6 Email Strategies to Reach Decision-Makers

In the maze of corporate America it is sometimes very difficult to get a decision-maker on the telephone. Sometimes the best way to reach a prospect is via email. If a gatekeeper or assistant tells you that the best way to reach a particular prospect is by email, by all means send one. Here are some strategies to maximize your email response:

1. Create an attention-grabbing subject line. If your prospect does not open your email or worse still, deletes your email you are nowhere. Make sure that you have an attention-grabbing subject line. Go to the news stand and look at magazine headlines. Use magazine headlines as a model. You are looking for a formula to follow. The topic is, of course, different.

2. Subject lines that use the prospects name and/or subject lines that ask questions frequently work well. If you have a referral put that referral’s name in the subject line, “Jane Jones recommended that I contact you.” If your prospect does not read your e-mail your sales process stops.

3. Keep your email short and to the point. No more than one screen in length. Remember that your prospect may be reading on their desktop or they may be reading on their Blackberry.

4. Just like a voice mail message, make sure that your email focuses on a benefit or result that you/your company/your product or service achieves for customers.

5. Make sure that your message includes a call to action. What action do you want your prospect to take? If you want a phone call you must say, “Please call me.” Don’t expect that your prospect will guess. It’s your job to ask.

6. No attachments. Remember that your prospect may be reading on their desktop or they may be reading on their Blackberry. In addition, attachments will frequently get caught in spam filters which mean that your email will not be delivered at all.

7. No HTML or fancy graphics. Remember that your prospect may be reading on their desktop or they may be reading on their Blackberry. In addition, some graphics can get caught in spam filters which mean that your email will not be delivered at all.

Use these strategies to increase the chances of beginning a conversation with your prospect.

© 2009 Wendy Weiss