7 years ago
February 21, 2017

7 Things Every Sales Prospecting Email Should Include

If people aren’t responding when you email them, then your message might be the problem. Learn what every sales prospecting email should include.

Rhys Metler

Email is one of the most powerful tools that sales people have in their arsenal. People prefer to be contacted by email more than any other communication channel. And 91% of consumers check their email every single day.

However, even though sending a sales prospecting email should be an effective way to get a new client, many sales people are still plagued with an astonishingly low email response rate.

If you’re sending sales prospecting email after sales prospecting email and hearing nothing in return, then maybe it’s not just that the prospects are busy and have no time for you. Maybe the email itself is the problem. Unfortunately, many prospecting emails are just plain bad. They’re too long, they’re unhelpful, they’re generic, or they’re totally focused on selling.

If you want more recipients to reply to your sales emails, then you need to craft more effective messages. Here are a few things that you need to include in your sales prospecting email.

1. Personalization

Prospects aren’t going to reply if you make it very clear that you’re sending generic emails en masse and putting in no individual effort. So first and foremost, you need to add personalization to your emails. Instead of “Dear Sir/Madam” or “Hi there,” make sure to use the recipient’s name.

2. A Great First Line

Do you use the first line of your sales prospecting email to introduce yourself? If you do, then you can be sure that most recipients will stop reading immediately after this first sentence.

The first line of your email needs to be engaging; it should reel in the recipient. Make this line personal by commenting on the prospect’s recent social media post or blog entry. Or, add in an interesting stat or ask an intriguing question.

3. A Reason for the Contact

Let’s face it. The recipient knows you’re not just sending that email to say hi. So make it clear exactly why you’re emailing them, like you’re congratulatingthem on a recent announcement, you’re introducing yourself because you’re a mutual connection, you’re sharing a relevant industry resource, or you’re offering them advice on a challenge. You should also make it clear why you’re reaching out now, of all times. Your emails should be timely and relevant, after all.

4. Value

If you want to increase your response rate, then you must add value to every email. The sales role has now changed to that of consultant, so you need to offer unique value that the prospect cannot find elsewhere. Make sure your message somehow improves the recipient’s life, so they have a reason to keep the conversion going. Give advice, provide valuable content, or offer recommendations.

5. A Credibility Boost

Most buyers believe that sales reps lack credibility. So if you don’t seem trustworthy, you’ll be ignored, no matter how compelling your email is.

To boost your credibility and the recipient’s confidence in you, the first thing you need to do is write like a real person and stop selling. Start by establishing yourself as a trusted advisor before you start trying to get money out of the recipient. Help the prospect—don’t push them into buying. To gain more credibility, give a reference to your results by explaining how you’ve helped similar customers.

6. A Call to Action

To get a response, sometimes all you need is to give a straightforward next step for the prospect to take. Tell them, clearly and specifically, that you think your recent blog post would be relevant to their company’s current challenge and to check it out, for example.

7. A Good Sign-Off

“Sincerely,” “thank you,” and “best” are pretty boring sign-offs, right? Sure, they won’t offend or cause you to lose prospects, but they won’t help you be memorable, either. Take this opportunity to differentiate yourself through a personalized and creative sign-off.

Rhys Metler

Rhys is a tenacious, top performing Senior Sales Recruiter with 15+ years of focused experience in the Digital Media, Mobile, Software, Technology and B2B verticals. He has a successful track record of headhunting top performing sales candidates for some of the most exciting brands in North America. He is a Certified Recruitment Specialist (CRS) and has expert experience in prospecting new business, client retention/renewals and managing top performing sales and recruitment teams. Rhys enjoys spending quality time with his wife, son, and daughters, BBQing on a hot summer day and tropical vacations.

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