3 Steps to Begin Prospecting via Email - Vision Financial Marketing

3 Steps to Begin Prospecting via Email

Posted October 3, 2017 by Katelyn Sabatini, President

This week, the average business professional will receive over 600 emails. Yes, six-hundred. As I’m sure you’re aware by now, email, and digital marketing in general, is one of the most effective forms of prospecting in our world today – because everyone does it. The ugly truth, though, is that more than half of the 600 emails received by professionals this week will likely be deleted before they’re even read. This can make it a very daunting task to try and figure out how you can stand out in a sea of nearly 600 emails, doesn’t it?

The good news is that people do successfully prospect via email. Let’s take a look at the basics to get started:

1. The Subject Line:

If you’ve ever read any articles on email marketing then you know that the subject line is quite possibly the most important piece of your prospecting email puzzle. Without a good subject line, your email is likely to end up in the 50% of emails that will go straight to the trash folder. It would be a real drag to craft the perfect email and send it out for no one to even see it, right? Formulating a flawless subject line for your email is no easy feat but it can be done.

Most people think that providing descriptive copy in a subject line would be most effective, I tend to disagree though. A short, simple subject line will entice readers to open – simply because they just want to know more.

Another way to create a good subject line is to personalize in any way you can. While automated emails have skyrocketed in the last several years, nobody likes to feel like they’re just another number on a list somewhere. Something as simple as personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s first name can grab their attention enough to convince them to open the email.

2. The Messaging:

Before sending any email to prospects, you need to ask yourself a series of questions related to your messaging for the email:

For example:

  1. Why are you sending this email?
  2. What is your end goal?
  3. Do you want to setup an appointment?
  4. Do you want them to buy something?
  5. Do you want them to call you?
  6. Do you want to revert them back to your website?

Whatever it may be, write it down. Once you have successfully answered these questions, you can begin to craft your email. While keeping all of the specifics in mind, carefully assess how what you’re saying in your email can best accomplish what you’re trying to achieve. Are you sending the email because you want them to contact you? What about your services or you personally would make a stranger want to take time out of their day to call, email or connect in some way with you? What can you offer them that no one else out there can?

At the end of the day, there are hundreds and hundreds of financial professionals across the country. Depending on where you live, there could even be hundreds that you’re directly competing with. So, sending another tedious email with no value to their inbox is just a waste of your time.

Take a few minutes to answer these questions prior to writing your email for a better chance at achieving whatever it is you’re seeking.

3. Your List:

Many people find it difficult to effectively manage their email prospecting list in a way that can be useful to them. At the end of the day, the most perfectly crafted email doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have anyone to send it to, right?

A good CRM can be the difference between successful email prospecting and falling flat. It’s so important to keep detailed records of your prospects, event attendees, event no-shows, event cancellations, appointment cancellations – the list goes on, so you can successfully segment and target your prospects with specific messaging.

For example, if someone attended a recent dinner seminar but did not make an appointment, you’d likely want to send them a different message than someone who didn’t attend the event at all. Setting up your lists and keeping them organized could be the make or break you need to successfully prospect via email. It might seem like a daunting task if it’s not something that you’ve kept up with since the beginning but it’s a task that will pay off in a major way.

Until next time,


Katelyn Sabatini

About the Author

Katelyn Sabatini

President

Katie’s professional experience cuts across marketing, strategy, operations, and technology. As a results-driven professional, she spends her time focused on sales & marketing communications and content development while overseeing daily business operations, user success, and working closely on the platform development of Vision Financial Marketing.