Stephen Pead: The Email Trap

Peady’s Selling Engagement sponsored by IRD Prospector

Heard this phrase before? “Just send me an email.”

It’s a classic delaying tactic that has evolved over the years.

  • Some of you might remember “just fax it to me” or “put your ideas in writing and drop it off to my assistant” or the really ancient version “Can you put it in the mail?”

Truth is, all of them mean the exactly same thing: Your Prospect doesn’t want to engage with you. It’s a stall. If you email the info to them you’ll have to follow up and that’s when the fun really begins.

Note: Don’t fall into the email trap. Yes it’s easy to send an email; yes, it’s easy to tell your sales manager you’ve got a lot of activity in your pipeline; yes, it seems like you are actually prospecting; yes, you have spoken with a live prospect. But it’s all fantasy world stuff with minimal results.

What to do?

Do some work – create a script – have a plan.

Say: “I’m happy to send you something, however you’ll probably have some questions after you read it, so just to speed up the process I’d like to ask a few quick questions to help clarify what I can send and make it relevant”

Then ask a few business focussed questions to start a short sales conversation.

An alternative approach

Ask: “Can I just grab your email address?” Make sure it’s a personal ID not info@ or any of the other generic addresses. Then send a pre-prepared introductory email while you are on the phone.

“I’m just sending that info to you now please let me know when it comes through – while we’re on the phone I just need to clarify a couple of things…”
Once again ask some targeted, thought provoking diagnostic questions to uncover if a real opportunity exists.

Don’t send the email

Another approach, perhaps the most effective one, could be “I know you’re busy, so to save time sending an email that you mightn’t have time to read let me ask you this……”
Ask one or two qualifying, interest creating questions to ensure they don’t insist on the email being sent. Then seek an appointment because that’s where the real opportunity exists!
 

About the author 

Stephen Pead is a media industry veteran of 30 years with significant experience in direct sales, sales management and general management. He is based in Sydney and specialises in helping SME’s market their businesses more effectively and providing training for salespeople and sales managers.
He can be contacted at [email protected]