When we reach out to prospects who do not know us, our goal should never be to “book a date” from our early communication. The goal should be to gain forward movement, start building a relationship and rapport.
Once you begin to develop that relationship, the goal shifts to then hoping that the recipient will write back with a “yes” so that you can continue to the next step.
That is why I love what I call the “quick and dirty query email.” It is a short and sweet email written with the goal of getting the yes.
Here is what that the quick and dirty query email might look like:
Hi Glenn,
(Why specifically are you writing) I am reaching out about your November meeting in Las Vegas.
(You have done your homework) I noticed that you typically have a luncheon speaker on day two. I saw Deb Smith was your speaker last year, no doubt she nailed it.
(What do you offer) My presentation, entitled Bounce Forward, is designed to help people move through change with less stress.
(The ask) Based on the changing scope of your industry, would this topic be of interest to you and your audience?
I look forward to chatting.
This initial email to the prospect is an excellent way to plant a seed. If email is not your preferred method to introduce yourself, that is okay. There are many other options including phone, skype or physical mail. With any of these methods, you can still follow the flow of the email above for effectiveness. While you may not hear back from them right away (don’t take it personally – people are busy!!), keep trying in different ways to get to yes.
The key is to keep it simple. Make your introductions, begin to build the various relationships and then work towards finding the ‘Yes.’ When you break it down to just this one thing – getting to yes – doesn’t that take some of the burden off?
I would love to hear some of the ways you are getting to the ‘Yes.’ Please share in the comments below!
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
