Avoid Using Email Blackmail In Your Agency New Business Prospecting

You know what you should never engage in with your agency new business prospecting?

Email blackmail

 Our man behind the camera, Craig, selectively sends me sales emails he gets, and he sent one recently that we had to do an episode on, something you need to avoid when you’re prospecting: email blackmail.

OK, we’ve done a few episodes specifically around real sales emails we’ve gotten, you can check those out here:

3 Real-World Examples Of Email Fails — 3 Takeaways Ep30

Sending Better Follow-Up Emails — 3 Takeaways Ep.61

This is one Craig sent me we’re going to dissect a bit to help your agency new business prospecting, withholding names to protect the innocent, but we couldn’t pass this one up.

Here’s the first line of the email, no greeting at all by the way, just right into it:

I don’t enjoy sending these repeat emails any more than you enjoy receiving them- But we all got a job to do.

Here’s your first takeaway

Don’t alienate your prospect in the first line of your email.

One could argue that it grabs your attention.

I mean, who starts an email with essentially, “I don’t like my job, but then how am I gonna buy my crypto, right?”

Maybe alienate isn’t the best word, but it’s off-putting, I want to delete this email right there, not read any further. 

But we’re going to because here’s the next line:

Until I hear back from you, I’ll keep reaching out because I know our partnership is worth it.

Here’s your second takeaway

Do not engage your prospect in email blackmail.

OK, a bit of an extreme description, but essentially, this salesperson is forcing the prospect’s hand too early.

Like the first line, you could argue that at least you’ll know if that prospect is interested or not.

Maybe, but you’re telling me you believe our partnership, which doesn’t exist yet, is worth it, yet, you’ve given me no reason to believe that.

And you’re relying on your previous emails being memorable and not being deleted.

Here’s a bonus takeaway:

Never assume your prospect remembers your previous emails.

Unless they’ve responded of course, I believe your emails should stand on their own. 

OK, here’s, essentially, the rest of the email, she gives her name and the company she works for, and then says:

One way to help each other (and stop all the emails) is to hop on a quick call and let me show you. . . .

I think she’s hoping for Stockholm syndrome to set in with me? 

Here’s your third takeaway-

Coercion is not a viable prospecting tactic.

Yes, there are prospecting tactics that work, where you can reasonably apply a little guilt, some negative reinforcement, but if you’re coming across as a mob boss-is that really the impression you want your prospects to have? 

Because that’s the impression I get with this email.