Five questions for a more successful message.
Do you use email, LinkedIn InMail, or direct messaging to generate sales leads?
Message Quality Matters
Every week I get dozens of messages from people wanting to discuss their services with me. Unfortunately, most of them get deleted or in some cases marked as Spam. Why is that? Most of them are filled with grammar and spelling mistakes and in some cases exceedingly difficult to understand.
You can have the best offer in the world, but if your message is poorly written, you’re not going to get a reply. You might even damage your reputation and brand. Quality matters in all business correspondence and when it’s your first communication with a lead, it’s critical.
Don’t burn your leads
If you reach out to potential leads electronically, make sure you answer yes to these five questions before clicking send:
- Are you sure there are no spelling mistakes?
Spelling mistakes are a big turn-off for most people. They make you look unprofessional and careless not to mention making the message difficult to read and understand. Always double-check your spelling before sending a message. - Are you sure there are no grammar mistakes?
Grammar mistakes are another red flag for potential leads. They can confuse your message and make you seem less credible. They can also affect the tone of your message and how it’s perceived by the recipient. So always proofread your grammar before sending a message. - Is your message clear and concise?
Clarity and conciseness are essential for effective communication. You want to make sure your message is easy to read and understand, and that it gets to the point quickly. You don’t want to waste your lead’s time with long-winded or vague messages that don’t offer any value. So always keep your message short and simple and use clear and direct language. - Does your message include a clear expectation or call to action?
One of the most common mistakes I see in direct marketing messages is the lack of a clear expectation or call to action. A call to action is what you want your lead to do next after reading your message. It could be something like booking a meeting, signing up for a free trial, or downloading a report. A clear call to action helps your lead understand what you’re offering and what the next steps are. It also creates a sense of urgency and motivation for them to act. So always include a clear call to action in your message and make it easy for them to follow through. - Would you respond to this message if you received it?
This is the ultimate test for any sales message. Put yourself in your lead’s shoes and ask yourself: would I respond to this message if I received it? If the answer is yes, then you’re good to go. If the answer is no, then you need to revise your message until it’s compelling enough for you to reply.
If you’re sending messages to leads without verifying the quality of the message you’re sending, you’re burning your leads!
Don’t let that happen to you. Use these five questions as a checklist before sending any message and watch your response rate soar.
What if writing isn’t your strong suit?
There are dozens of tools to help you fix your message. If you need some help with improving your writing skills, I highly recommend using Grammarly. It’s a free writing assistant that works on your desktop and in your browser. It checks your spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity, and tone, and gives you real-time feedback and suggestions on how to improve your message. It’s like having a professional editor by your side.
It’s free, download it and use it. You’ll notice a difference in the responses you get immediately.
