Author: Keith Burwell Added: December 17, 2006
Open up your Inbox and you know that anyone with a keyboard can create an email. The trick is actually making one that gets results. In any email campaign, it is imperative that you gain the reader’s attention, make them understand the gap they currently have without your product, and how your product fills that gap. If you successfully achieve this, you will create a two way dialogue which leads you into what you do best-sell. Below are the five most important elements to remember when creating the initial prospect email. Doing these few things will set you apart from everyone else.
This Time It’s Personal- Who are you talking to? This is an email, right? Not a billboard or a magazine. You have to show the individual person that you know them. Or at least make them think you do. Use their name in the body of the email. If you saw them in person, you would call them by name before speaking, right? Do the same in the email. Besides, an email with my name in it gets read. If it doesn’t, good luck.
A Tailored Fit- Not all clients are created equal. You need to understand what makes this one different than all the rest. I hear you- “But, Keith, I don’t know them yet! How can I tailor an email?” Good point-I like where your heads at-but no-you’re wrong. You want to be different? You want to stand out? This is where it comes from. Are you contacting a business? Find out about their company, their industry, their market. Are you contacting an individual? Talk regionally, sports teams, news, etc. Here’s the little secret- it’s not necessarily what you say, it’s the fact you said it. You took the time to be different than everyone. You took the time talk about them, not just you.
Give It To Me Straight- Why do you take the medicine the doctor prescribes you? Because it tastes great? Because it looks good? No. You take it because the doctor told you the problem you have. You never would have swallowed the pill if she didn’t tell you it would cure the problem, right? Same with your email. The prospect will never buy your product until you tell them what their problem is.
Talk In Their Language- English? That’s not what I mean. Using the doctor analogy again, if they tell you words like adenoidal systolic hyperbaritosis with a side of mopoloticitis, you would look glassy eyed at them and do nothing. Speak in your language- “6 months to live”-now you’re buying what the doctor’s selling. Same with your business-don’t assume your vocabulary is the prospects as well. The messaging can get lost just like your email will.
Don’t Leave Me Hanging- How do you end your emails? Are you setting assumed appointments? Are you asking them a question that needs answered? Are you telling them when you will call to follow up? In order for you to turn a prospect into a client, you have to hold the communication until it reaches the next stage. Otherwise, you just set the table for the next guy who will.
Take the time to make the email meaningful. Your prospect will read the email if you make it readable and they will take action if you make them. When it comes down to it, the success of the email depends on you. Stop assuming the prospect gets it. Leave no doubt in your mind or theirs.
Contact the Author: Keith Burwell
Company: http://www.kaleidico.com
Sales Blog: http://www.bettercloser.com
Keith Burwell is the Western Regional Sales Director for Kaleidico- a company that specializes in Sales and Lead Management Systems for industries such as finance, insurance, medical, and education.
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