I love teaching my clients and audiences about the break-up email – the email you send to a prospect or client after they’ve gone silent for months – because it works. In summary, in the break-up email, you notify your contact that you’re done emailing or calling them. Click here to read our post on this technique from last June. The success rate is extraordinary, especially considering that these people ignored you forever. However, the primary reason people respond to a break-up email is not what you think.
One of the main reasons people don’t call you back is because of your professional persistence. That’s right – you’re so good and professional that your customers know they can count on you to call or email them again next week or month. Most sales people keep diligently and blindly calling. Many times, your prospect wants to meet with you, but the timing never seems right. They wait, thinking: “He’ll call again in a few weeks and I’ll schedule something when I have more time.” Guess what? They never have more time. Some sales people will eventually stop calling, but won’t perform the break-up and go into the sunset without notice.
The great ones break up with their prospects that have gone silent. Think about it - if you break up with them, then they know that they need to take action or you’re gone … outa here. Maybe they’ll call to ask that you schedule something with one of their coworkers, or they’ll return your email apologizing for their silence and asking you to call back in January, or they might just suggest a time to meet. Regardless of their return message, you’re now in a dialogue, and not sending your calls and emails into a black hole.
As you’re considering whether to actually send that break-up email or not, ask yourself if you’ve taught your prospects to ignore you because you’re so persistent… and go ahead and dump them.
