A Salesperson’s Guide to Using E-mail

It is no secret that e-mail has forever changed the way we communicate both personally and professionally—for better or for worse. While e-mail makes communication easier and more efficient, it comes with a significant amount of responsibility. Understanding the e-mail “rules of the road” has never been more important.

In a recent article in Money magazine, author and journalist Jean Chatzky said 25 percent of managers at big companies feel overwhelmed by their daily communications, and 55 percent of workers read e-mail immediately after they get them. Mastering the basic principles of e-mail will ensure that the message you send will be received, understood and result in action. Writing effective e-mail will ensure better communications and, potentially, a shortened sales cycle.

E-mail “on the go” has complicated the situation

The widespread use of mobile e-mail devices is causing another communication transition. Now messages must be sent faster and be written in a more crisp and succinct manner. When I travel, I have left the default message “Sent from my Wireless Handheld” on my replies so my clients know I am sending a shorter version of what might have been a more lengthy reply if I were at my desk.

When your client or manager knows you have a mobile e-mail device, they will expect a fast response, and salespeople need to be prepared for this expectation.

How e-mail and Web communications evolve, only time will tell. This changing landscape will make face-to-face meetings even more critical when it comes to communicating high impact and complex printing solutions.

In the printing industry, most salespeople have not had training in how to effectively use and manage e-mail. Too often printing salespeople abuse e-mail by poorly constructing the content of the message so their “pitch” isn’t clear, or substituting e-mail where a phone call or face-to-face meeting would be more effective.

Face-to-face meetings, e-mail, text messaging, phone calls and even Facebook and Linkedin are communication methods that successful sales people must master. Knowing how and when to use each medium is critical. It can be argued that the medium is the message, and it is true that each has its purpose. In-person calls are still the most preferred approach for salespeople. However, to get that important face-to-face meeting where important information will be exchanged, e-mail and phone calls must be used.

E-mail is an important sales communication tool

Like most of us, printing customers are also receiving hundreds of e-mails daily that require a response. The Radicati Research Group predicts that e-mail usage will increase by over 30 percent a day by 2011. Since the use of e-mail will continue to proliferate in the future, knowing when to use e-mail is vital. Many executives prefer to communicate through e-mail. It is a great medium for a quick communication. Taking your time and following some basic principles will give you a competitive advantage.

While I still recommend face-to-face meetings as the most important sales tool—e-mail is now an important part of the equation. Here are a few best practices for e-mail that, with patience, can be mastered by all printing sales professionals:

Do not send pricing quotes or complex communications through e-mail

Presenting a selling proposal and communicating customer solutions to new customers are best presented face-to-face. We have found the sending of price quotes and sharing detailed product or company information via e-mail is common in the print industry. This practice is a symptom of salespeople who are taking short-cuts or who are fearful of customer rejection. If selling complex printing solutions could be accomplished through the use of the Internet, there would be no need for highly commissioned salespeople. Use e-mail to reinforce key points, confirm and schedule phone or face-to-face meetings, provide updates and answer simple questions.