How To Write Business Emails That Get Results – Email Tips for Salespeople
Sales people, business leaders and marketing types are always looking for the magic dust when it comes to writing emails.
Well, in this video, you’ll see why most ‘persuasion techniques’ fail when it comes to email. It’s not because your writing is weak.
It’s not because you use the wrong font. It’s much deeper than that. It has to do with the state of mind you’re in when you write them.
And once you’re done with the video, head over to http://emailitsellersguide.com/ to check out the 20 most common scenarios that create ‘email opportunities.’ I think you’ll find some you recognize.
Self Esteem, Comfort Zones and Sales Success
As sales trainers and coaches, we learned early that whether someone takes our information and implements it has more to do with the “inner game” than any sales technique or move. Moreover, we learned that our self-image and self-esteem was at the root of that insight.
Recently, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale, sat down at The Advanced Selling Podcast with a special guest, Terry Daniel, who has a vast background in psychotherapy and specializes his work around personal growth and learning.
Terry introduces a brief discussion about self-esteem, comfort zones and a tip on how to even know what to work on.
The purpose of this episode is to look at yourself and take action on what Terry recommends.
Also mentioned in this podcast:
- Terry Daniel quotes the book No Time for Tact: 365 Days of the Wit, Words, and Wisdom of Larry Winget by Larry Winget
- Watch Whiteboard Wednesday – A New Sales Web TV Show hosted by Brooke Green
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
When One Door Closes, Another Opens–If You Have Your Mind Right!
I was recently invited to lunch with 2 members of an executive team who were interested in joining our public sales training program. Their company is at a size where leadership is the only face of the company, therefore, responsible for bringing in new business. I was really excited about the opportunity as we are always looking to raise the bar in our public programs, and these 2 would definitely do that.
The first question I asked them was, “Why do you think you want to join our group?” What they told me had nothing to do with sales training and everything to do with growth, leadership in a changing environment and really deciding what they want to be in the next 5-10 years.
I think joining our sales group was the only solution that came to mind. They were obviously feeling some discomfort with everything that is going on, and sales training would put them with other smart people, learning new stuff. That can feel good when things back at your office are a bit discombobulated! 
Do You Demonstrate That You Care?
Well, of course you do. No one in their right mind would admit they didn’t care. We used to say, “You can tell how much someone cares by the questions they ask.” But is that all there is to it? And what is the intent of the set of questions you ask? This podcast will help you re-frame why you ask questions and what else you can do to differentiate your value.
Wanting a weekly sales boost? Listen to the Advanced Selling Podcast every Monday.
How To Demonstrate Your Value BEFORE You Sell
This week’s episode is loaded with new ideas on social media, the myths of selling, and how to “be” the value instead of “talking about being” the value.
Brooke Green starts us off with a transaction she had with a client who was focused on ‘getting the prospect to be interested.’ Always, a losing proposition.
Then, Bryan Neale talks about sales behavior–and the myth that if I do more activity, I will see more results. And, he addresses some things to do instead.
And Bill Caskey takes a question from a client who writes, “How do I use social media to grow my business? I’m LinkedIn to thousands but it’s doing me no good.”
Can You Handle The Truth?
You Can’t Handle the Truth!
What a great line from a great movie. And you know what, it’s true!
In sales, not only can we not handle hearing the truth, we have a hard time telling the truth. Why is that? Why do we think that we, and our prospects, do not deserve the truth? One reason—it’s HARD.
In order to hear or tell the truth, your intent has to be about the other person. We are naturally wired to protect, defend and “get.” Focusing our intent on the other person isn’t natural. When we are hearing the truth, and it’s not what we want to hear, it hurts, but at least it’s a “clean” break. You can move on. Deal with it. It’s kind of like a band-aid—a quick yank and you’re done. Not a slow, hair-by-hair excruciating RIP!
So, why as salespeople do we deserve the truth? I’ll tell you why. Because if you are working with your prospect, and you are operating with HIGH intent, which is only to HELP (not sell stuff), the truth is the only thing you have to work with. How many times have you walked away from a meeting with a prospect with homework? You know, “Oh, I need a quote on this,” “Oh, you know what, if you can call me again in a few weeks, we can talk,” “Oh, if you jump through this flaming hoop, maybe I’ll work with you.” All crap.
And, all our own fault. Yes, that’s right. If you don’t create a space where your prospect feels safe to tell you the truth, you won’t get it. If they are afraid the truth will turn you into a whimpering pile of goo, a crazy stalker, an angry slime-ball—you’re not going to get the truth. Can you blame them, really?
How do we set the stage for truth?
First, get your head right.
Repeat after me—“The market is abundant, so I don’t need to get squirrelly about getting business from everybody that I talk to. I do not have to emotionally invest myself in every opportunity that presents itself.”
And—“My intent is only to help my prospects discover their problems and educate them on what I do to help people with those problems. If they want me to help them, great, if not, that’s okay.”
So, now the tactical part of setting the stage for truth. We call it the upfront agreement. It’s where you communicate your operating philosophy to your prospect, and it sounds like this:
“Hey Joe, thanks for inviting me in today. As I said in our phone conversation, I’ve helped a lot of companies like yours, but I’m not sure that we are the best fit for you. So, I’d like to ask you some questions, share with you how we’ve helped other folks, then you can ask me any questions that you might have. At the end of this conversation, we can decide together if we should go forward or not. If not, perfectly okay. Does that sound alright?”
Your job, your obligation, is to create a space where your prospect (and clients) can tell you the truth…and only the truth. If you can’t wrap your head around that, work on it. Get good at it or you will be spinning your wheels.
Trust me—I speak the truth.
How Do You React to the Upset Customer?
Bill and Bryan take a look at how to react to upset, annoying, frustrating clients. This comes from an actual letter that one of Bryan’s clients received from a customer. You may not experience this client behavior too often, but when you do, they reveal some ways to think through it prior to reacting.
