Improve Marketing Emails to Boost Sales

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Everyone has experienced the sensation of being overwhelmed by seemingly useless emails filled with coupons, special offers, information about new product launches and other messages you do not have time to read. Business users sent and received on average 121 emails a day in 2014, and this is expected to grow to 140 emails a day by 2018. While it can be annoying to receive messages from every company you ever purchased something from or expressed interest in, email is a necessary part of business and making sales in the digital age.

If you as a business owner or employee of a company are annoyed by the number of messages you receive from businesses you have interacted with in the past, you have to assume that your current or potential customers may feel the same way about emails you are sending them.

Instead of sending the same tired sales and marketing emails you typically blast to customers, take this week and the following tips to put a new spin on your digital customer communications.[wcm_restrict]

  1. Be a News Source – instead of always relying on a discount offer to spur customers into the buying stage, use industry news to your advantage. Create an email campaign around a new regulation, a competitor recall, or another news topic that is trending in your industry and relevant to your customer. Alert them to what is going on and how you provide a solution.
  2. Focus on the Subject Line – in a flooded inbox an intriguing subject line is much more likely to be noticed and opened than one that is too revealing and generic. Look at newspaper and online media outlet headlines for inspiration. Instead of a tired “20% off limited time offer” subject line test response rates for subject lines like “25% of businesses fail at social media sales, how to adjust”.
  3. Remember Your Audience – don’t get so caught up in what the goal of your email campaign is you forget the audience. Put the customer first in everything. Don’t just send a generic sales offer, present it in a way that makes your customer feels like you are only giving a discount to make his/her life better. For example, “We’re offering 10% from now to June 30th” makes it seem like you just want to make sales. “Summer has arrived and you should be spending more time relaxing in a hammock, spending time with family and friends, not cooped up in your office. We’re issuing you a summer break to make it happen. Take 10% off now until June 30th.” The second presentation lets the customer know you are worried about his/her well being and want to make life easier, not serve your own purposes.

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About the Author

John McGeeJohn McGee, President OptifiNow

As the President of OptifiNow, John leads the company’s vision, strategy and growth. John founded OptifiNow to solve a common problem of enterprise customers – the shared struggle of managing national and global sales teams with brand and legal compliant messaging. OptifiNow was built from the ground up by simplifying the complex needs of customers. The result is a software platform that delivers a complete suite of customer engagement solutions for its clients.

John has a BS in Engineering and Computer Science from Loyola Marymount University, and is a proud California native. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, and their 3 children.

Jeffrey Gitomer

It’s a GREAT year so far… or is it?

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How’s it going? I mean this year so far? Accomplishing what you thought you would? On the path of amazing achievement? Or are you stuck in neutral, or worse, reverse?

I am AGAINST ‘having your best year ever,’ but I am in favor of ‘having a great year.’ How’s your year so far?

Having a great year is not a matter of doing one thing right – or even making one thing better – it’s a matter or making everything better, so that you can get to GREAT or BEST in whatever you do.

Here is my list of challenges for your GREAT year. Read them carefully and begin with one or two. But all must be initialized and put into action to really have a GREAT year.

1. Define yourself.
2. Develop a sales mission statement.
3. Have a deep belief in the five critical areas of selling.
4. Develop greater pride in accomplishment.
5. You are what you eat.
6. Get rid of one time-waster.
7. Read a book every two months.
8. Get your (sales) pipeline full.
9. Meet your monthly sales quota by the second week of the month.
10. Start branding yourself socially.
11. Get up earlier.
12. Begin capturing your thoughts and ideas in writing.
13. Give one speech.
14. Write one article your customers will read.
15. Make sales at breakfast.
16. Keep your present customers loyal to you and your company.
17. Double your testimonials.
18. Double your referrals.
19. Record your sales presentation.
20. Start every morning with Yes! attitude.
20.5 You’re not alone. Create a mastermind.

Here are two of the challenges that are the ‘kick off’ of this series. I will elaborate on several others over the next few weeks.

2. Develop a sales mission statement. Your company has a mission statement, and you can’t recite yours to me, or even come close. The reason? Because it’s a bunch of corporate marketing drivel that you don’t believe in, let alone memorize. Dude, IT’S THE MISSION! What you need is a sales mission – a reason to walk in the door with information the customer can use, be memorable about it, and walk out the door with a signed contract and a check. The mission that you can all embrace and live by is: ‘Get the customer to buy from me, and make the experience so memorable that they buy again, and tell other people how great my product is, and how great I am.’ That’s an easy mission for you to live by. Mission statements are not meant to be memorized. Mission statements are meant to be incorporated into your philosophy as something that you carry with you as a statement of action. It’s the MISSION.

