Agency New Business “Don’t Send this Email”: Part II
Yes, this is very elementary. But, it keeps happening.
One of our recent posts addressed how critical it is to put yourself in the prospect’s place when writing emails for agency new business.
For ANY written communication, it’s important that the messaging be clear and succinct.
Even more fundamental – be CERTAIN to have the prospect’s name correct.
A note from a good acquaintance shared how a sale can be lost. Here’s the note; it’s written by the prospect:
“Earlier today I spent 30 minutes on the phone with a company basically listening to a sales pitch. It went well and by the end it was something I was considering maybe speaking to my boss about purchasing.
“The salesperson sent me 3 follow-up emails with more information. I cannot believe what I saw.
“On all THREE emails she had spelled my first name wrong. All of them.
“I had sent her an email first so she would have my contact info, and she couldn’t be bothered to look at my signature. Guess who’s not getting our business now?
Oh, and my name is not Healther. That’s not even a name.”
Another acquaintance of mine who also is in Sales shared a trick that helps her make sure:
- The prospect/customer’s name is correct.
- That the email is not being misdirected.
She writes the email with no recipients identified. That is, no “reply all”, no inadvertent auto-fills that don’t belong.
Once she has completed writing the message, she triple-checks all spelling and grammar. And quadruple-checks the recipient’s name.
After that, she enters the correct recipients. (Or if “reply all” truly is in order, she copies and pastes the message into the return message.)
These ARE extra steps in a work environment where “now” is so last-year.
But, her emails are succinct, accurate, and reaching the right people.
A different process might be better for you, but the point is: force yourself to triple check. And triple check EVERYTHING.
Those few extra seconds that are SO HARD to spare – they could be the difference between closing a new piece of business and losing it.
Elementary, yes. But, oh so important!
Mark Sneider
Mark is a 30-year veteran of the consumer packaged goods, advertising, and marketing service industry. Mark started his career at DDB Needham in Chicago prior to earning his MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Business School at Northwestern where he majored in Marketing and Economics. Prior to starting RSW/US in 2005, Mark was General Manager for AcuPOLL, a global research consultancy. Sneider worked in Marketing for S.C. Johnson and KAO Brands. Sneider has been invited to speak at numerous Agency events and network conferences domestically and internationally including the 4A’s, Magnet, NAMA, TAAN, and MCAN. Sneider has been featured in prominent industry publications including Adweek, Media Post, e-Marketer, and Forbes. When not working (which often seems like not often), Mark likes to run miles, go to church, and just chill with a hard copy issue of Fast Company.
