Ryan Reisert Argues Against Sales Reps Building Their Own Lists

In a recent LinkedIn post, Ryan Reisert discusses a common pitfall he observes among sales representatives: the inefficient use of peak productive hours spent on list building. Reisert, a proponent of focused sales activity, argues that this practice detracts from the core revenue-generating activity of making calls.

Reisert highlights that many sales professionals dedicate a significant portion of their time to constructing what they perceive as the “perfect” list. This often leads to frustration when encountering bad data, diverting their attention from actual selling. He states:

“Most reps waste their peak productive hours doing this: Building the “perfect” list. They’ll dial for a little while, run into some bad data and then spend the majority of their time trying to perfect their list instead of just dialing.”

The core of Reisert’s argument is that list building should not be the responsibility of individual sales representatives, especially during their prime working hours. He advocates for a clear separation of duties, suggesting that this task should be handled by specialized data teams.

The Case for Outsourcing List Building

Ryan Reisert firmly believes that sales reps’ energy is best utilized in direct client engagement, not in data curation. He points out that the primary driver of pipeline growth is the act of making calls. Therefore, any activity that pulls reps away from dialing is counterproductive to their main objective.

Reisert’s advice to sales professionals is direct:

“Reps should not be building lists. Tell your manager to outsource it to a data team.”

This recommendation underscores his belief in optimizing sales workflows by leveraging specialized skills and resources. By offloading list building, sales reps can remain focused on their core competency: engaging prospects and closing deals.

Optimizing Call Blocks for Productivity

For situations where outsourcing may not be immediately feasible, Reisert offers a pragmatic alternative. He advises that if a sales representative absolutely must engage in list building, this activity should be conducted outside of their designated call blocks. This ensures that dedicated time for making calls remains uninterrupted and maximally effective.

Reisert emphasizes the direct correlation between dialing and pipeline growth:

“Your pipeline only grows from dials made”

This statement encapsulates his philosophy that tangible sales outcomes are a direct result of consistent and focused outreach efforts. By protecting call blocks from non-essential tasks like list building, sales teams can significantly enhance their productivity and, consequently, their sales performance.

In his post, Reisert also shared a link to ‘CallBlitz’, suggesting it as a tool or methodology to facilitate this focused approach to sales activity. The underlying message is clear: prioritize revenue-generating activities and delegate administrative tasks to appropriate resources to maximize sales effectiveness.