2 days ago
How Sales Reps Can Combat The 'Dilution Effect' In Email Messaging
Chris Chambers, MBA is the founder of The Einstein Bridge and The Turing Forge, as well as CEO of Chambers Capital Ventures.
Have you ever stopped to think about how many minutes a business decision maker is asked for every day? In 2019, the Harvard Business Review said the average full-time professional receives 120 emails daily. And with email being a key channel brands use to reach potential buyers, many of those emails are likely coming from sales representatives.
Given this, let's say your prospect is in a competitive market and receives outreach from 10 product, 10 services and 10 solutions sales reps every day, each of which requests a 30-minute meeting. That's 900 minutes, or 15 hours, requested per day.
I want us all to sit in the seat of a 'prospect,' a human who has worked incredibly hard in their career to be able to control resources and a budget. If 900 minutes are requested per day and there are five days per workweek, that's 4,500 minutes requested from them every week.
This is a back-of-the-napkin type of equation meant to help leaders understand that it's not that 'marketing isn't generating quality leads' or that 'sales can't close.' I believe the problem is much bigger than those two issues.
The Problem: The Dilution Effect
I have worn many hats for multiple companies over the years as a former product marketing manager, product manager, business engineer, business development manager, client solutions executive, product strategy manager and sales executive. This has helped me develop a laser focus on customers and taught me what it takes to make an impact in your messaging.
From my observations, the growing popularity of generative AI and automation tools is leading to an explosion in sales messages from every corner of the market arriving in the inboxes of decision makers (prospects). But how many AI-generated sales messages do you enjoy reading every day? How many AI-generated LinkedIn follow-up messages do you ignore every day? The question I am really asking is: How many business-changing ideas could be lost in the flood of AI-generated sales messaging?
I call this the "dilution effect," where game-changing ideas are washed away in the flood of sales messaging. Democratization of AI has a cost, and I believe the cost is that the inboxes of decision makers are starting to resemble the New York Stock Exchange trading floor, with sellers yelling for attention to get their transaction recognized. In this case, the transaction isn't a buy and sell—it's an opportunity to present the value proposition of the firm you represent.
Sales Messages Can Feel Like A Mall Kiosk Pitch
You might be just like me in that you hope on your way to buy from a brand you value at the mall, you don't get stopped by a kiosk salesperson trying to delay your purchase. It's not that the mall kiosk row isn't full of interesting and potentially valuable products, but when you've already made up your mind to visit a specific store and purchase something, you don't usually want someone stepping in your path to delay that decision. The lack of brand awareness for those products can create the perception of being interrupted.
There's an interesting psychological phenomenon at play here: Once you've chosen to spend money with a particular brand, you don't perceive that brand as 'selling' to you. You feel like you're in control of the decision.
In this example, the store you've chosen represents the company with established public relations, branding and marketing, while the kiosks represent businesses that haven't yet earned that recognition.
The Power Of Public Relations And Goodwill
Public relations plus branding plus marketing equals buyers. That equation has always been this simple; I believe it's one of the reasons shows like Mad Men were so powerful. We got a dramatized peek behind the curtain of how brands create the incredible experiences that lead to a pipeline of qualified buyers. Think of the five-letter company name that completes this statement: "[Blank] Thanksgiving Day Parade."
For those who immediately identified the answer as "Macy's," think about how powerful it is to occupy what many consider one of the most feel-good holidays in the American experience. This is a prime example of how public relations and branding can generate goodwill with the public. In this case, the general sense of the brand becomes, 'I feel good purchasing from Macy's.' Consumers associate Macy's with Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is often associated with great food and good feelings.
The Antidote To The Dilution Effect
In a world of inboxes flooded with AI-generated sales messages being delivered on an automation schedule, a brand has a choice. It can continue to engage in the digital equivalent of a mall kiosk row as a sales approach.
Or, a brand can invest the time and energy in the long-term relationship-building process that it takes to generate goodwill and earn positive replies from buyers. Here are some quick tips to establish that initial spark that creates business relationships:
1. Never refer to anyone as a "lead." The dehumanizing effect of that term creates the expectation that the person is only a budget gatekeeper.
2. Recognize the cost prospects could incur if they make the wrong purchasing decision. It could cost them their job. Be mindful of the risk your brand represents to their 401(k), children's college funds, mortgage/rent payments, etc.
3. Don't assume you know their problems because of marketing materials or sales training. Assuming you already have the answers can lead to non-active listening.
4. Start with the basics of relationship building. If you were interested in establishing a dating relationship, would you show up trying to convince the person how great you are as quickly as you could?
5. Remember that less is more. Automated follow-ups to someone who is non-responsive is a fast track to nowhere.
In the age of AI and automation, it is easy to forget that the humans you want to buy from you are people, not data points. While technology can help take care of the manual work, it's still up to you to establish the spark of a connection and build a relationship.
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