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Home » Business And Finance Articles » 7 Pitfalls Of Using Email To Sell

7 Pitfalls of Using Email to Sell

Are you sending e-mails to prospects instead of calling them?

Is e-mail your selling medium of choice because it lets you avoid the rejection that you dread when you make real cold calls?

Do you wait and wait for return e-mails from prospects that will give you the green light to move the sales process forward?

Sad but true, these days most people who sell for a living spend 80% of their time trying to communicate with prospects via e-mail instead of actually picking up the phone and speaking with them. Are you one of those people? If so, you aren't alone...but do you understand why you've turned to e-mail instead of personal contact? I think there are 2 core reasons that underlie this unfortunate trend:

• Fear of rejection. The sheer negative force of anticipating rejection makes people turn to e-mail to generate new prospect relationships because it hurts less to not get a reply than to hear that verbal 'no.'
• Getting blocked by gatekeepers and voicemail. When salespeople don't know how to break through the barriers of gatekeepers and voicemail, they start thinking, 'Forget it -- it's not worth the aggravation, and it takes too much energy. I'll just e-mail instead.'

However, when you try to use e-mail to offer your product or service to someone who doesn't know you, you can't possibly establish the natural dialogue between two people that allows the trust level to reach the level necessary for a healthy, long-term relationship.

We all know how much everyone hates e-mail spam, but even so, many salespeople are still sending introductory e-mails to decisionmakers. They feel that, because they're from a credible organization, they won't be associated with the negative image of a spam solicitor.

However, these introductory e-mails typically contain the traditional three-part sales pitch -- the introduction, a mini-presentation about the products and services being offered, and a call to action -- and this traditional selling approach instantly tells the recipient of the e-mail that your only goal is to sell your product or service so you can attain your goals, and not theirs.

If you're still using email to sell, watch out for these 7 pitfalls:

1. Avoid sales pitches. If you feel you must use e-mail to start a new relationship, make your message about issues and problems that you believe your prospects are having, but don't say anything to indicate that you're assuming that both of you are a match.
2. Stop thinking that e-mail is the best way to get to decisionmakers. Traditional selling has become so ineffective that salespeople have run out of options for creating conversation, both over the phone and in person. However, it's best to view e-mail as a backup option only, not as a way to create new relationships. Try to use it primarily for sending information and documents after you've developed a relationship with a prospect.
3. Remove your company name from the subject line. Whenever you put your company and solution first, you create the impression that you can't wait to give a presentation about your product and services. Your subject line should be a humble reference to issues that you may be able to help prospects solve.
4. Stop conditioning your prospects to hide behind e-mail. When you e-mail prospects, it's easy for them to avoid you by not responding. Also, they get used to never picking up the phone and having a conversation with you -- and they may want to avoid you because they're afraid that, if they show interest in what you have to offer, you'll try to close them. This creates sales pressure -- the root of all selling woes. This avoidance becomes a vicious circle. If you learn to create pressure-free conversations, you'll find that you'll start getting phone calls from prospects who aren't afraid to call you.
5. Avoid using e-mail as a crutch for handling sticky sales situations. Are prospects not calling you back? Many salespeople who call me for coaching ask how they can get themselves out of sticky situations with prospects -- but the e-mails they've sent have already triggered those prospects to retreat. It's tricky to come up with the correct softening language in an e-mail that will re-open a conversation with a prospect who has decided to close off communication --direct, person-to-person phone calls or meetings are much easier and more human.
6. Avoid using 'I' and 'we.' When you start an introductory e-mail with 'I' or 'we,' you immediately give the impression that you care only about selling your solution, rather than being open to a conversation that may or may not lead to a mutually beneficial match between what you have to offer and the issues your prospect may be trying to solve. If you can change your sales language to a natural conversation, your prospect will be less likely to stereotype your message as a spam solicitation.

   Finally...

