{"id":4845,"date":"2013-04-25T10:01:34","date_gmt":"2013-04-25T14:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theweekinimaging.com\/?p=4845"},"modified":"2013-04-25T10:52:59","modified_gmt":"2013-04-25T14:52:59","slug":"want-more-appointments-use-that-big-brain-of-yours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/feature-articles\/2013\/04\/want-more-appointments-use-that-big-brain-of-yours\/","title":{"rendered":"Want More Appointments? Use that Big Brain of Yours"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"brains-electrical-signals\"<\/a><\/span><\/span>If sales professionals communicated in their personal life the way they do when trying to get a first appointment with a prospect they would be a lonely bunch. Can you imagine walking up to somebody and saying, \u201cHi, I\u2019m Tom Callinan and I live in a house in Bryn Mawr?\u00a0 The house was built 16 years ago by a local builder.\u00a0 I\u2019m a good guy and I think you and I can have a relationship.\u00a0 Want to sit down and talk for 30 minutes.\u201d You\u2019re laughing at me at this point, correct (Or more accurately, I hope, you\u2019re laughing at this scenario)?\u00a0 Your head would be swiveling around as you looked for an exit from this very uncomfortable conversation.<\/p>\n

Not possible you say?\u00a0 Well how about this \u201cHi, I\u2019m Tom Callinan and I work for ABC Document Guru, Inc. in Anywhere, USA. I\u2019ve been in the industry for 12 years and ABC Document Guru, Inc. is a locally owned company serving companies in the Anywhere area. We are able to save companies up to 30 percent on their printing and I\u2019d like to show you how. Can you meet me next week?\u201d\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that effectively the same message, adapted for the context that you were laughing at in the first paragraph?<\/p>\n

If you are a business owner or VP of sales, go ask your sales team members to send you five examples of what they are sending out to prospects. I bet the above is one of the better communications you\u2019ll read. Believe me, I read a lot of e-mails that reps send out and sans a very small percentage they are horrible. Not bad, horrible. But I don\u2019t think it\u2019s their fault as it is systemic in the industry. Somehow, somewhere, some really bad communicator set this model in motion and it has permeated the industry. It is time to stop.<\/p>\n

How do you get a decision maker\u2019s attention?\u00a0 Quickly, as their propensity is to delete your message; they get a lot of messages and they don\u2019t have time to read your sales pitch. It starts with the subject line of the e-mail. Think about how you read your e-mails:\u00a0 Name first and you make an assessment of whether you know the sender or the sender\u2019s company. If you do you glance at the subject and then into the body of the e-mail.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know the person or the company the subject become more important. Make sure your subject line doesn\u2019t scream \u201cI\u2019m a sales person\u201d or your e-mail will be deleted.<\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve gotten the subject down use personalization: That doesn\u2019t mean \u201cDear Tom,\u201d but rather you use business personalization.\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you an example of a subject and personalized opening.<\/p>\n

Subject: Great article\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Jim: I read your article on employee development in the Philadelphia Business Journal: Your use of individual development plans shows a real commitment to your employees.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In order to write the above subject and opening I had to conduct a little research on the firm and on the person I wanted to reach out to. I also had to read the article, or at least enough of it to find a juicy tidbit to quote. You have a couple of sentences to get the readers attention and this opening accomplishes that goal: What you say\u2014I didn\u2019t mention copiers, MPS, saving money, solutions or anything else I was selling so what good is this e-mail?\u00a0 I want to sell something!\u00a0 Me too, and that\u2019s where the transition and benefit or referral comes into play. Let\u2019s now take that e-mail to the next step in the initial contact stage<\/p>\n

Subject: Great article\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Jim:\u00a0 I read your article on employee development in the Philadelphia Business Journal: Your use of individual development plans shows a real commitment to your employees.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Bill Smith at Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe told us that by implementing our MPS program his IT team freed-up 23 hours per month to work on projects that generated revenue for the firm. The team feels better about their daily work and Bill was able to implement the program without any investment.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

In the transition paragraph, which is only two sentences, I gave him enough information to peak his interest. I also tied it back to his commitment to employees so that it isn\u2019t a new or random thought.\u00a0 I am not trying to \u201csell him\u201d in the e-mail I simply want to get him to either reply or to grant me an appointment.\u00a0 Therefore, we need to ask for the appointment so let\u2019s finish the e-mail.<\/p>\n

In 40 minutes I can provide you an executive overview of how we were able to accomplish this with Bill and the Dewey, Cheatum and Howe IT team. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon of next week works for me or you can provide me with times that better fit your schedule.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I look forward to hearing from you.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I would try different approaches when asking for the appointment.\u00a0 I may tell him I\u2019ll call at a specific time and day to get the appointment or I may provide two days and times with a \u201cLet me know which works better\u201d ending.\u00a0 You have to mix it up e-mail to e-mail.<\/p>\n

