7 Pitfalls of Using Email to Sell

* Are you sending e-mails to prospects instead of calling them?

* Is e-mail your selling medium of choice because it lets you avoid the rejection that you dread when you make real cold calls?

* Do you wait and wait for return e-mails from prospects that will give you the green light to move the sales process forward?

Sad but true, these days most people who sell for a living spend 80% of their time trying to communicate with prospects via e-mail instead of actually picking up the phone and speaking with them. Are you one of those people? If so, you aren't alone...but do you understand why you've turned to e-mail instead of personal contact? I think there are 2 core reasons that underlie this unfortunate trend:

* Fear of rejection. The sheer negative force of anticipating rejection makes people turn to e-mail to generate new prospect relationships because it hurts less to not get a reply than to hear that verbal "no."

* Getting blocked by gatekeepers andvoicemail. When salespeople don't know how to break through the barriers of gatekeepers and voicemail, they start thinking, "Forget it -- it's not worth the aggravation, and it takes too much energy. I'll just e-mail instead."

However, when you try to use e-mail to offer your product or service to someone who doesn't know you, you can't possibly establish the natural dialogue between two people that allows the trust level to reach the level necessary for a healthy, long-term relationship.

We all know how much everyone hates e-mail spam, but even so, many salespeople are still sending introductory e-mails to decisionmakers. They feel that, because they're from a credible organization, they won't be associated with the negative image of a spam solicitor.

However, these introductory e-mails typically contain the traditional three-part sales pitch -- the introduction, a mini-presentation about the products and services being offered, and a call to action -- and this traditional selling approach instantly tells the recipient of the e-mail that your only goal is to sell your product or service so you can attain your goals, andnot theirs.

If you're still using email to sell, watch out for these 7 pitfalls:

1. Avoidsales pitches. If you feel you must use e-mail to start a new relationship, make your message about issues and problems that you believe your prospects are having, but d on't say anything to indicate that you're assuming that both of you are a match.

2. Stop thinking that e-mail is the best way to get to decisionmakers. Traditional selling has become so ineffective that salespeople have run out of options for creating conversation, both over the phone and in person. However, it's best to view e-mail as a backup option only, not as a way to create new relationships. Try to use it primarily for sending information and documents after you've developeda relationship with a prospect.

3. Remove your company name from the subject line. Whenever you put your company and solution first, you create the impression that you can't wait to give a presentation about your product and services. Your subject line shouldbe a humble reference to issues that you may be able to help prospects solve.

4. Stop conditioning your prospects to hide behinde-mail. When you e-mail prospects, it's easy for them to avoid you by not responding. Also, they get used to never picking up the phone and having a conversation with you -- and they may want to avoid you because they're afraid that, if they show interest in what you have to offer, you'll try to close them. This creates sales pressure -- the root of all selling woes. This avoidance becomes a vicious circle. If you learn to create pressure-free conversations, you'll find that you'll start getting phone calls from prospects who aren't afraidto call you.

5. Avoid using e-mail as a crutch for handling sticky sales situations. Are prospects not calling you back? Many salespeople who call me for coaching ask how they can get themselves out of sticky situations with prospects -- but the e-mails they've sent have already triggered those prospects to retreat. It's tricky to come up with the correct softening language in an e-mail that will re-open a conversation with a prospect who has decided to close off communication --direct, person-to-person phone calls or meetings are much easier andmore human.

6. Avoid using "I" and"we." When you start an introductory e-mail with "I" or "we," you immediately give the impression that you care only about selling your solution, rather than being open to a conversation that may or may not lead to a mutually beneficial match between what you have to offer andthe issues your prospect may be trying to solve. If you can change your sales language to a natural conversation, your prospect will be less likely to stereotype your message as a spam solicitation.

Finally...

7. If you can, stop using e-mail selling altogether. There is a way to renew your confidence and eliminate your reluctance to picking up the phone and have pleasant conversations with potential prospects. Learn a completely new way of working with gatekeepers that will get you past voicemail and to your decisionmakers without the rejection and frustration that are inevitable with traditional selling approaches.

