Get the Most of Email Prospecting to Generate Sales, Revenues

Email has become the top prospecting approach. (All you have to do is look at your inbox to see that!) But while it’s a favorite approach, crafting an email that will catch top prospect’s attention and get a response is easier said than done.

Here are a few tips to help improve your email prospecting results.

1. Know Your Prospects

When a prospect receives an email, within three seconds they decide whether they’re going to read it, ignore it or save it for a later date. I call this the Glimpse Factor. The more you can do to grab their attention right off the bat, the more likely it is that you’ll get a response. So before you write the email, drop the introduction into what you do to help customers, and do a bit of research to focus on issues the prospect may really have.

2. Be Concise

Prospects are extremely busy, trying to balance too many responsibilities. They don’t have time to read long-winded emails. Those are the first emails to hit the delete barrier when contacts scan their inbox. Keep your emails as concise as possible.  Isolate what you feel is most important and communicate it concisely. Save all the other great information for the first meeting.

3. Avoid Bullet Points

While bullet points are an effective email strategy once you know a contact, they aren’t effective in prospecting emails. At first glimpse, they appear to be “marketing” emails, dropping your email’s priority.

4. Start Off With a Statement

Since grabbing prospects’ attention is difficult, how you begin your email is important. Many sales reps like to start with a question, thinking it will cause a prospect to stop and ponder for a moment, then read on. Unfortunately it has the exact opposite result. Prospects immediately perceive the email as “marketing” and delete it.

5. Keep Subject Lines Personal

Subject lines are the most important aspect of getting a prospect to read your email. If your subject line doesn’t pertain to them directly, there’s a good chance your email won’t even be opened. Try to personalize your subject lines to each prospect. Keep it conversational and relevant so that the prospect feels like they have to read your email.

On January 15 and 16, we’ll be holding a free “Coffee with Kendra” webinar where I’ll be doing live email makeovers. If email prospecting is a priority for you or your sales team, sign up and submit an email for consideration. The webinar is free, and you’re invited!

Kendra Lee is a top IT Seller, Prospect Attraction Expert and author of the award winning book “Selling Against the Goal” and president of KLA Group. Specializing in the IT industry, KLA Group works with companies to break in and exceed revenue objectives in the Small and Midmarket Business (SMB) segment.