How many emails do you click through in a day? 75? 100? More?
Reading emails is an exercise in snap judgement. You see an email that isn’t visually appealing – trash.
Another one has a generic subject – trash.
Then, you come across a message from a salesperson. They have a product that may actually work for you, but the email has some mistakes at the beginning. What’s your reaction? Trash.
Now, let’s flip the scenario for a minute. Do you make these common mistakes in your messages? If so, these issues could be the reason your sales numbers aren’t adding up.
1. Capitalization…Or Lack Thereof
We all work from our mobile devices. When typing an email on your phone, it’s easy to skip the capitalization without thinking much of it. Resist that temptation. Take the extra time to capitalize and punctuate your emails correctly.
When you make obvious errors, you seem lazy to your prospects. In fact, most people won’t give a message with typos a second thought. They’ll consider you or your business illegitimate and unprofessional. Why would they want to work with that type of person or company?
Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Take a few extra minutes to proofread for obvious mistake – even if you are on your phone.
Related: The Biggest Social Networking Mistakes Salespeople Don’t Know They’re Making
2. Not Asking Hard Questions
In sales, you’re looking for the objection so you can negotiate past it. In an email, you can find that objection a little easier than in a face-to-face conversation. Use your emails to get straight to the point.
Maybe you’ve called a prospect repeatedly, but he hasn’t returned your calls. When you email him, don’t hesitate to say, “I know you’re busy, but let’s be frank. Are you still interested in the product?” Rather than waste everyone’s time, get to the heart of the issue.
If the price is too high, you need to know so you can either negotiate or move on. Email acts as the perfect vehicle for delivering the tough question that lets you know how to proceed.
3. Too Much Content
Think about how many emails you receive each day and assume your client receives more. They don’t have time to sit and read long paragraphs in the course of clicking through their mail.
Think of email like a chat rather than a content provider. Use only a few sentences per message so your recipient can answer and then move on.
To help with the brevity, add a tagline to your signature that sums up your business. It should communicate basic information about your company including general products and services. Don’t write a long explanation of what your company does as a part of your email. No one wants to read a paragraph of standard jargon about your business.
Related:Â How to Write the Perfect Sales Email
Also, choose a clear goal for the email and only focus on that. Do you need to talk to the person so you can unpack the details? If so, you could write, “Do you have time this afternoon for a quick telephone call?” as one of the first lines of your message. Your signature will do the rest. If they agree to the call, you can elaborate on your business as you talk.
Maybe you’re taking a new approach to prospecting and asking potential clients to be survey participants. Your email goal is to ask them to answer a few questions to see if their pain points are the same as others in the industry. Focus on that alone. Then, your signature will communicate the products that may solve some of the problems they were questioned about.
Emails can make or break you. Don’t let these common errors ruin your chance at gaining a client before you even start selling.
