Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

3 Lessons in Proper Business Email Exchanges

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imagesI had three meetings today with clients. In two of those meetings proper email etiquette was discussed. The first was about how my client is often introduced to a potential lead. In this situation there’s a couple of referral sources who send really over the top “best client ever” “he’s AMAZING and the GREATEST” kind of emails when introducing someone. It makes my client uncomfortable and he was thinking of telling them about it. As he read me the emails though, he sounds fine, and as long as he’s not writing the same kinds of things in an email intro or back to them, then he’s Ok.

Lesson #1: Be professional in your introductions. you aren’t introducing your BFF’s to each other, it’s a business connection. Stop sucking up, everyone can see it and you look bad.

The second meeting with a client we discussed an email from a service provider that we use that he pays for and I get to work with. The service provider (a woman) says things like “hi friend” and “xoxo.” She’s VERY sweet but wow is this business unprofessional! I have met this person once or twice, and we get along great, but it’s hard to forward an email to my client for approval with xo’s in it, sorry, but this isn’t Gossip Girl.

Lesson #2: you never know who ELSE is reading the email, so better safe than sorry, let’s be a bit more professional in our correspondence so the client can also read it.

And finally- yesterday my client sent me a competitors (of theirs) holiday card. It started with happy holidays and then immediately was 5 things they had for sale. SERIOUSLY.

Lesson #3: A Holiday Card is a holiday card. Not a sales card. It’s a touch that may eventually lead to a sale, but let your holiday greeting be a greeting. NOTHING MORE.

Hey Experts: Show Don’t Tell

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imgresA friend of mine tweeted a question the other day about a new fad in Social Media she’s seeing. She said social media “experts” were doing it and she wondered if it was working. And it got me thinking, if you have to put EXPERT in your title, you probably aren’t.

If you truly are an expert in your industry, show me, don’t tell me. Share quality content on social media and give me helpful information that will guide me. Don’t tell me that I should hire you because you’re the best, show me what it’s like to work with you and how your mind works.

The reason my newsletter has 3 things in it every month is so folks get an idea of how my mind works. And it usually gives them something that they can work on. Of course I’m here to help (and that’s the goal right?), but some of that work they can do on their own. I am not the kind of person who hires people site unseen. And when I do, it doesn’t usually work out great.

Next time you see “expert” next to a name or in a social media description, check to see if they show you, or tell you.

Ask Yellow Dog: Inherited Clients

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imagesLast week I spoke at a luncheon and I offered to answer marketing questions emailed to me within the next day. I had some great questions and am editing them a bit in hopes that this helps answer questions you might have as well! This first question comes from someone in direct sales who has inherited clients from other sales reps that have gone on to other endeavors and how to best approach them. 

I have names on my current customer list that I did not add as they have “risen” up to me as their consultant became inactive or as in one case died. I would like to build a relationship with them. Plus we are going over to a new system soon so I want to have everyone know who I am etc.

As for the clients that you have collected from other folks, I would send an individual email (as long as it’s not a ton of individuals) and introduce yourself, offer to meet if they’d like to review any new products or refresh their memories, make sure they have the link to order from your page (or their page/login info if it works that way) and offer to answer any questions.

If it’s been a delayed amount of time since they were handed to you and you dropped the ball, that’s OK, just be honest about it. And in that email you can mention that your company is going to a new system in January and you want to make sure you have all their contact information correct for the system transfer (it’s a good excuse to get them to respond to you too!).