A simple trick for reading customer minds

I presented my sales email writing framework to another team the other day.

“How do you choose what to write?” They asked.

It’s tough.

With sales emails, you want to explain your product but not be “salesy”.

You want to keep things short and direct but not sound vague or sneaky.

I used to stare at a blank page contemplating what to write.

Then I realized it’s not about what I think.

It’s what customers think.

So I started asking them just that… a lot.

Before every customer meeting, I send a survey using a Google Form and title it something like “One-minute offer management poll”.

I ask:

What functionality interests you most?

What’s one problem you hope to solve?

Which of these can you do today?

It’s good to mix in multiple choice, checkbox, and short answer questions.

But short answer questions give the gold.

It’s where customers tell you exactly what they want to hear and exactly how they want to hear it.

They leave specific language that only customers use like “pulse check hot jobs” and “overcome survey lag”.

So when I use the language, in my emails, it’s like I’m reading their minds.

The best writing advice I’ve ever heard is “to be clear, not clever”.

And there’s nothing more clear, to customers that is, than hearing from other customers.

So stop thinking about what to write.

And instead, just ask.

Thank you for reading.

And remember, when you embrace practice, develop awareness, and align your efforts, you can rise above the deal.

You can live #quotaless

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