Imagine receiving hundreds of the same humdrum sales emails each day. Sounds awful, right? Unfortunately, this is the reality for many in sales these days. Many emails never even make it to the prospect’s desktop. Some are filtered out by spam barriers and others are placed in the trash by the user themselves.
Now think about the kinds of sales emails you create. Are your emails standing out from the crowd and generating activity? Or, are they among the average batch being thrown away without ever being opened? When drafting sales emails, it’s important to put yourself in the prospect’s position. What kind of emails would catch your attention? What puts your emails apart from the countless others flooding into their inbox? When drafting your sales emails, here are 3 things to keep in mind according to Sales Hackers’ ‘How to Not Send Crappy Cold Emails‘ Webinar:
First impressions are key
Imagine your email’s subject line as the handshake when meeting someone new. By choosing to write, “Great Sales Opportunity” or “Hello There”, you’re essentially giving your prospect a weak handshake. Newsflash: nobody likes a weak handshake. Nobody.
Like all initial interactions, first impressions are key. The subject line is the first bit of material a prospect will see and will determine whether or not your email is going to get open. Make your subject line engaging, compelling, and avoid being generic. This is the first step in drafting a successful sales email.
A good way to figure out what kind of subject lines are most engaging is through A/B testing. Try sending a batch of emails using one subject line and compare the open rates to a group of emails using a different subject line. Once you know what works, apply those same best practice in future emails.
Be clear and concise
It’s easy to fall into the trap of writing cute and clever messages when drafting sales emails. While sales representatives may see this as an attempt to break the ice and build rapport, prospects see it as a waste of their time. Instead, it’s better to keep your messaging short and to the point. The fewer words, the better. In laymen’s terms: cut the fluff.
No need to write in a more formal tone or style for email, either. Write how you would talk or text. This makes the email easier to read and provides a conversational tone. By keeping your messaging short and to the point, you are more likely to engage with a prospect.
This rule also applies to the presentation of the email as well. Stick with traditional fonts (sans serif) and black text. Avoid images and graphics, which make sales outreach feel like marketing emails. The cleaner the look, the clearer the message.
Add value
When sending an email, it is critical to add value to your messaging. Share an idea tailored to the prospect you’re reaching out to. Utilize a resource like an article, blog, video, or links to useful information. Always provide a call to action (CTA) in your emails. This adds value to the message you are delivering while also directing your prospect to the desired location to learn more about your product or service.
Overall, the best way to avoid crappy emails is by keeping things simple — no need to over-do it! By focusing on the message of the email and being direct, the prospect will receive more value, which in turn, enables you to receive more value as well.
