5 E-mail Tips to Win You More Sales
Are you growing weary in an increasingly saturated e-mail market? Starting to feel hopeless about ever reaching your prospects? Don’t give up! Here are five quick tips that will help you stand out in a noisy market and increase the probability of sales. Ready? Here we go:
Tip 1: Focus on your audience
Before you start writing, identify your customers and their needs. You want to make it clear in the e-mail that you know them and that you can solve their specific problems. It may sound obvious, but it is worth repeating: understanding your audience is key to winning sales.
Tip 2: Pass the “so what” test
When you have finished writing your e-mail, put yourself in your reader’s shoes. Is it clear how this particular customer will benefit? Suppose you are selling a software solution for medical health records. Make sure you don’t resort to listing the generic features of this software, but focus on how it will resolve the challenges of your specific customer, whether you’re writing to a large hospital or an individual doctor. Match the right software payoffs to the right buyer!
Tip 3: Keep it short and sweet
Most people are inundated with information. The last thing they need is a wordy e-mail. Don’t try to prove how knowledgeable you are; just focus on what will move your readers to the next step you hope they take. Keeping your e-mail short and to the point shows respect for your readers’ time.
Tip 4: Make every sentence count
Many business writers feel such relief after they finish the last sentence that they immediately press the send button. Don’t fall into this trap! You want to make a great impression on your reader. Just as you wouldn’t show up for a business meeting in dirty shoes, you shouldn’t let your writing seem sloppy. So make sure you re-read your e-mail to check for spelling or grammatical errors. Too long since high school? Have someone else proof it for you!
Tip 5: Get rid of jargon and clichés
You want to come across as friendly, professional, and assertive—not like a caricature of a car salesman. Avoid business jargon or grandiose statements such as “We are number one!” or “Best offer ever!” Words like that in a subject line will send you to the spam pile fast.
Instead, use concrete examples and state irrefutable facts, such as “In a survey, 8 out of 10 customers chose our latest release.” Remember, you get just one chance to make a great impression on someone. This is true in person, and it is certainly true in writing. If you take five minutes to plan your e-mail and strategize about the audience and its needs, you will see great payoffs fast. We guarantee it!
