Quick Wins - Emails You Can Use Today
Here are a few simple email strategies that you can implement immediately to win more business. One of them is designed to "re-activate" or "awaken" leads who have inquired in the past year that you've lost touch with. Two more are provided to help you motivate contacts that you've recently talked with, increasing the likelihood they will follow through and take "the next step."
OVERVIEW
Important
The emails you will read below have been proven successful in helping potential clients move ahead with the next step. You will notice that these emails rely partly on the concept of scarcity.
Scarcity is a powerful psychological influencer.
As humans we are more motivated by 'missing out' on something than 'gaining' something (unfortunate but true).
Warning!
Your mind and natural inclination will tempt you to remove the scarcity from these emails because you think you will annoy or offend people or perhaps you feel it is forced or unauthentic. Remember that to get people to move ahead, you need to be not only a good architect or designer, but also understand human psychology or persuasion.
You are the leader of the sales process and as such you need to guide the prospective client gently but firmly to your desired outcome.
The scarcity included below (“this offer expires”) is only one way that you can include scarcity. Another way might be to state that you have limited time each month to talk to new clients, or a limited ability to take on new work.
Ultimately, customizing these emails, and all of the content in the Academy is up to you. However, we recommend that you keep in mind the 6 principles of influence outlined by psychologist Robert Cialdini in his seminal book Influence: The Psychology Of Persuasion. This is where you will need to customize the emails below to suit your own voice and style.
Enoch Bartlett Sears AIA
QUICK WIN STRATEGY #1
“Win Back Script”
Use this one line email to re-connect with people who contacted you but never went ahead with a project. Feel free to adapt as needed to suit your firm’s specialty and the actual inquiry (custom home, renovation, office building, tenant improvement, etc.).[DAP day=0 hasAccessTo=”3,13″ errMsgTemplate=”SHORT”]
Hi Mike â are you still considering renovating your home?
If you send this to 20 contacts who had previously inquired about your services, there is a good chance that a handful will reply and say “Yes” and you have now reopened the conversation. It may be a better time for them to pursue this further – and you may just get a good shot to win their contract. [/DAP]
QUICK WIN STRATEGY #2
If Only She’d Known
[DAP day=0 hasAccessTo=”3,13″ errMsgTemplate=”SHORT”]
Use this email series (adapted as needed to suit your firm) to motivate people who you have recently met with. It can bring home to them the dangers of proceeding with a lower-cost service (such as a drafter vs. an architect) or a competitor who may charge less but offer less in the way of expertise and care.Email #1
SUBJECT: If only sheâd knownâŠ
Hi –
We spoke about your renovation yesterday.[DAP day=0 hasAccessTo=”3,13″ errMsgTemplate=”SHORT”]
You decided you did not need to do our initial Needs and Options Review. We were curious as to why? Before you write off doing our Needs and Options Review service let me tell you a little story.[TELL STORY OF CLIENT WHO HAD A PROBLEM DUE TO POOR PLANNING…]
And of course, it never occurred to the client that such a thing could occur. The information that would change everything came too late.
The right information available at the right time is everything. Highly successful renovations are all about having access to all the information early. But when projects are rushed and short cuts are taken then people do not discover all the options they have (or what they really want) until the concrete has already been poured.
Without getting a full Needs and Options Review conducted before the builders get on site home owners regularly short change their design. Late discovery of your real needs or options leaves you crying⊠âIf only I had knownâ
That is why we created the Needs and Options Review âŠat some point during your renovation, you are going to discover a way to make your renovation better. That is a given. It always happens. It could be a design change. It could be a window or door in a better place It could be the layout of a room. But sooner or later, youâre going to want to make a change.
There are two times to discover you have found a better option. 1) In the Needs and options review phase because you have invested the time upfront with your architect or 2) In the building phase If you discover better options before the design phase then you can make the changes effortlessly.
Discover better options or unaddressed needs late and you pay exponentially more or worse, live in a house where you settled for a lesser option.
Question: âCan I save money by not paying for a Needs and Options Review?â
Answer: âNot doing a full Needs and Options Review can be the most expensive decision you make during your renovation.
With a Needs and Options Review you will never have to utter those tragic words âŠâIf only I had knownâ
Call me on xxxxxxxxxxxx or email xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kind regards (Name)
Email #2
SUBJECT: Re: If only she’d known
Hi (name)
Two days ago I sent you an email titled âIf only sheâd knownâ.
This email was outlining the pain of not doing adequate review of your needs and options when renovating. We started offering this essential service because we were seeing so many people disappointed when they discover they could have had a better design if they had taken the time to discover their options in greater detail up front.
This valuable service will help you prevent costly errors and help you understand exactly what you need to move forward.
Call me at xxxxxx or email xxxxxxxxx and I’ll give you the details on how to move forward.
Regards,
(Name)
[/DAP]
QUICK WIN STRATEGY #3
Another variation – send these emails shortly after you have a meeting which does not end up with a “next step” booked. (e.g. “I need to think about it. I’ll get back to you when I’m ready.”)
Email #1
SUBJECT: A small favor[DAP day=0 hasAccessTo=”3,13″ errMsgTemplate=”SHORT”]
Hi (name) You spoke with (Name) yesterday about your renovation.Can I ask you a small favor?
Would you kindly complete this short 3 questions survey (takes 60 seconds)? As a thank you, we have a gift once you submit your answers.
Thank you in advance
(Name)
As soon as they submit the survey they automatically get taken to a web page with a video offering the Needs and Options Review.
[/DAP]
NOTE: Right-click on the links above and choose Save As or Save Target File As etc. (the command varies depending on your browser) to save a copy of the file to your computer for editing or printout.