For all these reasons, you should think of e-mail as your last resort. If you can learn to pick up the phone without fear, start a trusting conversation with a gatekeeper, learn how to go beyond voice mail and find your decisionmakers, you'll join the thousands of people who have made the breakthrough to the most natural and efficient way of generating sales opportunities.

With a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and over a decade of experience creating breakthrough sales strategies for global companies such as UPS and QUALCOMM, Ari Galper discovered the missing link that people who sell have been seeking for years.

His profound discovery of shifting one's mindset to a place of complete integrity, based on new words and phrases grounded in sincerity, has earned him distinction as the world's leading authority on how to build trust in the world of selling.

Leading companies such as Gateway, Clear Channel Communications, Brother International and Fidelity National Mortgage have called on Ari to keep them on the leading edge of sales performance. Visit http://www.unlockthegame.com to get his free sales training lessons.

---

Program Your Biocomputer For Sales Success

Selling isn't something you do to people, it's something you... Read More

Miracles are Your Responsibility!

John Di Lemme on "Miracles are your responsibility"Miracles are your... Read More

Instead of Discounting, Back Some Value Out of Your Proposal

Last minute discounting has become so prevalent that many companies... Read More

How to Build A Steady Stream of Customers--Step One

The success of a small business depends upon a steady... Read More

Handling Objections

HANDLING OBJECTIONSSales presentation is not always going to be plain... Read More

Whats Your Clients Style?

When it comes to effective selling, one simple fact never... Read More

Interactive Sales Letter Skyrockets Conversions with 2 Simple Questions

There are many tactics and techniques that go into converting... Read More

Powerful Words

Hi, I'd like to discuss the most powerful words you... Read More

?The Power Of Consumer Opinion, & How To Profit From It!?

Selling is just a whole lot easier when you know... Read More

Whats the Secret to Repeat Business?

When you think about ways to gain repeat business from... Read More

Cold Calling Reluctance

Most salespeople I know consider cold calling a dreadful, but... Read More

It Isnt A Sale Until Youre Paid

Back in the days when I sold for CTV and... Read More

How to Really Benefit from Associations (Part 1 of 3-Part Series)

Looking for new leads, new contacts, new business opportunities? Do... Read More

Unique Selling Propositions

If you have competitors, then you should have at least... Read More

Stop Screwing Up Your Sales Letter

"Sales Letter"... that's your web site's sales page. The page... Read More

I Don?t Want To Be Sold; I Want To Buy

I went shopping for clothes today.My plan was to buy... Read More

Sell More: How to Get Motivated Buyers To Call You First

How many sales opportunities have you lost to competitors who... Read More

What Are Car Boot Sales?

If you live in England then you will already be... Read More

Three Ways to Get More Referrals

When you are in the business of sales, among the... Read More

Mindset Over Materials: The Secret Weapon of Sustainable Sales Success

Long-term sales success has less to do with skills or... Read More

Seminars for Prospecting

The purpose of a 1- or 2-hour seminar is to... Read More

Female Mannequins: An Overview

Female mannequins are very common in clothing stores. They are... Read More

Persuading Learners to Buy: 7 Groups

There are seven major reasons why adults continue their pursuit... Read More

Before You Sell Do The Math

This is an important and potentially profitable piece of advice.... Read More

Why Arent They Buying?

You've polished your sales page over and over againuntil it's... Read More

The Truth Behind Linear Selling: Why It Can Make Prospects Run The Other Way

Sean works for a major telecom company.During one of our... Read More

The History of Sales: Dale Carnegie is Still with Us

I've recently been hearing sales companies talk about how they... Read More

Plan For Your Next Trade Show Appearance To Be A Success

Most people who consider trade show planning think of it... Read More

Breaking Through The Comfort Zone Barrier

After completing a workshop on personal productivity or time management,... Read More

The Struggle to Decide: The Paths Customers Take to Solve Problems

Usually my essays discuss the issues that the 'sales' method... Read More

Sell With KISS, As In Keep It Simple, Stupid

One of the most useful and fundamental communications lessons that... Read More

At-ti-tude, n

At-ti-tude, n.One of Webster's dictionaries describes the word attitude as:a... Read More

Where to Find Mannequins for Sale

Any time a clothing store opens or expands, they must... Read More