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Email selling Mistakes
Email Selling Mistakes
Andy Preston explains why most people struggle with using email in the sales process
I’ve noticed recently that salespeople are starting to rely on email more and more. However, if they aren’t careful it can often be at the expense of their own sales figures. Have a look at the examples of common email sales mistakes below, and see if any ring true for you.
Mistake 1 – Using email to ‘follow up’
Let’s look at this from a new business perspective. You’ve spoken with (or met) a client previously, you’ve started to develop rapport, but they’ve probably got an existing supplier, or existing way of doing things. So you didn’t pick up their business from your initial call or appointment.
Your boss has probably been putting pressure on you about your sales figures. So you decide you need to ‘follow up’ with a few people, this particular prospect included. So what do you do next? Pick up the phone and call them, establish their current situation and needs and see how you may be able to add value to what they’re trying to achieve? Close for another appointment, attempt to dislodge the existing supplier (or existing process) and pick up their business? Or just send an email?
If you’re in the ‘email’ category, stop it! Right now.
Mistake 2 – Sending mainly flyers
Please tell me you don’t do this. Even worse is the email titled ‘offer of the month’ or similar. If someone hasn’t used you before, you’re relying on luck for them to buy from you. And the more competitive your marketplace and the higher the price of what you sell, the less likely people are to buy.
It’s also hardly ‘personal’ communication to that prospect, is it? Is this really the professional sales job you were employed to do? If this is the best you can do in terms of ‘sales persuasion’, you’re in trouble.
Mistake 3 – Responding to new sales enquiries by email
Let’s think about this one. You or your company has expended time, money and effort in producing the incoming sales lead. The next question is, what are you going to do about it? Pick up the phone and find an excuse to start a dialogue to understand their needs in more detail, position a ‘next step’ in the sales process and look for some commitment from that person?
Or just send a quick email giving some information and leaving them to ‘wander’ on their own, with no idea how motivated they are to purchase, their timescales, or what other options they’re considering?
Looks like you’ve missed your chance again, doesn’t it? In most cases if they come back to you, it’s because when they enquired with your competition, they did a worse job than you did (hard to believe I know, but it could be true). Is this really the best way of dealing with that precious incoming sales lead?
Mistake 4 – Sending proposals or quotes by email
Now it’s time for my personal favourite. You’ve had the meeting with a potential client (or at least an in-depth telephone conversation). You agree to send details of what was discussed. Then you put it in an email. Really? Now you’re in trouble.
Why on earth didn’t you position your offering when you were face to face with the client? Which is when you could read their body language and reactions to your offering (and your price) best – and when you could judge whether you had got the proposal right or not.
Even if you needed time to put the details together, why on earth didn’t you organise a second meeting to discuss it in more detail? Crazy. You’re giving other salespeople a better chance to win that business over you – why would you want to do that?
So why do people send quotes or proposals by email? Contact me and I’ll send you an article that explains more about the reasons why.
Good luck with your future sales.
Contributor: Andy Preston is a sales expert specialising in helping sales teams win new business. You can see more at www.andy-preston.com. Got a question about sales or this article? Ask it at: www.andy-preston.com/ask-andy
Source: Winning Edge September/October 2009