The age-old saying you never get a second chance to make a first impression may have been coined decades ago but it still remains true today.
As a sales associate, that first impression will more often than not be through email or text message due to customers’ contact preferences. Because so much is lost in translation through a text or email message, it is imperative that your first email is as close to perfect as possible.
You want to smash the competition and stand out in 2018 and one of the best ways to get started with that goal is to check yourself on the basics. Make sure you NEVER make these common email mistakes in your own email and text communications.
Even though you can’t control whether your prospective customers respond to your email, you can control the look and professionalism of that email or text and that should always be your goal.
An email message telling a prospect about an incredible deal on the perfect vehicle loses its shine when the message is riddled with grammar and spelling errors, yet it happens far too often.
Don’t rely on spellcheck alone. Get into the habit of checking over every aspect of that email to ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward. It will be very hard to overcome the impression a sloppily written message with mistakes in it will leave with your prospects even if it is just one mistake.
Below, we have listed some of the most often seen mistakes that salespeople routinely make in their email correspondence with prospects and existing customers.
- Basic spelling errors – Grammarly, one of the most well-known spelling and grammar aids on the market, analyzed common email mistakes that people made in 2017. Misspelled words were the problem most often noted.
Make sure that you have a good spelling tool that will highlight your misspelled words but don’t rely on that alone.
Even though it takes some extra time, proofread your email message several times before you hit send. It’s easy to miss something simple when you skim the message too quickly.
Their, There, and They’re – Although these three words sound the same, all three mean something different and it is crucial that you are using them correctly.
The same problems occur frequently with “your” and “You’re as well as “it’s” and “its”.
Sending a message to your prospect asking “Please send me you’re contact number and I’ll give you a call.” Makes you look very unprofessional, not to mention uneducated.
- Typing the same word twice – The number two error Grammarly noted for 2017 was repeating words. Here is an example of this error. “What time do do you want to get together?” No it isn’t the end of the world, but again, it gives the impression that you are sloppy about your email communications.
- Misspelling the prospect’s name or their company name – There is absolutely no excuse for misspelling your prospect’s name or company. No matter how you look at it, the prospect will feel that you are sloppy, you are unprofessional, or that they are just one of many customers you have so accuracy must not be important to you. None of those assumptions bode well for you in terms of making a sale from that prospect.
Incorrect appointment dates – Once your prospect has set an appointment with you it is critical that you get that appointment information correct, especially if you send them a confirmation.
When the appointment is made, be careful to write it down accurately, verifying it with them as you write it down. Afterward, when you send a confirmation, reference what you have written down so you get the information 100% accurate.
You don’t want to have to bother them with sending several emails back and forth to correct your mistake.
The Bottom Line
All your correspondence, whether email, snail mail, or text message should be checked and double-checked before you ever send it to your prospects. Try to avoid composing messages when you are exhausted, as it is easy to overlook mistakes.
There is never a good reason for making these kinds of mistakes in your interactions with your customers. Even though some are mild, the overall effect is the same; your professionalism will take a hit and that won’t help you reach your 2018 sales goals.
