Sales Cadence
| Cadence Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed (Day 1/3/7) | Simple, easy to train | Ignores intent signals |
| Signal-based | Contacts at peak intent | Requires tracking & routing |
| Hybrid | Baseline + reacts to signals | Slightly more setup |
💡TL;DR
Cadences should shift from fixed to signal-driven. SMBs benefit from a hybrid: fixed backbone with branches on pricing-page revisits or email opens. Aim for 5-9 touches, front-load the first 3 within 48 hours, then resume when signals fire. Set channel priority and cooldowns to avoid duplicate contacts.
Definition
A scheduled sequence of touches (email, call, social, SMS) used to engage prospects over time. Modern cadences blend fixed steps with signal-based branching to avoid over-contact and improve timing.
🏢What This Means for SMB Teams
Small teams tend to drop follow-ups. Auto-branching and SLA monitoring close the gap.
📋Practical Example
A 90-employee industrial distributor ($75M revenue) sold safety equipment to factories. Their fixed Day 1/3/7 cadence left hot buyers waiting. They moved to a hybrid cadence: Day 0 call + email, Day 2 SMS if email opened, Day 4 call only if pricing page visited, Day 10 breakup if no signals. Before: connect rate 12%, opp conversion 9%. After 60 days, median first response hit 38 minutes, connect rate reached 21%, opp conversion 14%, and monthly revenue increased by $520k with the same lead volume.
🔧Implementation Steps
- 1
Baseline with 5–9 touches; front-load 3 touches in 48 hours after lead creation.
- 2
Branch on signals: opens/clicks → light touch; pricing visit → high-touch call; no signal → slower pace.
- 3
Set SLAs (e.g., first touch <1 hour) and monitor live; auto-escalate when breached.
- 4
Cap total touches per account and enforce channel diversity to avoid fatigue.
- 5
Review cadence metrics weekly (connect, reply, meeting rate) and retire the bottom step each month.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a cadence run before stopping?
For SMB outbound, 10–14 days with 5–9 touches is sufficient. If no signals fire by then, pause for 30 days or move to nurture to protect domain reputation.
Should we mix phone and SMS early?
Yes—multi-channel boosts connect rates, but set clear consent rules. Use SMS only after an open or click, and keep total SMS to two or fewer per cadence.
⚡How Optifai Uses This
Optifai runs signal-driven hybrid cadences and visualizes progress in the Action Feed.
📚References
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Related Terms
Sales Playbook
Documented, reusable sequences of messaging, assets, talk tracks, and steps for specific scenarios (industry, persona, product, objection). The best playbooks are embedded in tools so reps can launch actions directly.
Outbound Sales
Proactive outreach to prospects who have not raised their hand, using targeted lists, enrichment, signal-based prioritization, and sequenced touches across email, phone, and social.
Inbound Sales
Responding to hand-raising prospects from forms, chat, or product activity with rapid, personalized follow-up. Strong inbound motions use routing, SLA timers, and templated first-touch to secure meetings quickly.
AI-Powered Outreach
Automated outbound and follow-up communications generated and personalized by AI across email, SMS, and social channels.
Experience Revenue Action in Practice
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