Prospecting Methods: E-mail

E-mail has become one of the most popular mediums for communication and more so with the advent of mobile computing and handheld devices. As a prospecting tool it remains a valuable resource as it can allow your message to be available to the prospect long after the meeting has concluded. They can therefore refer to the e-mail and it can help nudge them into making a buy decision.

However, to turn the prospect into a customer the e-mail must be effectively composed.

As a sales person remember:

• Keep the e-mail short; the prospect does not have time to read a book. Anything more than 4-5 lines can and should be reviewed.

• Remember to use the AIDA principle (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action).

• Use a relevant and catchy subject line.

• Use proper grammar. Do not eliminate vowels or shorten the words in any form. You are portraying a professional image and not impressing upon the prospect that you are in on the latest teen jargon.

• Use hyperlinks to provide details to your company and product website.

• If you need to send attachments, make sure they are small so you do not choke up your prospect’s system. Also make sure the attachment is in a form that is acceptable to the prospect. Remember that most e-mail servers filter out *.exe attachments as they contain potentials for viruses and malware.

• Remember to close with a call to action. Your e-mail is to convert the prospect into a customer.

• Remember to properly address your e-mail. Your contact details including your phone number, the number for your company’s help line, your e-mail address and your mailing address and your company website should be available to the prospect.

The e-mail is a vital tool in your arsenal, so use it wisely to convert your prospects.