80%	80-90%	90-95%
Demo-to-close rate	25-35%	35-45%	45-55%
Average sales cycle	60-90 days	45-60 days	30-45 days
Win rate (qualified)	18-25%	25-35%	35-45%

Capacity Planning

1 SDR (full-time) can handle:

500-1,000 new prospects/month
8-12 touches per prospect
50-70 meetings booked/month
Result: 12-18 closed deals/month (at 20% close rate)

1 AE (full-time) can handle:

50-70 demos/month
12-18 closed deals/month
₹50L-2 crore in new MRR/month (depending on ACV)

Tools & Tech Stack

Minimum viable stack (₹15-25k/month):

CRM: HubSpot or Pipedrive (₹5-10k/month)
Data: Apollo.io or Hunter.io (₹5-8k/month)
Email: Gmail + Mailtrack or HubSpot (₹0-3k/month)
Phone: Aircall or Justcall (₹3-5k/month)
Calendar: Calendly or Cal.com (₹0-2k/month)

Advanced stack (₹40-60k/month):

Add:

Sales engagement: Outreach.io or Salesloft (₹15-25k/month)
Enrichment: Clearbit (₹8-15k/month)
Intelligence: 6sense or Bombora (₹15-25k/month)

Case Study: SaaS Company Generated ₹1.2 Crore New MRR in 90 Days

Company: Project management SaaS, ₹8L ACV

Before (No outbound):

100% inbound (inconsistent)
Revenue: ₹40L MRR
Growth: 10-15% per month

After (Implemented playbook):

Outbound: 500 prospects/month
Response rate: 38%
Meetings: 55/month
Closed deals: 15/month
New MRR: ₹1.2 crore per month

Results:

Metric	Before	After	Change
New MRR/month	₹4-6L	₹1.2 crore	+20X
Predictability	Low	High	N/A
Growth rate	10-15%	30%+	+2-3X

Investment:

1 SDR: ₹8L/year
Tools: ₹3L/year
Total: ₹11L/year

Return: ₹14.4 crore new ARR

ROI: 13X

What SalesUp Does

We execute this entire playbook for B2B SaaS clients.

What we provide:

ICP definition & validation
List building (500-1,000 prospects/month)
Multi-touch outreach (email, phone, LinkedIn)
Meeting booking (50-70 qualified meetings/month)
Handoff to your AEs for demos/close

What you get:

50-70 qualified meetings/month
18-25% close rate (on meetings we book)
₹50L-2 crore new MRR/month (depending on your ACV)
Predictable, scalable pipeline

Book a demo to see the playbook in action for your SaaS.

Outbound is predictable, scalable, and controllable. Define ICP. Build targeted lists. Execute multi-touch sequences. Book 50+ meetings/month. Close 18-25% of deals. Generate ₹50L-2 crore new MRR/month.