6. Get rid of one time-waster. I’m asked one question more than any other: “Jeffrey, how can I better manage my time?” Let me give you the answer to that question: You already know what to do with your time – what the hell are you asking me for? I’m going to write a book on time management entitled, You Already Know What to Do, You’re Just Not Doing It. You don’t need a course in time management (which by the way I consider the biggest waste of time). What you need is a lesson in how not to procrastinate. It’s not a matter of managing your time, it’s a matter of doing what you know you have to do, but are just not doing it. The easiest way for me to describe this procrastination situation is to offer you a tip – a time management tip. Here it is: Get rid of one thing that is currently wasting your time. The example I most often give is watching TV news programs, or watching television dramas. If you spent as much time studying how to get your voicemail messages returned, as you did watching some stupid television show, in a year you could be a world-class expert giving seminars for high fees on how to get your voicemail returned. You don’t need to manage your time, you need to allocate your time. You need to invest your time in things that matter, in things that will build your success, and in things that will allow you to have a great year.

Well, there are two sales-shots in the butt. Two or three more next week. I am determined to give you the insight and the tools to have a great year.

I’d love to know what you are doing to have a great year. Send an email to yes@gitomer.com and some of your ideas will be posted on my Facebook page.

About the Author

Jeffrey GitomerJeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.

Coping with Workspace Envy, What to do when your workspace options are limited

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have table-sized touchscreen tablets like they do at Microsoft? Or to work in colorful open spaces like Airbnb’s new headquarters in San Francisco?

For many companies, budgets are tight and options are limited — so there’s no way you can purchase funky new furniture let alone do something like put a mini-basketball court in a meeting room. Your company isn’t about to move. So what can you do?

[wcm_restrict]The worst answer is “nothing.” Study after study has shown that personalized workspace can help employee productivity and has a direct positive impact on their physical and mental health. Research done by Deloitte’s Center for the Edge in 2013 concluded that “redesigning the work environment will be key to achieving sustainable business performance improvement.”

In other words, while functional, flexible workspaces may once have been thought of a perk, they are now seen as a business necessity.

Ironically, the challenge of creating better workspace is growing just as fast as the need for finding a solution. The confluence of many factors is making it difficult for organizations to decide what, if anything, they can do.

  • Most businesses today have at least two or three generations of employees under the same roof. The ways in which Baby Boomer generation employees prefer to work is often quite different from GenXers or Millennials.
  • Many businesses have a mix of onsite employees with regular work hours and offsite/remote workers who occasionally come into the office.
  • Evidence has shown the positive impact that “human factors” like natural light and ergonomic workspace has on the human psyche.

Balancing all these factors has been tricky, and there are no hard and fast rules. With all the competing demands and plethora of workspace design trends, perhaps it’s no wonder that Gensler’s 2013 U.S. Workplace Survey noted that “U.S workers are struggling to work effectively.”

Small Changes, One Space at a Time

If your organization is unable to completely redesign its workspace to take advantage of modern trends and accommodate everyone, you might be tempted to throw in the towel. The key is to be proactive and do something or your employees might be lured to another employer who pays more attention to workspace.

That doesn’t mean you have to start tearing down walls and putting in coffee bars and overstuffed chairs. Instead, start with one space and pay attention to the fundamentals of what the employees in that area want and need to do their work better.

How do you know? Ask them. Employees know what they like and don’t like about your current workspace, they know what helps or hurts their productivity. Chances are you’ll hear that your employees:

  • Want choices. This is especially true of Millennials, but employees of all ages welcome some level of control over their own environment. For example, you may not be able to change the floor plan of your office or manufacturing environment, but perhaps you can give your employees some ergonomic choices: allow them a choice of chairs, or monitor arms and keyboard trays that make it easy to adjust the height or angle of monitors and keyboards. These kinds of small changes can make each workspace more flexible so multiple employees with different needs can use it.
  • Have diverse (and perhaps competing) needs. The work needs of people with different types of jobs are often contradictory: open spaces may help those in creative professions have beneficial interactions, but have proven too distracting for people with a need to concentrate. Again, focus on small changes that could make a big difference, like adding cubicle spaces (for privacy and noise reduction) to an open floor plan or a shared common space (for accidental encounters or group meetings) to an otherwise divided workspace.
  • Appreciate customization through accessories. Investigate inexpensive add-ons like personal task lighting, sit-stand desks and variable monitor arms to allow workspace customization and reduction of stress.

