Solving The Value Equation

Sales Campaign Best Practices for Reaching Decision Makers

Here are a few recommendations for reaching decision makers via an introductory sales email campaign:

1. The most important part of the message is the email subject line. The subject line should be compelling and concise. Typically 6 words or less. Spend time testing which subject lines yield the highest response rate.

2. Utilize the “P.S.” to reinforce your “Call-To-Action (CTA)” (i.e. CTA is what action you want the prospect to take such as reply to the email or click on a link).  Examples:

• P.S. Reply back to this email for your complimentary ROI analysis.
• P.S. Link to your ROI Calculator (calculation takes less than 5 minutes).

3. Only have one (1) concise message per email as this will increase response rates. If you have multiple messages create multiple sales email campaigns.

4. Only have one (1) CTA (call-to-action) per email. Do you want them to click on something or reply to the email? Choose one CTA and go with it.

5. Use bold, underline, italics, >> arrows -->, and --- dotted lines calling out sections of content -- to emphasize key points.

6. In an email campaign use paragraphs with bullet points. People do NOT read email, people SCAN email.

7. In the email reference the voicemail and in the voicemail reference the email. This reinforces the message in the prospects’ mind.

8. Use the “active voice” rather than the passive voice. i.e. “Will” versus “Can”, take out “you” and use strong verbs only. i.e. as opposed to “You can potentially…”, go with “Calculate now at…”

None of the above recommendations are suggestions; they are proven sales best practices. (If you want further sales best practices checkout www.marketingsherpa.com).

In summary, if your email campaign content is targeted to a highly segmented group of prospects, and is relevant and compelling, then you will achieve a 10% reply/connect ratio (i.e. response rate). For every ten (10) email and voicemails you send/leave you will hear or speak with at least one decision maker.  It is imperative to leave a voicemail and send an email that references the other (“As I mentioned in my voicemail” for example).  

If anything less a 10% response rate then either the list is not qualified or the message is not compelling.  The more segmented, qualified, and nurtured the list the higher the response rate.  It is not uncommon to have a 33% response rate for an effectively nurtured list of qualified sales opportunities.

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Economic Consequences

Interesting article about 12 brands that may disappear in 2009 (“Twelve Major Brands That Will Disappear”).  The summary reasons are:

• Violate Credit Facility Covenants (1)
• Not Cash Flow Positive (i.e. not profitable) (2)
• Wrong-Sized (Built infrastructure, but growth has not come and no longer profitable) (4)
• Shrinking Industry (not cash flow positive) (2)
• Toxic Brand (1)
• Plus Chrysler has all of the above problems.

For service oriented employers “Right-Sizing” may mean merging or acquiring a company, brand, product, or technology to increase revenues as the forecast for most sectors is stagnant at best (health care, education, government, and outsourcing not withstanding). 

Technorati Tags: recession proof,recession management best practicesssion management best practices,right-sizing,management best practices,small business management practices

Wine Economics

Wine economics are like everything else…

Really top-notch quality wine will appreciate and be even higher valued and thus in the long-run will flourish.  “Both Christie’s and Sotheby’s, say sales continue to be strong at their auctions, which typically feature excellent bottles in their primes.”

In the meantime, discounters are doing well. “wine exports declined 5 percent in volume terms in the 12 months through the end of February, but the value of those exports fell 16 percent, suggesting cheaper wines are making up more of the mix”

It is the small batch producers who recently tried to expand their production, are over built, and not profitable that will go out of business. The lesson many are learning: carve out a niche where you are #1 whether that is as the low-cost provider or high-end premium services provider. 

Across industries almost all are down (March Labor report), but less than in February; while a few sectors seem to be almost recession proof: government and education (Thanks Obama!), health care, and outsourcing to name a few.

CHEERS!