1. 39 Wrentham Drive Medford, NJ 08055  609-636-9893  HarryHecht@gmail.com  www.linkedin/in/harryhecht
The Leader. The Expert. The Source.
Why Everyone Ignores your Email?
Why Everyone Ignores your Email
While cold calling might not be one of the most productive ways to generate sales leads, cold e-
mailing isn’t. Judging from my Gmail inbox it is certainly on the rise and it’s time to take notice. I
know many sales professionals that live and die by the e-mail introduction and use it effectively.
But the question remains, how effective is e-mail at making a sales introduction?
The answer, it all depends. My experience is that e-mail introductions are most effective when
there is some context related to the communication and has content that is worthy of the recipient’s
time and attention and of course, ACTION. The absence of either will limit any opportunity for
meaningful engagement. In other words, the quick delete! A sales professional understands they
are just a keystroke away from the trash bin and approaches the e-mail introduction with a well
thought out value proposition, carefully worded, and commitment required to earn a response from
the prospect
I receive a healthy amount of e-mail sales pitches and requests. I wanted to take the time to
leverage a recent message that hit my inbox to illustrate how to make the most of the “soft” e-mail
introduction.
Here is the gist of the email I received:
The Introduction
Hopefully I’m not catching you too off guard with my email – I work closely with a few of our
mutual connections and wanted to see if we could find a time to be introduced.
I’m not at all assuming you’re in the market for the work I do but I’d like to meet you nonetheless.
That being said I’d like to tell you a little about how I work, share some ideas with you, and what
you do with it is up to you.
{I didn’t respond to the first e-mail during a busy week of travel. The following week I received
this follow up}.
The Follow Up
I’m not sure if you received my last email or not, sometimes I can get spammed for some reason. I
just wanted to touch base and see if we could find a time to be introduced. I work closely with and
have met with quite a few our mutual connections.
Though I’m not at all assuming you’re in the market for the work I do, I’d like to meet you
nonetheless. If you have some availability in the next week or so I’d love to grab lunch or coffee.
Would you take this meeting? This sales introduction had the potential to be so much better.

2. The Leader. The Expert. The Source.
Here are four (4) keys for making more meaningful and memorable email sales pitches.
1. Leverage Referrals. A satisfied client can help you strengthen the sales introduction.
Assuming this seller actually does work with people I know, the introduction is strengthened by
revealing that information. Even better, have the “happy” client and “mutual connection” lead in
making the introduction. Don’t leave it to the prospect to assume anything.
2. Be Specific. If you are asking me to invest valuable time, make sure I understand why. Get to
the point about what you’ve got that I need. I don’t have time for too many nonessential lunch or
coffee meetings. Neither do your customers. (In fairness, I did remove the category/industry for
the example in this post, but even with that information it wasn’t specific enough.)
3. Customize. This involves doing a little homework. The ability to demonstrate understanding
related to the prospective buyer’s business and unique situation elevates credibility. When that
understanding includes a particularly compelling insight, point of view or position of value the
introduction improves.
4. Give Value First. Be helpful. Focus on the customer, not yourself. The customer will only be
interested in your product or service because it could help them solve a problem or do something
better and better yet, both. So, make the introduction all about them. The more you know the easier
it is to lead with value. Give away your best ideas and examples of success, and make it easy for
your best customers to share.
Following these four practices will help you make sales introductions that lead to increased
opportunities and a full pipeline. When we shift our focus to thinking about sales meetings as an
earned opportunity, our introductions typically improve as a result. In sales the law of incremental
commitment applies —the first commitment you have to close is someone’s willingness to learn
more and at the same time build a relationship and trust.
These four practices will also help you avoid what you had to know was coming next.
The Response
Thanks for the note. I just don’t have the time and I’m not interested. Please stop emailing
me…Sent from my iPhone
Harry Hecht, Regional Manager, US Bank Office Equipment Finance has more than 32 years of industry
experience, including a 22 year distinguished career as the Vice President US Dealer Sales Division for
Konica Minolta Business Solutions and 5 years as VP/ General Manager for Global Imaging Systems, a
Xerox Company. Harry Hecht is a member of the MPSA has been actively involved for over 10 years in the
development, creation, implementation and growth of Managed Print Services programs throughout the
independent dealer channel. Hecht is a graduate of Texas Tech University. He can be reached at
HarryHecht@gmail.com or 609-636-9893