If you focus on factors you can control and make small changes, you can start down the path advised by a recent HBR report that noted successful organizations “recognize office space as not just an amortized asset but a strategic tool for growth.”[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember]

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About the Author

Carol KeoghCarol Keogh, President and CEO, ESI Ergonomic Solutions. As President and Chief Executive Officer of ESI Ergonomic Solutions, Ms. Keogh oversees the production of innovative, high-quality ergonomic work tools that contribute to improving employee productivity and well-being. Named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Ms. Keogh currently serves on the BIFMA Board of Directors.

The Holy Grail of Content Marketing – and When to Recommend It

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With much of the business world abuzz about content marketing, smart marketers are taking stock of opportunities for their clients to use the power of story to convey a message and build stronger brands. Conspicuously absent from most content strategies, however, is the granddaddy of all content marketing: writing a book.

The benefits of launching a book are many: increased visibility and credibility, tighter messaging, an angle around which to build a publicity campaign, a tool to acquire new business, and more. But writing a book is a daunting task for most, and a long process to boot. On top of that, many would-be authors doubt whether their ideas are book-worthy. So as a trusted advisor, when should you include writing a book in the recommendations you provide to your client? Here are four key elements to look for:[wcm_restrict]

  1. Commitment.Writing a book requires an obvious level of time and thought commitment, but if the author wants to see any degree of commercial success, it also requires a commitment to promote and hustle sales. It takes months, sometimes years, to write a book. Once it’s complete, you’re looking at another 6-9 months for a national distribution rollout. (Digital publishing options obviously can shorten that timeframe but limit availability.) Having your support as a marketing and brand advisor not only during the writing process but also during the book launch stage will make the journey much more manageable for the author.Your client should be in a long-term mindset for the book project to succeed, and it’s a great way for you to stay engaged around very deliberate content and marketing plans to create lasting value.
  2. Differentiated Approach.If your client has a highly differentiated approach to business in general, customer service, health and wellness, product development, or whatever he or she specializes in, the book writing process will go much more smoothly because the value proposition is already clear and there is likely a lot of supporting material. The book launch itself will also be more successful since readers and the media are drawn to fresh ideas, in turn bringing attention and awareness back to your overall brand.
  3. Flexibility.Flexibility applies in a few different ways. First, writing a book is ideally a collaborative process, so the author should be open and coachable in terms of feedback and changes to make the final product as marketable as it can be. Second, it sometimes turns out that a book is not the right format for the author’s content. Some ideas originally intended for book form are really more appropriate for magazine articles, short ebooks, or even blog posts. A carefully executed piece at any one of these shorter lengths is just as effective, and probably more shareable, than a full-length book so there’s no shame in keeping it succinct! Finally, a book-length manuscript typically contains pieces of content that can stand alone for promotional purposes (think excerpts, tweets, blog posts, etc). The flexible author will be receptive to these uses and even proactive about identifying them in the manuscript in the interest of getting the most impact from the work of writing.
  4. Willingness to Engage.I’ve been on the frontlines of the publishing business for over a decade and in the broader media business for almost twice that. When authors learn this and hear of our company’s dozens of New York Times bestsellers, they ask me for the secret behind successful launches. While the bibliophile in me would love to say that a well-written book ultimately finds an audience, it’s just not true in a climate of oversupply and under-demand (this is especially pronounced with books, but really applies to all media). Generally, the most successful books are those that are attached to an author who is committed to engaging his or her audience, building a community, and serving those people from a place of purpose. A book is a social product, and there’s no overstating the need for ongoing participation by the author. That engagement is imperative to growing the reader relationships that drive word of mouth, positive reviews, strong brand connections, and retail book sales.

If an author isn’t ready for that level of commitment, that doesn’t mean that he or she shouldn’t hunker down and write a book (or something shorter). Today’s print-on-demand digital publishing options make it possible for books of all lengths to be published and available online in a fast and relatively inexpensive model. The multiple benefits of creating long-form content remain, and the pressure and risk around a traditional retail book launch are removed. That said, a digital-only distribution model greatly limits brick and mortar distribution (and discovery), so the author’s team would be wise to consult an expert to weigh the pros & cons of digital publishing versus a traditional or hybrid publishing model to determine the best approach for their project and goals.

Writing a book is not for the faint of heart, but neither is the process of building a brand and growing an audience. With the right author and support team in place, a book can serve as a foundational piece for the messaging, marketing, and publicity efforts needed to build awareness, value, and influence for your client.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember]

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About the Author

Tanya HallTanya Hall is the CEO of Greenleaf Book Group, a publisher and distributor with a specialty in developing non-fiction bestsellers and brands. Learn more at http://www.greenleafbookgroup.com/home and connect with Tanya on Twitter at @tanyahall.

