A thoughtful, targeted email message can make all the difference when you follow up with a prospect. However, some mistakes could mean your good intentions will go unread or get your email marked as spam. In some cases, you must contact prospects multiple times before you see results. It can be hard to find the balance between being persistent and being irritating. Here are the top mistakes to avoid when you want to deliver content that prospects open, evaluate, and ultimately respond to favorably.
Sending Too Many Emails
Instead of sending mass emails to everyone you can find an address for, research your specific audience and target the needs, wants, and interests of that specific group. Write personalized messages as much as possible.
Be careful when sending a series of emails to the same person. If your email arrives with a long trail of “RE:RE:RE:RE,” it might indicate to your prospect how many times you have annoyed them. Only use bump emails if you’re adding information relevant to a previous one.
Sending Too Few Emails
It’s hard to find the balance between too much follow-up and not enough. When emails receive replies, it is normally within the first 24 hours of their being opened. If you haven’t heard back in the first few days, you probably won’t.
One study found that 70 percent of the time, sales people quit emailing after one failed attempt. Because 80 percent of sales take at least five follow-ups to close, quitting too soon means missed sales.
Ignoring Existing Data
Use tools to evaluate responses to messages you sent in the past. If you’re not getting the response you want, data might offer insight into where you’re going wrong. Look for these things.
- The prospects never opened your message. If they didn’t open it at all, your subject line didn’t grab their attention. Your subject line should offer something of value or appeal to their curiosity.
- They opened your message but you never heard back. It may be that your subject line intrigued them, but the information in the body of the email didn’t keep their attention or motivate them to act. Make sure your email content is specific, engaging, and concise.
- They read your email but haven’t responded. Sometimes they’re interested; they just haven’t finished evaluating the information or had time to respond. Make your next email even more compelling.
Writing effective follow-up email provides a huge challenge for both new salespeople and seasoned veterans. They can be the simple solution for closing a sale or the roadblock to ever being able to make it happen. Take time to make sure your message targets your specific audience, offers valuable insight, and compels prospects toward taking immediate action.
