5 Sales Cadence Examples

You’ve hired reps. Built a list. Sent a hundred emails. However, the replies? Either crickets or “not interested.” The reason is that 75% of buyers take more time to make a decision nowadays. 

Every founder hits that wall, your outbound channel just doesn’t scale like you thought it would. Maybe your SDRs are burning out. Maybe your open rates suck. Or maybe your messaging sounds the same as every other tool in your category.

This is where the best outbound sales cadence turns into your growth lever. Done right, it’s a predictable pipeline engine that feeds on smart targeting, timing, and messaging, no spam, no guesswork. Discover how the best outbound sales cadence can turn cold leads into hot opportunities in this blog.

What is a Sales Cadence?

A sales cadence is a strategic sequence of outreach steps that your sales team follows to consistently engage prospects. These steps often include emails, calls, social media touches, and sometimes direct mail, all timed carefully over a set period. 

The goal is to connect with the right decision-maker at the right moment, building trust and momentum without overwhelming them.

Having a clear, structured outreach process ensures every lead gets proper attention. It stops your team from wasting time on inconsistent or random follow-ups that kill deal momentum.. 

Sales Cadence vs. Basic Follow-Up

Sales cadence is more than just following up once or twice. It’s a disciplined, data-driven sequence designed to improve response and conversion rates. Because only 2% of sales happen in the first follow-up, reps can align outreach around key commission milestones, like bonuses or ramp periods, optimizing effort for the best payout. Here’s why:

• Keeps your sales team organized and disciplined
• Improves response rates by reaching prospects at the right times
• Uses timing around commission or incentive cycles to drive motivation and results

Implementing the best outbound sales cadence transforms follow-up from a reactive task into a proactive strategy that consistently drives results.

What are the Core Components of a Sales Cadence?

Understanding the building blocks of an effective outreach sequence helps you design a cadence that drives results. Several key elements work together to create a rhythm that engages prospects without overwhelming them. Those are:

• Total Number of Touchpoints

Determining how many times to reach out depends on your industry, sales cycle, and buyer persona. Most high-performing cadences include between 14 touchpoints spread over eighteen days. The best outbound sales cadence balances persistence with respect for the prospect’s time.

• Ideal Timing Between Contacts

Timing beats volume. Rapid follow-ups right after initial contact create momentum, but too many too fast risks annoying your leads. A proven pattern starts with touches every 1-2 days in week one, then eases into weekly or biweekly outreach.

• Sales Channels You Should Include

A multi-channel approach increases your team’s chances of engagement. The most effective cadences mix different communication methods to reach prospects where they are:

• Email: The backbone of most cadences; allows for personalized messages and scalable outreach.
• Call: Adds a personal touch and real-time interaction, critical for building rapport.
• SMS: Provides quick, direct communication, especially effective for mobile-first prospects.
• Social Media: Platforms like LinkedIn enable warm engagement and relationship building beyond cold outreach through social selling.

Blending these channels effectively gives your team the edge in capturing attention and moving deals forward.

Looking to build a winning sales cadence without the hassle of hiring full-time right away? Activated Scale connects you with vetted, U.S.-based sales professionals who can help design and execute the best outbound sales cadence for your startup. 

5 Best Outbound Sales Cadence Examples

Not all prospects convert after one call, and they shouldn't. The right sales cadence helps you stay top-of-mind without sounding pushy. Below are five proven cadences that real sales teams use to close deals faster:

Example 1: 7-Touch, 12-Day Multichannel Cadence

This cadence is ideal for B2B environments where timely follow-ups can make a significant difference. It combines various channels to maintain consistent engagement without overwhelming the prospect.

Cadence Breakdown:

• Day 1: Call + Voicemail
• Day 2: Email
• Day 4: LinkedIn Message
• Day 6: Call
• Day 8: Follow-up Email
• Day 10: Call + LinkedIn Like/Comment
• Day 12: Breakup Email

This approach emphasizes the importance of using multiple touchpoints early in the cadence to maximize engagement. 

Example 2: Long-Term Nurture Cadence 

High-value deals often require a longer sales cycle. This cadence focuses on building relationships over time, providing value at each touchpoint.

Cadence Outline:

• Day 1: Initial Email with valuable content
• Day 3: Follow-up Call
• Day 7: Send Case Study
• Day 14: Invitation to Webinar
  Day 21: Personalized Video Message
• Day 30: Final Follow-up Email

This extended approach ensures continuous engagement, catering to prospects who require more time to make purchasing decisions. 

Example 3: Content-Led Cadence 

Educating prospects through valuable content can establish authority and trust. This cadence uses various content forms to guide the prospect through the sales funnel.

Cadence Steps:

• Day 1: Send Product Brochure
• Day 3: Share a Relevant Blog Post
• Day 5: Email Case Study
• Day 7: Invitation to Download Whitepaper
• Day 10: Follow-up Call to Discuss Content

Providing consistent, informative content helps nurture leads and address their pain points effectively.