7. If you can, stop using e-mail selling altogether. There is a way to renew your confidence and eliminate your reluctance to picking up the phone and have pleasant conversations with potential prospects. Learn a completely new way of working with gatekeepers that will get you past voicemail and to your decisionmakers without the rejection and frustration that are inevitable with traditional selling approaches.

For all these reasons, you should think of e-mail as your last resort. If you can learn to pick up the phone without fear, start a trusting conversation with a gatekeeper, learn how to go beyond voice mail and find your decisionmakers, you'll join the thousands of people who have made the Unlock The Gameâ„¢ breakthrough the most natural and efficient way of generating sales opportunities.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Grow Richer As Your Competition Gets Tougher

"The market is getting crowded
It's getting harder to compete;
The path to take is clouded
Which profit path should I seek;
I'll stand firm and take on tough competition
I won't run away from my mission,
I'll grow stronger as I intelligently compete."

I don't know if you've noticed, but the Internet is getting more and more crowded and competitive. Big business is coming, small business is coming and home based businesses are coming by the droves.

The Internet is like the modern day gold rush on steroids! Everyone is searching for the elusive pot of online gold. Droves of people and businesses are triping over each other to stake their piece of cyberspace territory.

The competition is as fierce as it has ever been. Every business you can imagine (and some you can't) compete for a slice of the online market pie. It's getting less profitable trying to search for untapped markets with little competition.

Even if you're lucky enough to find a market, product or service with little or no competition, what happens? As soon as you're mildly successful droves of people move in and copy, steal or cut in on you quicker than you can say copycat.

Now the key to success is to learn how to grow richer as your competition gets tougher. "Is that possible you ask?" I can answer that with a resounding yes! With today's highly competitive climate it's a matter of survival to have the skills to compete in a tough online climate.

Pay close attention and I'll reveal 3 ways to grow richer as your competition gets tougher. Not by competing head to head with others - but competing intelligently, strategically, and systematically.

I'll show you how to bullet-proof your business against larger competition.

Here are 3 Keys To Grow Richer as Your Competition Gets Tougher!

1. Look for change.

Wherever you see change, opportunity is not far behind. Because many people resist change, delay change or try to ignore change; this could signal an open opportunity for you. Change always seems to thin out the competition.

If you can be one of the first to embrace one of the opportunities change always creates before your competition, that could propel you ahead. If you're a small business you have a unique advantage over your larger competitors. You can move on changes faster. Yes, while the larger companies are holding endless meetings, getting approvals and issuing memos you can act on changes, contact customers and execute ideas.

2. Can you personalize it?

This is the age of personalization. With most products and services mass produced and more businesses offering one size fits all services, more people are starting to crave the personal touch.

Today more consumers want to pick their own price for hotels and airline tickets. They want to build there own burger. They even want to mix there own soft drinks. Finding little ways to personalize your product or service is a quick and easy way to separate yourself from your competitors. You can separate yourself by simply offering personalized products and services to your target market that your competition isn't offering.

Shame on the business who refuses to meet the individual needs of the customer. They'll be forced to step aside to make room for the business, product or service that meets a customers every growing personal needs.

3. Make something more convenient.

We have convenience stores, convenience foods and convenience shopping. People not only want more convenience they are starting to demand it. It's becoming a necessity.

Another quick and easy way to grow richer when competition gets tougher is to find ways to make it more convenient for your target customers to buy, use and own your product or service than your competition.

You should always be asking yourself the following question. "How can I make it more convenient for my customer to buy, use and own my product or service?" To ignore this vital question is to leave an open door for your competition to come in and steal your customers. Never stop asking the above question.

Notice something unique about the tips you just read? The all have two magical advantages in common.

1. They cost zero to start using. You don't need to get a bank loan or make a large down payment to do them.

2. They can be used quickly. You don't have to do a market research study or start a customer survey campaign. But the rewards can be immediate and last for years and beyond.

Start applying them today, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And remember, tougher competition is coming, will you be worried or ready?

Copyright 2005 Roy Primm