If you are selling a product or service business-to-business (B2B), using email to prospect is a great way to get your foot in the door.
There’s one huge thing though… because of the FTC CAN SPAM Act, by law you have to get permission to send the recipient an email or it could be considered spam…
I think it’s a little ridiculous… But like so many things, the actions of a few have ruined something for many.
Obviously an opt-in list is something great to utilize, but sometimes you don’t have opt-in lists available.
So here are a couple of ways to get permission.
Cold Call For Permission
Picking up the phone and dialing the phone to present a product or service to someone who has no clue who you are can be intimidating.
But here’s a way to look at it… When you’re out and about and meet someone new and the question comes up, “So what do you do?” How intimidated would you be to tell them what you do?
So here’s a realty check… 8 out of 10 times when you cold call and try to get a hold of a decision maker you won’t get past the gatekeeper (receptionist). This is not a bad thing.
If you want a win nearly every time you call, here’s what you do. Don’t worry about reaching the decision maker… if you do, great… But here’s a way to not only make sure you have the correct email address, but to also get permission to send email to it.
Ask the gatekeeper for the email address of the person you want to email. This won’t work 100% of the time, but it will work a lot more often than not.
The easiest way to do this is to call up a company and say…
If you know the person’s name but don’t have their email address:
“Hi my name is (Your Name) with (Your Company)… I need to email (Decision Maker’s Full Name) some information about our services. Would you please give me his/her best email address? Thank you, have a nice day.”
If you already have their email address:
“Hi my name is (Your Name) with (Your Company)… I need to email (Decision Maker’s Full Name) some information about our services. I want to make sure I have the correct email address, I have (Decision Maker’s Email Address)… Is this the best email address for me to send him/her information? Thank you, have a nice day!
If you don’t have the name or email address of the person.
“Hi my name is (Your Name) with (Your Company)… I need to email your (Title of person you need to contact) some information about our services… Would you please tell me your (Title of person you need to contact’s) name? Thank you… And what’s his/her email address? Is this the best email address for me to send him/her information? Thank you, have a nice day!
You now have permission to email the decision maker.
In the email, you send to the decision maker it needs to be addressed just like this.
Subject Line: “Attention: (Decision Maker’s Full Name)”
Body: “Hi (Decision Maker’s First Name),
I spoke to your receptionist and she/he said this was
the best email address to reach you at.
I wanted to touch base with you because
I understand you have a need for (whatever their need is).
If that’s the case, I think I can help you out.
I provide (your services). I’d like to discuss the possibility
of us partnering together to do some business.
Please give me a call at your earliest convenience
to discuss.
(Your Number)
Thank you,
(Your Signature)”
The Easy Way To Get Permission
Here’s a little secret… If someone is advertising that they are in need of something, it is perfectly okay for you to email them if you have a solution. By all means, don’t send the business more than one email… But, don’t hesitate to answer their call for help. Sending one email in response to an advertisement is NOT considered spam.
There are tons of sites like Backpage, Craigslist, Oodle, Kijiji, Google Base and Yahoo Classifieds that businesses advertise on.
All you need to do is find the businesses advertising they need help with a problem.
An example would be if you had an SEO Company and you saw a business advertising on Yahoo Classifieds that was searching for a SEO Specialist.
The best way to respond to these advertisements is just like this.
Subject Line: Re: Your ad on (site name)
Body: Hi (their name if provided),
I’m responding to your ad on (site name) in regards to you seeking (whatever they are seeking).
I think I can help you out.
I provide (your services). I’d like to discuss the possibility
of us partnering together to do some business.
Please give me a call at your earliest convenience
to discuss.
(Your Number)
Thank you,
(Your Signature)
Now that you’ve got the goods.
Use them… I have personally made hundreds of thousands and my sales teams have made millions of dollars by starting off doing exactly what I laid out in this post.