Example 4: Social-First Cadence

Engaging prospects on social platforms like LinkedIn can warm up cold leads before direct outreach. This cadence emphasizes building rapport through social interactions.

Cadence Flow:

• Day 1: Connect on LinkedIn
• Day 2: Like and Comment on Recent Post
• Day 4: Share a Relevant Article with a Personal Note
• Day 6: Send Direct Message Initiating Conversation
• Day 8: Follow-up with Email Referencing LinkedIn Interaction

This approach fosters familiarity and trust, increasing the likelihood of positive responses to subsequent outreach efforts.

Example 5: Referral-Based Cadence 

Using existing relationships can open doors to new opportunities. Most people, about 92%, say they trust suggestions from friends and family more than any kind of advertisement. This cadence focuses on utilizing referrals to establish credibility and trust with new prospects. 

Cadence Strategy:

• Day 1: Reach out to a Past Client for Referral
• Day 3: Send Introduction Email to Referred Prospect
• Day 5: Follow-up Call to Discuss Potential Needs
• Day 7: Share the Success Story of Referring a Client
• Day 10: Schedule a Meeting to Explore

Referrals often lead to higher conversion rates, as the trust factor is already established through mutual connections. 

Also Read: 5 Mistakes You Are Making When Hiring a Salesperson For Your Startup

 21 Example of a Winning Sales Cadence 

Most sales consultants give up after 2–3 follow-ups. However, did you know that 80% of sales need 5+ touches to close? Here’s a 21-day multichannel cadence designed specifically for your team that blends trust, timing, and tactical pressure:

Want to see this kind of strategic cadence in action? Activated Scale’s Fractional Sales Leadership service gives you expert guidance to build and refine winning outbound sales flows without hiring full-time right away.

7 Personalization Tips for a Sales Cadence

Personalization can turn a routine cadence into a conversation that feels relevant and engaging. The best outbound sales cadence doesn’t rely on generic messages. Instead, it taps into what matters most to your prospect.

Here are practical personalization tips that can improve your outreach results:

1. Coach Reps to Research with Intent

Have your team scan LinkedIn, company press releases, or industry blogs before step one. A single relevant reference in the first line often doubles reply rates.

2. Standardize Variables Like Name + Role

Personalization doesn’t mean rewriting everything. Ensure reps always use the prospect’s name and role, but layer in relevance to make it stick: “As a VP of Ops, you’re likely juggling…”

3. Create Triggers Around Company Events

Build cadence variants for triggers like funding news, hiring spikes, or leadership changes. Assign these sequences automatically in your CRM when a trigger is detected.

4. Customize Timing

Ask your reps to reach out when your prospect is most likely available. Research shows emails sent weekdays between 3 pm and 7 pm get a higher response rate.

5. Channel-Specific Personalization

Don’t let LinkedIn messages echo emails. Encourage reps to keep social outreach brief and friendly, no pitch decks, just value-forward conversation starters.

Read More: Building a SaaS Sales Team

How to Measure the Success of Your Sales Cadences?

Sales cadences aren't set-and-forget. As a sales manager, your job is to make sure your team’s outreach is effective. Here’s how to evaluate whether your team’s sequences are working and where to adjust:

Metrics to Track

• Response Rates by Touchpoint: See which steps, email 2, call 3, text 5, actually earn replies. Cut what’s ignored.
  
  
• Lead-to-Meeting Conversion: Track how many prospects move from cold outreach to scheduled calls. This shows top-of-funnel efficiency.
  
  
• Meeting-to-Close Ratio: Spot which reps convert conversations into deals. Pair this with cadence style for insight.
  
  
• Commission per Cadence: Measure how much revenue a complete sequence generates. Aligns outbound effort with compensation strategy

Tools You Can Use

• HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Salesloft for automated tracking and analytics.
• Google Sheets for a simple, customizable overview if you’re just starting out.
• Track each lead’s progress in your CRM to spot patterns.
• Use tags or stages to identify where prospects drop off in the process.
• Run A/B tests on different cadence versions to see what works best.

Looking to simplify your sales cadence tracking? Activated Scale’s Contract-to-Hire sales talent can integrate with your CRM and help you analyze key metrics to improve performance. 

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve seen what a high-performing outbound sales cadence looks like, challenge your team’s process. Add two extra, value-driven touchpoints to your next sequence. Test it for 21 days. Track conversions, response rates, and commission impact. Small, intentional tweaks can open up better pipeline movement, especially in timing and messaging. As a decision-maker in sales, consistency beats guesswork every time.

Need expert support to build or scale your outbound sales efforts? Activated Scale offers seasoned pros who can craft and execute customized cadences for your team. Reach out today and book a demo with us.

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