After writing my recent two series of posts on how to generate leads and how to use social media for sales purposes I wanted to conclude with a series of posts giving practical advice on how to craft messages that really get the attention of potential customers.

Doing research for my new wordsmith series of posts I came across an eBook written by Jill Konrath titled “The Ultimate Guide to Email Prospecting”. This guide follows the recommendations I have outlined in my previous posts and is a part of an Email Sales Kit that Jill is offering on her website.

Therefore, instead of writing my own recommendations I will recommend that you to jump over to Jill Konrath and download her eBook. Jill has a truckload of other very valuable assets for information technology industry business development, marketing, sales and revenue generation professionals, so why not sign up for her newsletter and check out some of the other stuff she offers.

Forget about pitching

While social media offers many channels to initiate a contact with your potential customers, direct messages such as email, InMail (LinkedIn), Messages (Facebook) or DM Tweets (Twitter) are still powerful ways to start a relationship. But if there is one thing that you need to erase from your mind while preparing that first message to a potential customer, then it is pitching.

You will get all the details on what you should do in Jill’s eBook, but let me give you an idea of what is required before you shoot off that first direct message:

1. Do your homework. Research the environment that your potential customer operates within. Research the company. Research the person.
2. Build your message on the value that you can provide now, and that value is NOT your product or service and it is NOT your company. It is much more likely some exclusive insight that you as a professional can provide.
3. Make it personal.
4. Make it simple.
5. Make it short.

Ask yourself this question:

“What can I possibly offer this person, that is of such high value now that it will justify the person taking a little time out to learn about it?”

Walk a mile in the shoes of your potential customers and ask what type of messages you would be responsive to yourself.

Enjoy reading Jill Konrath’s eBook. I am sure the time spent will be justified by the higher response rates you will experience in your future communication with potential customers.

NB! Next week I will bring a review of the new book “Predictable Prospecting: How to Radically Increase Your B2B Sales Pipeline” by Marylou Tyler and Jeremy Donovan.