Email Prospecting

Though the topic of this blog sounds article related to sales team but it would be a useful read for everyone who uses email as communication means. Most of the sales people use direct mail marketing campaign as a tool to generate leads and hence writing effective email becomes important. When you invest time in writing email, your objective is to get the recipient not only read it, but to respond you. Typically in three seconds your recipient make a choice between reading and trashing your email. That means you need to find a way to get their delete barrier.

Here are few quick tips:

1. Personalize the subject line.
If you’re sending to people who won’t recognize your name or your company name, it’s critical that the subject line grab their attention and entice them to open. It’s also important the subject reflects the context of the email body. Here is one example where subject is the question that assume the prospect will meet with you and inquire about their availability, e.g. “Can we talk next Tuesday at 2pm”

2. Use a salutation.
To elicit a response your strategy is to be informal and inviting. Begin prospecting emails with a warm greeting and the contact’s first name, such as “Hi Tom.” If you don’t have a name, eliminate the company from your list until you secure one. Sending an email with no name will immediately hit the delete barrier and destroys your image of writing directly to them next time.

3. Keep them short.
Keep your initial email as brief as possible to ensure it’s at least skimmed. Ideally, you want your prospects to read the complete email, which means you need to make it a quick read.

As a rule, include no more than four sentences in a paragraph. If possible, limit your email to three paragraphs plus a one-line sentence as your closing paragraph. Insert a one line paragraph in the middle to make it appear short.

4. Essay vs Conversation.
Emails must feel personal and less formal than a business letter. Don’t try English literature with best grammar but write conversationally. The more comfortable your email, the more likely you’ll get a response.

Email is one of the most effective ways to reach your prospects today. Done right, they’ll take notice of your messages and respond when they have a need.

-Aslam