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Sell More in Your Sleep:

The secret to effective email selling

By Ben Schloo

Picture this: you receive a cheque in the mail from a person you have never heard of, from a company you don’t know, and it’s got your name on it. Then another. And another… Sound too good to be true?

This is what’s happening for companies that have embraced the latest email sales technology.

Many companies focus on clients that would bring in a certain minimum number of sales and do their best to appeal to this sector. But what happens with those parties that are potential clients but may not fall into the “hit” list?

These days, email is taking care of this market. For example, when Q&I Computer Systems Inc. gets a request from someone who is a single user (as opposed to the companies target market of 10 or more users), the company automatically launches a selling process that sends an email, sends a letter, and continues to follow-up with him or her. This saves the time of the company’s highly professional salespeople and yet still looks after “the little guy.” These automated sales processes have made it all possible. You know your business. Think of what this could do for you.

We’re not talking about bulk junk emailing 10 million people whose names you got off the net for $99. You probably immediately delete that trash email from your own Inbox everyday. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. Today, numerous bulk email lists and spidering programs, like Bulls Eye Gold exist. They let you send your message to numerous people, generating mediocre leads and more often than not, waste plenty of time. If you must do this quick, highly offensive hit and run marketing, do yourself a favor and get a high quality list from a list broker who specializes in your area of interest.

The most effective type of email marketing and selling is permission-based. These contacts come from partners of yours who market complementary products. The best source is your own prospects, customers and competitor’s customers.

The Rules of effective email selling:

• Set one clear communication goal for your message.
• Be friendly, non intrusive, and use a relationship building approach.
• Personalize the message with the recipient’s favorite word, or their name.
• Include the recipient’s company name and a specific benefit.
• If it is more than a week that you have been in touch, mention when you were last in contact.
• Make it easy for the recipient to respond, to be removed from the list, find out more, or to buy.
• Before you send it out, run it by the Golden Rule test: “Do unto others as you would have done to yourself.”

With prospects generated by your marketing, contact them quickly, qualify them, and capture as much info as possible in a database. This should include their email address, and what it is that they are looking for. Numerous studies have shown that responding by phone and email is three to four times more effective than sending product information in the mail.

How does your communication rate?

Has a customer ever said, “I didn’t know you sold that…”
If yes: You missed a high profit new sale to an existing customer.

Has a customer ever said, “I didn’t know you had a special on…”

If yes: You missed an up sale.

Has a customer ever said, “I didn’t know your product has that feature…”

If yes: You missed a cross sale.

We all know someone who has lost a sale or has failed to close a deal. What normally happens is the sales rep licks their wounds and throws out the contact. Don’t do this. These are some of your best email prospects and are most likely to respond to a touch selling process. It takes a little longer, however, once properly executed, lost business starts coming back to you. Rick McCutcheon, an authority on strategic sales development says, “Sales organizations must be technologically savvy and always looking for the advantage that technology can bring them.”

Ben Schloo - Vice President, Q&I Computer Systems Inc.

For over 10 years Ben has helped clients gain and keep customers. From Xerox, Sears and UPS to new startup companies, many have profited from his CRM industry experience.

CPSA Contact Magazine 2001