The Magic Email – by Chris Lytle

When a customer didn’t call me back, I sent the following magic email to get stalled deals moving and dead deals out of my pipeline:

TO: Unresponsive Client
SUBJECT: Quick Question

Fred, I still have you on my ‘waiting for’ list of people I’m expecting to hear from.  Am I still on your radar?

-         Chris

His response:

“You are good.  Let’s talk this morning if you are available.  I’m out of town but can be reached on my cell phone.”

Result:

Before I could call him, he called me from the road and we scheduled our next meeting.  My two-sentence email worked (I believe) because I really do have a ‘waiting for’ list and keep track of people with whom I have pending business who call me back.

Thousands of salespeople on three continents are already using this email to get answers.  Reengagement happens time after time.  Even getting a “NO” can be considered a success, since this gets the deal out of your pipeline and projections and lets you focus your energy on new and real opportunities.

The email works because of the subject line, “Quick Question” is the most effective one I’ve ever used.  The typical business person experiences 170-190 different interactions per day and is in a state of chronic preoccupation.  This means that they are usually so busy thinking about what they aren’t doing that they can’t focus on what they are doing.

The “Quick Question” subject line gives these professionals – with lack of time and short attention spans – something easy and quick to do.  There is no 23 page PDF attached to the email that they have to read; it’s a simple request.  They can act on it and get on with their crazy busy day.