When I open my browser in the morning, I spend the first few minutes deleting the unwanted messages. Most of these messages are from firms I had at one time given permission to contact me.
They missed their opportunity or I no longer need their information. Email provides a short window in which the sender must capitalize or most likely lose the prospect to procrastination or a competitor. It is the procrastination concept that keeps us sending the message forever.
But email has a golden opportunity up front to supply the Prospect exactly what he wants. Prospects are paranoid and they are particular. The message isn’t going to satisfy everyone. But the first criteria for engaging with us is going to be trust. The Second criteria is going to require us to stayi on point. The third criteria is going to be affordability or cost effectiveness for the Prospect’s purposes.
The best way to develop trust is to give away a lot of information. Offer it in downloads, white papers, e books, podcasts, YouTubes, DVD’s, and even snail mail. The best way to stay on point is track the Prospects reactions and know when his interest has changed. If you are Sending A and he now is focused on B, you have lost him.
The third criteria is make it easy to buy by breaking down payments, offering free trial periods, creating a low initial start up fee. Once the client is comfortable it is a good fit, he will fully engage.
Email can attract an interested party by offering free information. Email can track the party’s interest, adjust the message, and deliver the message in any media form desired. Email can take an order.
It’s no longer your father’s radio.