CST Prospecting Cadence & Outreach 5

Question 1

A sales trainer is coaching reps on LinkedIn outreach. Which approach is most effective for an initial connection request?

Accepted Answer

Include a brief, personalized note referencing a shared connection, content, or mutual interest

Answer

Personalized connection notes show genuine interest and dramatically increase acceptance rates compared to blank requests or immediate pitches.

Question 2

What is 'talk-to-listen ratio' and why does it matter in prospecting calls?

Accepted Answer

The proportion of time a rep spends speaking versus listening, with top performers typically listening more than they speak

Answer

Research shows top-performing reps listen roughly 57% of the time on discovery calls, allowing them to uncover genuine prospect needs.

Question 3

Which CRM activity is most important for maintaining an effective prospecting cadence?

Accepted Answer

Logging every touchpoint and updating prospect status after each interaction

Answer

Consistent CRM logging ensures no prospect falls through the cracks and provides data to analyze and optimize cadence performance over time.

Question 4

In a prospecting cadence, what is the difference between 'connect rate' and 'conversion rate'?

Accepted Answer

Connect rate measures successful live conversations reached; conversion rate measures how many of those advance to a next sales step

Answer

Connect rate tracks how often reps reach prospects live, while conversion rate tracks how often those connections turn into qualified next steps like discovery calls.

Question 5

Which psychological principle does the 'foot-in-the-door' technique leverage during prospecting outreach?

Accepted Answer

Commitment and consistency — small initial agreements make larger future agreements more likely

Answer

The foot-in-the-door technique works because humans are motivated to remain consistent with prior commitments, so small yeses lead to larger yeses.

(CST) Certified Sales Trainer Practice Test

(CST) Certified Sales Trainer Practice Test

CST Prospecting Cadence & Outreach 5