In the last couple of days, I have received at least 5 prospecting emails that are nothing more than shopping lists.
When I say “shopping lists,” I mean the email lists a variety of services the person sending it thinks I should buy. When I see a list like that, the only thing I’m doing is thinking how could somebody be so stupid as to think that approach might work.
Why should anyone think an email sent to somebody with whom whom they have zero relationship is going to be effective, let alone when it includes a list of things they offer?
If you’re sending out prospecting emails that are nothing more than a shopping list, stop it immediately. You’re just wasting your time.
If you’re thinking about using this approach, save yourself some brain power and stop.
The worst thing that can happen is you get a response back from the other person asking you for information or even a price, but I’ll bet in 95% of those situations all they’re doing is shopping you against someone else.
Sending out a shopping list as your email strategy is an open invitation for the prospect to use you to help them shop for a better deal.
I say this because I’ve had numerous professional buyers tell me they do it whenever they’re in need of a quick second or third quote. If you want to spend your sales career helping your competition, have at it, but don’t get mad when you don’t make your numbers.
Prospecting emails can be effective if they’re used as one component of your prospecting plan. Key is to keep your emails tight and focused on what the other person is going to see of interest.
My suggestion is no more than 3 paragraphs containing 2 sentences each. This allows you to convey a single idea and leaving out the fluff and garbage prospects don’t want to see.
Copyright 2015, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.
