Beyond Cold Calls: Modern Sales Strategies from Sales OStin Leaders

In today’s competitive landscape, sales is no longer just about dialing numbers or sending generic emails. The “Sales OStin. Beyond Cold Calls” event brought together three dynamic sales leaders — Alexander Laursen, Jeff Riojas, and Valentyn Yaromenko — to share actionable insights for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and sales leaders looking to transform their sales organizations. 

About Sales OStin: A Community for Modern Sales Leaders

Organized by Big Sister AI with Lucy Yaremenko, this event was designed to foster a vibrant community where sales professionals can exchange practical knowledge, learn what works in today’s B2B and B2C markets, and discover new ways to grow revenue, build robust sales systems, and scale their companies. Here’s a deep dive into their strategies, with key takeaways for each, to help elevate your team’s performance and drive sustainable growth.

Alexander Laursen: Multi-Channel Engagement and Story-Driven Sales

Alexander Laursen, known for scaling teams at Web AI, emphasized that modern sales success is rooted in thoughtful strategy, not cold calling. He advocates for a sophisticated, research-driven approach that leverages the full spectrum of digital channels.

“The buyer will probably be a decision maker within that organization. And the users are going to be the people who are implementing the tools and everything like that. So you have to convince them that it will be good for these people.”

Alexander highlights the importance of tailoring your message to both the decision-maker and the end users, ensuring your solution resonates across all levels of the organization.

Key Strategies:

• Targeted Pipeline Building: Focus efforts on high-fit customers using data and research, not random outreach.
• Account Thesis: Utilize tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator and AI platforms to rapidly develop insights for personalized engagement.
  
  
• Multi-Channel Outreach: Combine LinkedIn, email, and digital touchpoints to create repeated, relevant micro-impressions, ensuring your message lands where your prospects are most active.
  
  
• Community and Events: Host webinars, hackathons, and interactive sessions to build trust and authority, warming up leads through value-driven experiences.
  
  
• Command of the Message: Define the current state, desired outcome, and clear success criteria for every deal.
  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Storytelling and personalization are far more effective than cold outreach.
  
  
• Research-driven, multi-channel strategies outperform single-channel tactics.
  
  
• Building a sales community around your brand creates natural engagement and leads flow.
  
  

Jeff Riojas: Process, Collaboration, and Technical Excellence

Jeff Riojas, VP Enterprise Sales at Logically, highlighted that today’s most successful sales teams rely on process, experimentation, and cross-functional teamwork, not cold calling.

“And AB testing, you're going to start seeing those patterns and see what works and doesn't.”

Jeff underscores the importance of continuous experimentation—testing different approaches allows sales teams to discover what resonates best with their target audiences and refine their strategies for maximum impact.

Key Strategies:

• Trust the Process: Develop and follow a clear, repeatable sales process that leverages automation and data.
  
  
• AB Testing: Continuously experiment with messaging and channels to identify what resonates with different segments.
  
  
• Break Down Silos: Involve marketing, customer success, and product teams in the sales process to create seamless, value-driven customer journeys.
  
  
• Technical Precision: Use multiple domains and advanced tools to ensure your emails reach the inbox and monitor channel engagement.
  
  
• Tailored Messaging: Adapt your approach for different regions, industries, and buyer personas, ensuring relevance at every touchpoint.
  
  

Key Takeaways:

• A disciplined process and data-driven experimentation drive scalable sales success.
  
  
• Cross-functional collaboration unlocks new opportunities and accelerates growth.
  
  
• Technical details, like email deliverability and channel optimization, are essential for modern lead generation.
  
  

Valentyn Yaromenko: Coaching, Skill Measurement, and Community-Driven Funnels

Valentyn Yaromenko, creator of Big Sister AI and founder of White Sales, is a champion of skill development, coaching, and leveraging community-driven strategies for lead generation, eschewing cold calling in favor of smarter, more sustainable methods.

“I think cold calls are hard, and we must care about ourselves. We need to make it warmer. We need to build a network, because my best experience was when I grew up in my career, then I understood and realized that my bosses, when I started working in new companies, didn’t make cold calls. But they sell more than I... They use the network, they grow in their LinkedIn, they grow in their community, they make some articles — so try to be valuable and it works for me.”

Valentyn shares a personal revelation: top sales performers focus on building networks, growing their LinkedIn presence, and providing value through content and community, rather than relying on cold calls. This approach brings more leads and makes the sales process more enjoyable and sustainable.

Key Strategies:

• Community-Driven Top-of-Funnel: Use events, workshops, and online platforms to engage prospects and customers, creating warm leads before any direct outreach.
  
  
• Skill Measurement: Big Sister AI tracks over 40 sales skills across calls, emails, and CRM actions to identify gaps and provide targeted coaching.
  
  
• Personal Branding: Encourage your team to share insights and company content on LinkedIn to expand reach and credibility.

In his slide, Valentyn Yaromenko emphasizes the importance of asking clients why they chose your company at every relationship stage. By doing so, sales teams gain clearer insight into what drives decisions, instead of relying on assumptions.

Key Takeaways:

• Continuous coaching and skill measurement drive consistent improvement and higher conversion rates.
  
  
• Community engagement and value-driven events naturally attract and qualify leads.
  
  
• Personal branding and digital presence are crucial for modern sales success.
  
  

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Actionable Insights for US Sales Leaders

• Embrace Multi-Channel Strategies: Move beyond cold calling — use LinkedIn, email, webinars, and digital events to reach prospects where they are most receptive.
  
  
• Leverage AI and Automation: Use modern tools to research, personalize, and optimize every stage of your sales process.
  
  
• Prioritize Community Building: Engage your audience through value-driven experiences, building trust and authority before pitching.
  
  
• Invest in Skill Development: Measure, coach, and continuously improve your team’s capabilities to keep up with buyer expectations.
  
  
• Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration: Break down silos between sales, marketing, and customer success for a unified approach to growth.
  
  

Final Thoughts

The era of cold calling as a primary lead generation tactic is over. Today’s sales leaders have a wealth of smarter, more effective tools and strategies at their disposal. By embracing multi-channel engagement, data-driven processes, community building, and continuous skill development, you can build a sales organization that not only attracts more leads but also converts them into loyal customers.

Choose innovation, empower your team, and focus on what works now — because in modern sales, success belongs to those who adapt and lead the change.

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