Respect the Inbox: 5 Things You Need to Know About Sales & Email

Tips for Successful Email Communications

Our inboxes are becoming more and more clogged every day, and unfortunately, so are those of our customers and prospects. Just for fun I usually read some of my current sales emails, and it’s insane the methods some of these organizations and sales people use to try and get my attention. My favorite lately is the use of cute dog or pet photos. Really? Do you think I’m gonna buy enterprise software from someone who sends me the picture of a poodle? Gimmicks and trickery only piss people off. Mindful, consistent and professional e-mail communication is paramount.  Using e-mail as a key tool for prospecting customer communication and selling in general is a key skill for any salesperson. Here are some tips, in general, to get your e-mail communications opened and read consistently.

1.  Use e-mail sparingly.  The last thing you want when you’re communicating with prospects or customers is to become annoying and be seen as a source of noise. Just like that person we all have known in our life they just won’t shut up, the habitual e-mailer soon becomes a victim of junk e-mail, or just sits there unread.  Only communicate when necessary and do so with as few emails as possible. Do not CC needless recipients, and be respectful of the inbox.
2. Keep it short and sweet. Just like point #1, e-mail is an exercise inefficiency in rapid communication of your point. Most managers and decision makers will not read past the first five lines, and in many cases beyond the first 5 words. Be succinct, to the point, and move your punch line to the first line. There is no room for a hero’s journey word barf of 18 paragraphs. Back to respecting the inbox.
3.  It’s all about the subject line. Your e-mail subject line is the first impression your note makes on your intended recipient. If it looks like spam it will be deleted without a second thought. Be creative but not gimmicky. Short and sweet is also a rule here, in short quick lines like “Follow up”, “Touching Base” and “Intro” are quickies that work.
4. Choose your time of day wisely. Most people grab their cup of coffee in the morning, sit down and the first thing they do is open their e-mail. This is typically where they have the most content to review, and get their day organized and planned. Sending e-mail first thing in the morning insures you were caught in that fray.  The best time to send e-mail is 10 AM or 2 PM.
5. Choose the right day. Just like choosing the time, choosing the right day of the week is critical for maximum opening percentage especially when prospecting. Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10:00 AM are the best times to send and give you the highest chance of engagement. Makes sense right? Monday you’re getting off to a good start, Friday you don’t care, and Wednesday is just well Wednesday.

E-mail can be your most powerful tool as a salesperson, and effective communications can lead to higher efficiency, higher response rates and overall better performance. Be mindful how and when you send your emails and you’ll see a marked improvement week after week. How about you? Any tips on e-mail? Leave a comment and happy selling.