First, there is no such thing as an e-mail “template.” If you send a template it may as well start with a delete button.
Every e-mail needs to be customized to the person/company. Do a few minutes—that’s less than five—of research to determine the content of the e-mail.
After the receiver reads your name they’ll probably decided they don’t know you so then the subject is paramount. If your subject sounds like a general sales pitch you’ll be deleted. Decision makers get dozens if not hundreds of solicitation emails every day and have no time to read any of them.
If you get past the subject line the first sentence, and actually the first five or six words are the next determination of “go forward reading” or “delete” for the recipient so make sure you have a powerful opening statement. After the opening statement—a benefit—transition to an appointment quickly. Keep in mind the goal of the e-mail is to start a conversation. Never ever talk about price or saving money. Every single weak sales person in the country has one single benefit statement: “I’m going to save you money,” yet there are few who believe this over used statement. Moreover, even if you could save them money is it material to their business? If they have revenue of $30 million a year and you save them $50 per month do you think that moves the needle? Stop talking about saving money.
Here is an example, not a template, of an introductory e-mail.
Subject: ABC Company saves 15 hours of IT support
(In this example ABC company would, preferably, be in their industry or related somehow, as a vendor or customer.)
Working with Jim Smith at ABC we were able to give him back 15 hours per month of IT support time. In 40 minutes I can provide you an executive overview to determine if we can provide a similar benefit to you. How does your schedule look over the next two weeks for that meeting?
The first line personalizes the e-mail and references both a company and a person at that company he may know. I ask for 40 minutes because people block off 30 minute increments so I almost guarantee that I have an hour if I need it. Calendars are fluid today—meetings run over and you need time between meetings to travel from one conference room to another—so I give a wider option on times hoping for a time during that morning or afternoon when the senior manager’s calendar isn’t jammed with meetings. If I give the old “alternate choice” of “Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning” I may hit two jammed periods.
Note I didn’t say my name as he knows that from the e-mail address and I didn’t talk about my company because he hasn’t determined that he needs what we offer. Don’t waste your valuable time talking about things he already knows or doesn’t need to know yet. Three, no more than four, sentences and get to the point succinctly with the goal of starting a conversation.
I’d send a second e-mail three days after the first and a third five days after the second if I don’t get a reply. Every e-mail is customized and different; if I don’t get a response to the third, I’d push the fourth out three weeks or so after the third and I’d look to start to contact another person in the account. Don’t ever tell the “new” contact that you’ve been trying to reach the original contact as you’ll be providing them with all they need not to respond to you.
Good prospecting.