Jeffrey Gitomer

Have your BEST year ever? Or have a GREAT year?

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I’m challenging you NOT to have your BEST year ever. Rather, have a GREAT year. A great family year. A great achievement year. A great money year. A great health year.

The secret of ‘great’ is NOT to start with ‘it.’ The secret of ‘great’ is to start with ‘you.’ ‘IT’ is I’m gonna buy a new house this year, and ‘YOU’ is I’m gonna study the science of asking questions. ‘IT’ is I’m gonna get something material, and ‘YOU’ is I’m gonna improve myself. To HAVE great, first you must BE great, and DO great.

Start here:
Define yourself. In order to be able to have a great year, the first person that you have to come to know, on as deep a level as humanly possible, is you. Personally, I define myself as a father, a grandfather, a friend, a writer, a speaker, an idea person, a happy person, a thinker, a traveler with endless wanderlust, and a lover of fun and fine things. Contrary to what you might think, I’m not a ‘people person.’ I’m a one-on-one person. I get loyalty by giving loyalty. And I seek new knowledge every day.

Have you ever defined yourself? Have you ever thought about who you are? Much less – have you ever written it down?

And so your first challenge is to book a DAILY hour with yourself. Find a comfortable chair, and open your laptop or tablet to Microsoft Word, and define who you think you are. Or better, who do you think you are at the moment, and make all decisions based on the person you want to become. Once you define yourself, you’ll ascertain both where you are and where you want to grow.

I’ll share one other personal insight with you. I also define myself as the ‘king of sales.’ It’s a personal feeling. And a sense of self-confidence that I carry with me wherever I go. When you define yourself, make certain that you include everything that you are great at. In order to have a great year, you have to think of yourself as great. Even if it’s the ‘greatest salesperson in the company,’ or ‘great dad.’ Whatever it is, to be great – or to have great – you have to think great.

In order to have a GREAT year, you have to do great things and take great actions.

Here’s your list:
1. Define yourself. Read and implement the paragraphs above.
2. Develop a sales mission statement. Something that drives you into the sales call, and have an order in hand when you leave.
3. Have a deep belief in the three critical areas of selling. Company, product, and self.
4. Develop greater pride in accomplishment. No bragging, just humble self-pride.
5. You are what you eat. Stop the fat BEFORE it enters.
6. Get rid of one time-waster. I recommend TV, but you make your own decisions.
7. Read a self-help or business book every two months. Six a year.
8. Get your (sales) pipeline full. Double your pipeline and you’ll double your sales.
9. Get your monthly sales quota met by the second week of the month. It’s easy to do, just turn off the TV.
10. Start branding yourself. Become known as a person of value. Build personal reputation.
11. Get up earlier. Start your day with you, not the news.
12. Begin capturing your thoughts and ideas in writing. Every day, immediately as they occur.
13. Give one speech. Join toastmasters and participate.
14. Write one article your customers will read. Something that helps them and brands you.
15. Make sales at breakfast. Have coffee with a customer or prospect at 7am every day.
16. Keep your present customers loyal to you and your company.
17. Double your testimonials. Testimonials can make sales when salespeople (you included) cannot.
18. Double your referrals. Most people ask for referrals. Big mistake. The best way to get a referral is to earn one. The best way to get a referral is to give a referral.
19. Record your sales presentation. If you want to hear the funniest thing you’ve ever heard in your life, record yourself making a sales presentation.
20. Start every morning with attitude. Wake up tomorrow morning and grab an attitude book off your bookshelf, or open your iPad, and read a few pages.
21. Get great at social. Build a great social following, social presence, social brand, and social reputation.

21.5 You’re not alone. Create a mastermind. All salespeople are in the same boat. The Good Ship Lollypop. Unlimited income potential, while sailing in rough (often uncharted) waters. The good news is, you’re not alone. Create a mastermind of non-competing salespeople and leaders to talk about problems, success, and opportunities in common. Don’t live or die by the numbers. Have a support team to give you a positive idea transfusion once a month.

Having a GREAT year is not a matter of doing one thing right – or even making one thing better – it’s a matter or making everything better, so that you can get to GREAT.

Now you have all of the 21.5 elements. Print them out and post them so that you continually remind yourself of all the elements that it takes to have a great year. Having a great year requires both full dedication and constant reminder.

I hope you have a GREAT year.

About the Author

Jeffrey GitomerJeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at salesman@gitomer.com.