123rf.com: Hongqi Zhang
Jill Konrath is a sales guru extraordinaire. One of the reasons I like reading her posts is that she always offers a juicy tidbit that benefits non-sellers. Of course, you realize that being a non-seller is a big fat myth. We’re all selling. All the time. Kids sell their parents on staying up later. You sell your boss on a raise. People sell each other on dating.
But I digress. Ms. Konrath regards email as “a core part of your prospecting strategy,” and she presents well-founded advice on what not to do. Even if you’re “not a salesperson,” I think you’ll find her ideas helpful. I’m thinking they apply best to messages sent to a reasonable number of people (whatever that is), rather than 10K folks at a clip.
First, don’t send a message that shows, all too clearly, that you haven’t done your homework. Sure, you can generate a huge volume of mail and probably get some hits. But you’ll probably also annoy those who want to feel that you know whether they’re the CEO or the facilities guy.
Next, don’t drown prospects with information. If you’re inviting them to a webinar, for example, tell them what they’ll get out of it. Make the value proposition and the invitation short and sweet. Particularly important with millennials.
Finally, tell them what you’d like them to do. Make it simple. You haven’t earned enough trust to ask for much, so use the time you have to begin establishing how you can help.
Interested in learning more about sales emails? Download Ms. Konrath’s email evaluator. And run every last persuasive email you write through that filter.
Of course, you’ll want to pay attention to your subject line. More on that later.
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