When you’re using email to reach out to a new prospect, nothing is more irritating than to find yourself shuttled into a SPAM filter before they are read.
As a follow-up to our continuing series of tips and tricks for reaching difficult executives, here are five rules designed to ensure that your message actually gets through:
RULE #1: Personalize the Subject Line. Always place a personalized message in the “subject” line of your email, including something unique like your name, a networking contact’s name, or a key phrase with which the client will be familiar.
RULE #2: Avoid generic or “SPAM-like” Subject Words. Generic messages like “Free offer” or “Reply Requested” are red flags for SPAM or automatic deletion. Also avoid words such as Advertisement, Business, Cash, Cheap, Commodity, Congratulations, Credit, Deal, Debt, Degree, Disclaimer, Discount, Free, Gimmick, Guarantee, Income, Ink, Investment, Joke, Load, Marketing, Merchant, Money, Obligation, Offer, Opt, Opportunity, Outstanding, Payoff, Price, Profit, Promo, Promotion, Rate, Refund, Rich, Sales, Save, Shop, SPAM, Spree, Stock, Subscribe, Trading, Wealth, Win, Winner, Winning, and Won. These words will also brand you as cheesy and unprofessional.
RULE #3: Keep It Simple (Stupid). In the body of the email, avoid the use of background colors, large or unusual fonts, or more than one font. In other words, don’t make your e-mail look like an advertisement or a brochure. Instead, always emulate a business memo — one font, one size, one color. Put the emphasis on content rather than trying to dazzle the customer special effects.
RULE #4: Severely Limit Your Graphics. The only color or logo on an email should be in the signature block. Most SPAM filters (correctly) assume that any message that contains multiple images is probably adult content. Use MS Outlook “signature customization” tools to keep it professional and businesslike, including a discrete logo and a link to your website.
RULE #5: Only Include One (1) Link. SPAMMERS (especially advertisers) always put lots of links into their email messages. So limit the number of links you use to avoid getting caught in the company’s SPAM filter.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to pre-qualify prospects by phone --- or through networking tools like LinkedIn --- before sending them a blind email. Mass email campaigns rarely work for most professional salespeople, especially if they are selling intangible consulting or other service-based products. Do your homework and you’ll have a better chance at developing a prospect into a customer.
When measuring success, think "over time," not "point in time" --- Ken Blanchard