Business is never easy and always competitive. There are so many things we cannot control so why wouldn’t we control the few things we do have control over?
Take a look at your sent emails over the last week – impressed?
Everything we do sends a message to the reader – what we think about and what is important to us – do you give much thought to the message you are giving about yourself and your company? I get two hundred emails a day and most were obviously rushed, missing important information and require a return email for clarification – the real message I receive is a varying level of disinterest and incompetence.
I have made tens of thousands sales pitches and one thing is clear that most customers don’t spend much time thinking about suppliers – they are too busy thinking about their own business and the myriad of challenges in front of them.
When I receive an email that is missing information or requires me to track down an older email to reference a price or other material the chances increase that I will not take action
An email is NEVER a simple email! Every email represents you and your business! Do it right!
First, an email is communication tool so make certain that it:
1) Is required
2) Makes sense
3) Has a clear objective
4) Is professionally composed
5) Actually communicates your message
6) Reflects business standards
7) Contains all the information needed
8) Is compelling
You would not show up at a client’s office in shorts and a T-shirt so why would your emails be dressed that way! Emails are marketing and it is a mistake to think otherwise.
Be formal in composition and should not make any assumptions. If pricing is important then attach a price list or a quote. If you require your reader to search for an older email then chances increase that your email will wait – delays don’t help your business move faster!
Take time to review your email carefully before sending. It is important, compose it in Word first and then print to review! Check spelling and word usage – grammar really matters to some people!
Technology allows for professional automatic signatures that provide contact telephone numbers and links to social media and websites – make it easy for your readers to act and the chances dramatically increase that they will take action!
I use a great App called Email Signature that easily creates professional signatures with multiple social media links. More importantly everyone on my team has identical signatures – that’s branding! I also use the same consistent signature on my computer, iPad and iPhone – branding!
It’s simple! It’s consistent! It’s cheap! It’s effective! It’s easy!