Getting to “NO” is better than nothing.
Sure getting to YES is the best (if it’s a genuine yes) but the worst is a NO that people won’t tell you. Instead they string you along – ask for more info, tell you they need to check with their boss, or just don’t take your calls. If it’s really a NO you want to hear as soon as possible so you can focus your time and energy on others who are at a different place in the buying cycle.
My wife just found that people who won’t tell you no on the phone (or won’t return your calls) will tell you by email.
She was following up with people who had stopped by the Video Rental Services booth at a trade show and said they were interested! This is key. So when she called, she left a voice mail. In the voice mail she said she’d be sending an email with the same info if that was easier for them. Then she send an email mentioning that this was the one she referred to in the voicemail.
When she’s done this before without the accompanying email, no one called back to say they were no longer interested. But with the email several did.
Takeaways:
- Follow up a voicemail with an email (mention each in the other) – gives the customer more choice.
- If it’s going to be no, you want to hear it sooner rather than later.
UPDATE: In the continuing effort to provide my readers with the most accurate info (not to mention marital harmony) I asked my wife if this post was a good reflection of what she told me. Her response:
Yes it is accurate. I find that more people respond to the email + voicemail than to just an email also. The combination seems to get the request some validity.
4 responses to “Using Email to Sell”
I completely agree with using both voicemail and email for following up with potential leads. If the client is interested, they will certainly follow up with you by phone, but it is easier for someone to reject you via email. It takes away the unease some people feel with confrontation, I use email as a last effort using the line, ” if you have decided to go a different direction, let me know.” This allows them to either move forward or give them a way out without having to tell me no.
Ian,
The way I look at it is a lot of people have already rejected you – they just haven’t told you about it. So you waste time following up when you could be spending it with others who are interested, or finding others who may be interested.
So I want to make it easy for them to tell me. I think the combination of email and voice mail makes it easier for them to tell me of a choice they’ve already made.
Ever send off a prospect email and wonder if the prospect clicked a link to visit your web site, to download literature or view an online demo?
If you want to spend your time “cold call emailing” effectively – I suggest you check out really small, yet powerful tool you can add to your routine easily – its called TheyClicked. (http://www.theyclicked.com)
With this little addition, you can know in real-time which prospect is interested. (even get email and text notification to your cell phone!)
Our guys love it!
maybe with yahoo messenger