How to design a sales cadence
A cadence is the pattern of touches, timing, and channels a rep follows. The right one depends on who you are reaching.
Match intensity and personalization to the prospect's value.
Short answer
To design a sales cadence, decide the number of touches, the channel mix, and the spacing based on the prospect's value and warmth. High-volume outbound uses shorter, email-heavy cadences; high-value accounts get longer, multithreaded ones. Measure reply and meeting rates, then refine.
Step by step
Segment prospects by value and warmth
High-volume outbound, high-value accounts, and inbound leads each need a different cadence. Start by deciding which you are designing for.
Choose the number of touches
Six to eight for standard outbound, twelve or more for high-value accounts, five fast touches for inbound. More value earns more effort.
Pick the channel mix
Blend email, phone, and LinkedIn. Multichannel cadences beat single-channel ones by reaching prospects where they respond.
Set the spacing
Start closer together and widen over time. Fast for inbound (minutes to days), more spread for cold outbound (days to weeks).
Measure and refine
Track reply and meeting rates by touch and channel. Cut the touches that never convert and double down on the ones that do.
How Ardovo runs this for you
Ardovo is an AI-native CRM, so this is not just theory. Rook can build the sequence, draft each touch from your real contact and deal data, choose send times, and run the cadence across email and other channels while logging every reply against the record. You set the strategy in this guide; Rook executes it and flags the prospects worth your attention.
Frequently asked questions
How many touches should a sales cadence have?
Six to eight for standard outbound, twelve or more for high-value accounts, and about five fast touches for inbound leads. Match the number to the prospect's value and how warm they are.
What channels should a cadence include?
A mix of email, phone, and LinkedIn. Multichannel cadences consistently outperform single-channel ones because they reach prospects who ignore one channel and reinforce your name across touchpoints.
How do I know if my cadence is working?
Track reply rates, connect rates, and meetings booked by touch and channel. If certain touches never convert, cut them; if one channel drives most meetings, weight the cadence toward it and keep refining.