What is the Story on Email Responses? by Gerry Rose

How many of your emails are being read?  Are you getting the responses you want?  Would you like better responses?

With all the spam, it is more and more important to use some simple procedures when communicating by email.  More of your emails will be opened, replied to, and you will get the response you want.

·Subject Line: To get your email opened, be sure the subject line includes “Opening” information.  We need to answer the reader’s question of “Why should I open this?”

Recently I applied for a business account from a new bank.  The banker at this branch was introduced to me by her formal first name, Elizabeth.  She used her nickname, Beth, on her email address.  Her email address did not make reference to the bank name.  The subject line said, “account information”.  I deleted her first email communication.  Had she included the name of her bank with “account information”, I would have opened the email.  (Among other reasons, I did not open the account with this bank.  Looking back on this experience, I cannot help but wonder if it were not for sloppy procedures in other areas, as well as email, I might be doing business with this bank today.)

Professionals always use the name of their company as part of their email address.  Therefore, always use your name @ the NAME OF YOUR COMPANY or some derivative of your company name.  As for my email, it is gerry@integritysd.com.

·Content: The content should be to the point, covering one topic.

Many of us, especially those of us older than 30, use email in place of the quill pen (OK, ballpoint).  We use email to replace the postman. 

I encourage you to cover one subject per email.  Even when I have a communication with the same person, which cover two topics, I always send two emails.  I use as few words as possible to make my point.  When I think that the topic needs more than a couple of lines to make my point, I suggest that we arrange a telephone appointment.

· Signature: The signature should include your contact information, website and email addresses.

Much of my day is spent marketing my services.  Most of my email is in support of that marketing effort.  I spend a lot of time thinking about how to get people to open my emails.

I encourage you to track your results.  I am looking for responses. 

Recently, I sent out an email to 85 speakers in the San Diego, Riverside, and Orange County area.  My goal was to tell them what I wanted to do to help them this year.  In turn, I wanted to let them know what I want to do for my speaking opportunities this year.  What I did was create a subject line “I resolve to do a better job referring speakers this year”.  In it I gave them a short seven questions to answer.  Below their seven questions, I answered those questions the way I would have if someone were asking me.  (I answered all seven questions with 31 words total.)  I received more than 20 responses.  What was the outcome?

1)     It allows me to be a better resource to a group that now will also refer me. 
2)     I gave them what I want to do so when they hear of an opportunity that does not fit them, they will refer me.
3)     I am creating a win/win for the reader as well as myself, understanding the concept of give to receive to give again. 
4)     I now can offer each of the respondents a service for FREE giving them what they want.

So far, in less than two weeks, I have:

· Attended two speaking events in front of my target market. 
· I will meet with a potential client.
· Have a new advocate who is lining me up for a speaking opportunity. · Attended one additional networking meeting by invitation.
· Introduced to 10 new potential clients.
· Invited to attend a new networking seminar.

All of this just from one email that was positioned correctly!

For more about Gerry Rose of Integrity Solutions, click here.