Is it bad if Jim replies something to the effect: Tom\u2014thanks for the communications, but we have a few large projects we are working at the moment and don\u2019t have time to discuss at this time. Heck no, I\u2019d reply, \u201cJim\u2014I understand the timing isn\u2019t always good and certainly don\u2019t want to take your time away from what you\u2019re working on. Does it make sense to follow-up in six to eight weeks or do you need a little more time?\u201d<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t get the appointment, but I did get a response and I can now begin to build a relationship with Jim.\u00a0 I am not a \u201c90-day wonder\u201d that spends so much time trying to close business this month that I don\u2019t set-up my future. Jim will be a sale in the future and I am worlds ahead of the sales pack that sends e-mails that simply get deleted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If sales professionals communicated in their personal life the way they do when trying to get a first appointment with a prospect they would be a lonely bunch. Can you imagine walking up to somebody and saying, \u201cHi, I\u2019m Tom Callinan and I live in a house in Bryn Mawr?\u00a0 The house was built 16 years ago by a local builder.\u00a0 I\u2019m a good guy and I think you and I can have a relationship.\u00a0 Want to sit down and talk for 30 minutes.\u201d You\u2019re laughing at me at this point, correct (Or more accurately, I hope, you\u2019re laughing at this scenario)?\u00a0 Your head would be swiveling around as you looked for an exit from this very uncomfortable conversation. Not possible you say?\u00a0 Well how about this \u201cHi, I\u2019m Tom Callinan and I work for ABC Document Guru, Inc. in Anywhere, USA. I\u2019ve been in the industry for 12 years and ABC Document Guru, Inc. is a locally owned company serving companies in the Anywhere area. We are able to save companies up to 30 percent on their printing and I\u2019d like to show you how. Can you meet me next week?\u201d\u00a0 Isn\u2019t that effectively the same message, adapted for the context that you were laughing at in the first paragraph? If you are a business owner or VP of sales, go ask your sales team members to send you five examples of what they are sending out to prospects. I bet the above is one of the better communications you\u2019ll read. Believe me, I read a lot of e-mails that reps send out and sans a very small percentage they are horrible. Not bad, horrible. But I don\u2019t think it\u2019s their fault as it is systemic in the industry. Somehow, somewhere, some really bad communicator set this model in motion and it has permeated the industry. It is time to stop. How do you get a decision maker\u2019s attention?\u00a0 Quickly, as their propensity is to delete your message; they get a lot of messages and they don\u2019t have time to read your sales pitch. It starts with the subject line of the e-mail. Think about how you read your e-mails:\u00a0 Name first and you make an assessment of whether you know the sender or the sender\u2019s company. If you do you glance at the subject and then into the body of the e-mail.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know the person or the company the subject become more important. Make sure your subject line doesn\u2019t scream \u201cI\u2019m a sales person\u201d or your e-mail will be deleted. After you\u2019ve gotten the subject down use personalization: That doesn\u2019t mean \u201cDear Tom,\u201d but rather you use business personalization.\u00a0 I\u2019ll give you an example of a subject and personalized opening. Subject: Great article\u00a0 Jim: I read your article on employee development in the Philadelphia Business Journal: Your use of individual development plans shows a real commitment to your employees.\u00a0 In order to write the above subject and opening I had to conduct a little research on the firm and on the person I wanted to reach out to. I also had to read the article, or at least enough of it to find a juicy tidbit to quote. You have a couple of sentences to get the readers attention and this opening accomplishes that goal: What you say\u2014I didn\u2019t mention copiers, MPS, saving money, solutions or anything else I was selling so what good is this e-mail?\u00a0 I want to sell something!\u00a0 Me too, and that\u2019s where the transition and benefit or referral comes into play. Let\u2019s now take that e-mail to the next step in the initial contact stage Subject: Great article\u00a0 Jim:\u00a0 I read your article on employee development in the Philadelphia Business Journal: Your use of individual development plans shows a real commitment to your employees.\u00a0 Bill Smith at Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe told us that by implementing our MPS program his IT team freed-up 23 hours per month to work on projects that generated revenue for the firm. The team feels better about their daily work and Bill was able to implement the program without any investment.\u00a0 In the transition paragraph, which is only two sentences, I gave him enough information to peak his interest. I also tied it back to his commitment to employees so that it isn\u2019t a new or random thought.\u00a0 I am not trying to \u201csell him\u201d in the e-mail I simply want to get him to either reply or to grant me an appointment.\u00a0 Therefore, we need to ask for the appointment so let\u2019s finish the e-mail. In 40 minutes I can provide you an executive overview of how we were able to accomplish this with Bill and the Dewey, Cheatum and Howe IT team. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon of next week works for me or you can provide me with times that better fit your schedule.\u00a0 I look forward to hearing from you.\u00a0 I would try different approaches when asking for the appointment.\u00a0 I may tell him I\u2019ll call at a specific time and day to get the appointment or I may provide two days and times with a \u201cLet me know which works better\u201d ending.\u00a0 You have to mix it up e-mail to e-mail. Is it bad if Jim replies something to the effect: Tom\u2014thanks for the communications, but we have a few large projects we are working at the moment and don\u2019t have time to discuss at this time. Heck no, I\u2019d reply, \u201cJim\u2014I understand the timing isn\u2019t always good and certainly don\u2019t want to take your time away from what you\u2019re working on. Does it make sense to follow-up in six to eight weeks or do you need a little more time?\u201d I didn\u2019t get the appointment, but I did get a response and I can now begin to build a relationship with Jim.\u00a0 I am not a \u201c90-day wonder\u201d that spends so much time trying to close business this month that I don\u2019t set-up my future. Jim will be a sale […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[82],"tags":[316,339,346],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4845"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4845"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4863,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4845\/revisions\/4863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}