“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!”
Theodore Levitt, the late Harvard Professor behind that now-obvious statement, was also the first person to define corporate purpose beyond merely making money and saving on corporate tax (Checkout Groupon before filing your next tax return); he suggested its purpose was to create and keep a customer.
Taking both of his points into consideration, it’s easy to see how the emails we write, sales conversations we have and presentations we deliver can easily damage sales results. We focus on the quarter-inch drill and on making money instead of customer’s happiness.
Here are 3 Ways Your Emails May be Damage Sales Results:
1. Your message is focused on what you want. Even if you’re the “big boss” and have the authority to focus on your goal, you’ll likely get a better result by creating a message that empowers the people you need to give you what you want. A small and simple change from “My goal is to ensure profitability” to “Your commitment will ensure profitability” makes a world of difference.
2. Your message is focused on what you have done instead of what they can receive.
A sales manager thought she was totally focused on her prospect when she wrote,
Thank you for your patience, I reached out not only to the hotel leadership but all the way to our Corporate Headquarters in order to verify I provided you with the right answer. And we cannot reward points if the loyalty rewards number is not on the agreement.
Change the emphasis!
Thank you for your patience! After reviewing your request with the hotel and verifying with corporate headquarters, reward points can be rewarded only when the Rewards number is included on the signed agreement.
Notice the differences?
3. You write to inform rather than to persuade.
Every email offers the opportunity to motivate, inspire and persuade. If, for instance, a client asks you for a price reduction, she is telling you that she is interested in your product. Hurrah!! Rather than rush to inform of what you can or cannot do, celebrate the great news. Then, persuade her why she is getting such a great value at the current rate.
It wasn’t Theordore Levitt who said that we are own worst enemy. But that is true too.
Elevate your emails and your sales conversations. Start now!
Power Sales Writing