More and more business is being done from the comfort of home while wearing an old pair of sweat pants, t-shirt and favorite slippers. However, in my opinion (three words that always get me in trouble), I have noticed not only the proliferation of the number of emails that I get offering me programs and training but that people are trying to have a verbal conversation, digitally. Newsflash; you are annoying your potential customer.
The biggest shock, as mentioned above, is that some of these emails are coming from business/sales trainers, such as myself, that should know better. I do not like to criticize my own profession, however, I feel that a gentle reminder would make everyone stronger and bring our profession from how it is being perceived presently, into a better light.
To those and all others that are using emails as their main form of lead generation, I offer you the following suggestions. Please note, these are only my suggestions:
1. Don’t ask us how we are. This makes you sound like a tele-marketer. The only difference is that it is in a written format instead of on the phone. We know you don’t care how we are. Further, does that mean if I’m not doing well that I should stop reading and move on or is it the other way around? By the way, ‘Hope you are doing well.’ is just as bad.
2. Start with the curiosity factor. This should be your subject line. Raise my interest to read the email. Make me wonder what it is all about. I know curiosity killed the cat, but they are not the ones reading your email; I am. Therefore, it is okay to peak my interest.
3. Give me the ‘What’s In It For Me’ in the first three lines. The odds of me hitting the ‘delete’ key increases exponentially with each sentence that I read. Keep that in mind.
4. Keep it brief! I really don’t care about what you do with your cute dog, or what your wife thinks about the latest craze, or why your children like ice cream. I have another 30 plus emails to get through and if I have not hit ‘delete’ by now, is because I want to use your email as a teaching example to my clients on what to NOT do.
5. Don’t throw your 10 programs into the email. Instead, lead me on to a landing page or your website where, when I get through the next 30 plus emails, I can get the information if I am interested at all. Also, if you direct me to your website, I can find out more about your wife, dog and kids if I really want to.
6. Stop writing like we are having a conversation. If I am reading an email and see: “Yes! Is what you would say to that question?” How do you know how I would answer your question? You never asked me.
7. Make sure that you are actually giving me a compelling call to action. Some of the emails are actually quite good, but when it comes to the end, I do not get a clear, defined next step. Therefore, I have no alternative but to hit the ‘delete’ key. If you want a ‘clear defined next step?’, ask for the order!
Do you want to talk? Great, pick up the phone and let’s talk.