Think you can guess how many touches it takes to get a first meeting with a prospect? Recent research from the RAIN Group Center sheds light onto how often a rep needs to contact a prospect to make that first conversion. And, you may be surprised at the number of touches needed. “According to our Top Performance in Sales Prospecting research, it takes an average of 8 touches to get an initial meeting (or other conversion) with a new prospect,” writes Mike Schultz, president of RAIN Group. This is likely higher than what most reps think.

Based on the research, he believes that reps should think of their sales and outreach efforts in three parts:

• Interest: Reaching targeted buyers and securing the first meeting
• Consideration: Converting that meeting into a qualified opportunity
• Commitment: Turning that qualified opportunity into a win

How you handle touches during these three stages will determine your level of success. The research found that top performers had slightly different strategies than the average rep. For example, during the first stage, reps average eight touches before securing a first meeting. Alternately, top-​performing reps averaged five. Schultz explains that those that required fewer touches had better targeting, messaging and value offers. Because of this, they didn’t have to make as many calls because the prospect was hooked early. The takeaway is that it’s possible to score a meeting earlier than your competitors if you direct your messages efficiently. Strongly define your value proposition, and you’ll find yourself among the top performers.

Check out the rest of the study’s findings and discover how the best reps handle the other two stages of outreach. Compare your own stats to those of the study’s top performers, then use those insights to adjust your strategy. You’ll find you’ll need fewer touches to get face-​to-​face with the rep, convert that meeting into an opportunity, and turn that opportunity into a winning proposal.