How many e-mails do you send out in a day? How many of them do you get replies to?
Personalize your e-mail Message
If you use templates and mass mailing for the majority of your e-mails, you may notice a small percentage of replies. Personalize your message by referencing something that was shared by the person or something you learned about them or their company.
Take the time to pay attention to details and reference it in your message. An example could be as simple as asking how their vacation was or how their golf outing with their friends went.
Be Genuine
Send a clear, concise message with no hidden agenda or strings attached. Get to the point and be real. Long messages are not necessary and too much information loses their interest fast!
We are all selling all the time. This does not mean you need to be so bold to always have a sales pitch and ask for the order. State your case and how it can help them. Ask if they are interested in knowing more or continuing the conversation.
Stop Checking Up
People do not like you “checking up” on them or asking if they did their homework such as reviewing your proposal or making a decision. Ask the direct question you would like an answer to in a gentle way.
You can send a message to find out if they have any questions or would like additional information about your proposal as an example. Ask if they would like to continue the discussion with a meeting or phone call.
Ask One Question
This may sound a bit silly, however, when you ask two or more questions, you usually get answers to the questions which are not the main or most important question.
Building relationships and truly understanding people requires asking questions. Think of the one question you require to develop your relationship. Ask it.
Use the Phone
Call the person. You will be surprised how effective the phone is, even today. Many times we have the person’ cell phone. Call their cell. If you reach their voicemail, leave a brief message with specific information or your question. Request a response.
If you reach the person which happens more often than you think, build the relationship first. Some will prefer to dive right into business and some will be in a hurry. This is OK. Adjust your dialogue accordingly.
How are you getting replies?