Email is one of the easiest ways to communicate with others, however, cold emailing can be just as daunting as cold calling. In this issue of “Essential News You Can Use” I’ll share some tips to help you create an effective introductory email that could result in more clients. An introductory email can be used to introduce yourself to a new or prospective client, follow-up with a referral, follow-up after meeting someone at an event or introduce a new product or service.

The key to a great introductory email is the subject line; it should compel the recipient to open the email. Keep your subject line brief and to the point using keywords that describe what the email is about.

Another important factor to consider is the type of greeting you use. It’s helpful if you know your audience so you can include an appropriate greeting. If you are unsure about your audience, it’s best to keep the greeting professional.

In the body of the email, start by telling the receiver who you are, your company name and why you are reaching out to them.  Write a short message in a conversational tone to help people connect to you.  Limit your sentences to five or less, any more and you may lose their attention. Include specific information about how you would like them to respond ( i.e. reply “yes” to this email, call me, could we schedule a virtual coffee?).

Close your email on a positive note. Express appreciation for their time in reading the email and include your full name, business name and address and phone numbers.

Things to avoid include casual language, the use of exclamation points, overly formal language, “to whom it may concern”, gendered language and using times of day.

Making a good first impression can persuade your audience to read the entire message and take action to respond. Be sure to respond to anyone who replies in a timely manner.

A well written, introductory email can encourage future communications and if you need help creating yours, give me a call – I’m happy to help.

All the best,

Jo