Email Responses that Get Results
Some 250 billion emails are sent by Internet users every single day, says Email Marketing Reports.com. It’s a staggering statistic, but it makes it easy to see why so many of us can get a little sloppy with the emails we send, given that we’re all sending so many! Don’t fall into the sloppy email trap, especially when it comes to communicating with your sales prospects. Here is a list of email best practices to employ when responding to your leads.
1. Launch a fast response.
While many companies deploy auto-responder emails when a prospective customer submits an inquiry, it’s also important to send a personal email to begin building the relationship. Study after study shows that the fastest response times to consumer inquiries yield the best results, and a personal email is even more effective than an automated one.
2. Use a meaningful and relevant subject line.
It’s important not to fail at the basics, and subject lines always count. Using a subject line that is pertinent to your prospect’s inquiry and relevant to the information contained in the email makes their job easier and shows that you respect their time. As with leaving voicemails, being evasive or mysterious with your subject line is not the optimal way to get your prospect’s attention. A better approach is to mention something specific, such as a product, and a short piece of information on the value of your services, or a call to action in the subject line.
Here’s an example of a vague (bad) subject line:
Still looking? We have the answers for you.
Example of a good subject line:
Your Inquiry about Acme, Inc. Phone 7G80. Introductory Offer.
3. Be concise and to the point when responding to your prospects.
For your first email response to a prospect who submits a lead, you want to be thorough, and yet, still keep it short.
Here’s a sample outline:
Salutation: Dear Joe,
Introduction: Thank you for your interest in… My name is Sue and I will be happy to answer any questions you have about…
Body: Be sure to respond to any specific questions or issues they have, such as those described in the Notes field in your lead.
Provide a value statement: “The Acme Phone 7G80 system does this…”
Ask about their priorities: “What is the most important feature you’re looking for…?”
Provide some options: “I can offer you a few different…”
Close: Tell them when you’ll follow up. Include a call to action. Make it easy for them to know how to contact you, and reference your contact information in your digital signature.
“I will give you a call tomorrow to discuss your phone system needs. If you would like to take advantage of our introductory offer today, please contact me on my mobile phone. My contact information is below. I look forward to working with you. Thanks and have a great day.”
It’s important to provide relevant information in your email, but also to keep it short. Reading emails is more difficult than reading a printed communication, and we’ve all experienced that feeling of utter dread when opening up a multi-paragraph email that just looks too overwhelming to read. Isn’t it easier to just hit the delete button? Keeping your email short and to the point is the best way to get someone to read it in the first place.
4. Use templates for frequently used responses.
It’s fine to use templates for the types of personal emails you send often, such as, “Thank your for your inquiry” emails. But always make sure to give these emails a personal touch that addresses something that is relevant to your recipient, their inquiry, and their unique issues.
5. Use a professional digital signature that is consistent with your company’s brand.
If you think about it, emails from your sales team are probably among the most common marketing materials your audience sees, so your digital signatures should be consistent, professional, and “on message and on brand.” If you use a photo of yourself in your digital signature, make sure it’s professional looking, that it’s high quality and high resolution, and that all employees’ photos have the same consistent look and quality level.
6. Read your email before you send it.
Always be sure to use spell check and verify punctuation and grammar before you send. Your reputation as a professional and your company’s deserve those few extra seconds of quality checking before sending your email.And the good news is - once you have a winning email format nailed down, you can use it again and again to win over new prospects.