How to write a good follow-up email
1- Create something that is worth the time people will spend reading
This is the number one
rule for writing almost anything. You can write the most amazing follow-up
emails but, unless you give people a reason to spend their time reading it, they won’t even bother.
It’s rather naive to
assume people will keep reading and responding to your emails without any motivation. Pay attention, though.
Plan your
communication with prospective buyers ahead so you won’t run out
of interesting themes before the
buying process has even started.
2- Make your follow-up email about letting people know how you can help
Other than going on
and on about how amazing your product is, focus on the recipient’s challenges
and how you can help with that. People are more easily involved when they feel like the
person in front of the screen took its time to write personalized content
focus on their specific needs.
By explicitly letting
people know they can talk to you whenever they need is a very important move
to gain their trust. By the way, only say that if you mean it. Telling people
you’ll be there for them when you won’t is a bad move.
3- Say something nice about the recipient
Saying something nice
is always…well, nice! You don’t have to get up close and personal in your
choice of compliment, though. Keep it strictly professional, after all it’s a business follow-up email.
It’s also one of the
safest, most guaranteed ways to get people’s attention by showing that
you care.
4- Keep the recipient interested
Make absolutely sure
that each email contains information that’s genuinely new and interesting. Try to learn more about each recipient so
that you’ll find the best way to approach each subject in a way that’s
interesting to them.
You’re way more likely
to grab people’s attention by presenting a solution to a problem than have than by
presenting each of your features in generic terms. Find out what your
customer’s pain points are and how you can help overcome them.
5- Don’t be too forward/pushy!
Always remember why
you’re writing each follow-up email. You didn’t get the deal yet. You need to make sure you have
the recipient’s attention and get them interested in your product before suggesting
next steps.
Take your time. Build a
relationship organically without pushing things to go faster than they
naturally would. Timing is everything so make sure you don’t jump the
gun before the time is right!
6- Make things personal
This is one of the most
important customer service principles. Don’t write generic follow-up emails and
expect them to work like a charm. The more personal you make your
communication, the grater the odds of it being effective.
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