What do salespeople mean by buckets?

It’s basically how to prioritize your leads. There are many different software platforms out there to help you manage these buckets (i.e. Hubspot) but it can even be done in excel.
1. “ Uncontacted” Bucket
Remove any accounts outside your swimlane
People you plan to cold contact
Performing additional research/pre
2. “Working” Bucket
Verified dial (you know you found a channel they actual reaches them)
Should hold at least 50 leads at all times
Call regularly to make contact
Document phone path (i.e. dial 1, then 314, etc)
Continue with other outreach channels for the same person (email, social media, etc)
3. “Priority” Bucket
You spoke with them but couldn’t schedule a meeting
Engaged heavily with email outreach but never replied
Inbound lead in my swimlane
They were in the deal pipeline but failed to close over the last 6 months
Continue with outreach over all channels to schedule a call
4. “Scheduled” Bucket
All upcoming appointments (where the money comes from!)
Watch like a hawk to ensure they show up for the meeting
During the week the appointment is due, confirm any appointments scheduled 1 or more weeks out
Confirm all appointments within 12-24 hours via email
Calling to confirm 2-3 hours before the scheduled time if the prospect doesn’t respond to the final email confirmation
If they miss an appointment, they go back to bucket 3 until rescheduled


In order to optimize effectiveness, work the buckets in reverse:

1. (Bucket 4) call to confirm any appointments due in the next 2-3 hours not yet confirmed by email.
2. (Bucket 4) confirm any appointments due in the next 24 hours via email
3. (Bucket 4) confirm any appointments set more than 1 week out that are due this week
4. (Bucket 3) contact anyone you’ve already spoken with who’s asked to be spoken with
5. (Bucket 3) call through the remaining leads in this bucket
6. (Bucket 2) call through the entire list in this bucket
7. (Bucket 1) call through any leads you’ve already researched
8. (Bucket 1)  research all brand new leads to ensure you are in your swimlane

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If you can’t get through all these steps, you’re much better off if you’ve confirmed tomorrow’s appointments than if you started by sending cold emails to brand new leads.


For more lessons learned, add me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troybillett/
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