Connecting with prospects is challenging regardless of the approach used. But grabbing a prospect’s attention in a crowded inbox can be difficult. Consider how often you ignore or dismiss an email without opening it when it is received from an unfamiliar sender.
Standing out in an overflowing inbox takes some creativity, but it can be done by personalizing prospect emails based on what you learn about them when doing a bit of pre-work. Once reps demonstrate their empathy and understanding, salespeople put themselves in a position to influence buyers as well.
What better way to show prospects that you know and understand them than by showing them with tailored messaging? Plus, personalized emails are opened 5.7% more often than emails that aren’t, so it’s definitely worth the effort.
To help you get started, we’ve identified 10 easy ways to personalize prospect emails so more potential clients open your messages, read them, and respond.
Since the subject line is the part of the email most visible in the prospect’s inbox, personalizing it can influence the open rate. Personalize the subject line by including the prospect’s name or referencing something you learn while doing a quick bit of research. It could be something as simple as the potential customer being the lead singer of a band for fun or being a huge history buff. Whatever the case, referring to this personal tidbit will certainly get their attention.
Did the prospect write a particularly inspiring social post or add a great photo to their profile? Take a moment to compliment them on it. It shows you did your research and that the email message is definitely not canned!
Are you and the prospect from the same state or hometown? Perhaps you both attended the same university, follow the same thought leader, or used to work for the same employer. Shared commonalities create a special bond, increasing trust, and helping to get the conversation started. And isn’t that the goal?
If the potential customer completed their doctorate, got promoted, won an award, or received some special recognition, take time to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements. They’ll appreciate you taking notice of something they are proud of and notice that you’ve done your homework.
Company mergers, acquisitions, and other key changes often create scenarios your product or service might solve. Leading with mention of the trigger event and asking an insightful question is a great way to start a conversation with a prospect. It can demonstrate that you are the right rep to guide them through the process of selecting the best solution to meet their needs.
If you have existing happy customers in the same industry or with similar challenges, why not do a bit of name dropping in your subject line, email body, or both. It shows the prospect that you understand them and can offer them valuable insights based on experience. This gives them more confidence in you and your solution.
Knowing which persona or ideal customer profile matches the prospect reveals their common challenges, pain points, and goals. Armed with this information you can focus on one in their email and mention how you can help. This grabs their attention by targeting a priority topic and getting them to talk about it.
Some people quickly scan emails after opening, so they only see the subject line, greeting, and the last sentence while deciding whether the rest is worth reading. Adding a personalizing P.S. at the end of the email can be an excellent way to grab this type of prospect’s attention.
People love to see or hear their name, so using a prospect’s name to personalize the subject line, in the greeting, and at least one other time in the body of the email reminds them that your message isn’t generic. But, remember not to overdo it, or it could become annoying.
Remember that the purpose of sending emails to potential customers is to start a conversation. The goal isn’t to schedule a meeting or close a deal, so don’t be too forward. You wouldn’t ask for a person’s hand in marriage on the first date. You would start a conversation and get to know them. Your first email communications with a prospect aren’t any different, so use a soft call to action (CTA) to close your email. Try asking things like Would you be open to learning more? Does this sound of interest to you? or Would you like to find out more information about this? You’re more likely to receive a response if you aren’t too pushy in your first communications.
Experiment with these different personalization approaches and see which methods work best with your prospects. Keeping track of open, click-through, and response rates will help reveal the winning personalization techniques. Then refine your approach from there.