by Will Rotondi
When it comes to emailing your prospects, chances are that you fall into one of two categories: either you’re really good at firing off short one-liners, or you’re spending 15-30 minutes drafting a chapter. Both can be equally ineffective at eliciting a response, either because a) you aren’t driving the conversation forward, says Fast Company, or b) you’re not clearly defining the purpose of your message.
The goal of prospecting is to get them on a phone call with you so that you can assess whether they really are a fit for your normal sales cycle. Any style of message that you send should therefore be driving toward this. It’s far too easy to turn emails into sales pitches and billboards – sending flyers, brochures, and pdfs – than it is to use meaningful, realistic language that encourages a conversation with your prospects, rather than at them.
Here are the types of emails you should be writing if you want this to succeed:
Navigational. First you have to learn if you’re talking to the right person, so ask! “I’d like to learn more about [ x ] at your company. Who’s the best person to speak with?”
Educational. Once you find the right person, help them understand why they should talk with you. Send them relevant, informative, brief content that establishes your authority as a trusted vendor in their market.
Invitational. As you see that they’re engaging with your content, invite them to a conversation on the phone. “I tried to contact you recently about [ x ]. Would you have time this week for a call?”
Above all, make sure that your messaging continues to push toward that phone call, but doesn’t give away the whole show before you get on the phone.
