Imails or Umails? Getting clients to respond to your emails

(See original article in Sales & Marketing Mangement)

You’ve just had a sales call with a client who has expressed enthusiasm for your ideas and suggestions. Then you follow with an email that either gets a brief noncommittal response or no response at all. You follow with voicemails and emails go unanswered. Soon you see the high hopes of that original meeting fade away.

What happened? Where did the magic go?
“What we have here,” as the famous line from the film Cool Hand Luke goes, “is a failure to communicate.” And in our email era, it is imperative that we understand how to get attention and make it easy for our clients to respond. How do you do that? I’d like to offer a concept I refer to as “Umail,” a simple way to significantly increase the readership, engagement and responsiveness to your email messages.

Imail vs. Umail
Umail is email with a focus on the reader. By contrast, the overwhelming majority of emails are what I call Imails, in which I tell you all about what I think, I like, I suggest, and I want. Most of the time Imails begin with the I-word and “I” runs rampant. Umail, on the other hand, always maintains a focus on the reader. That focus is the guiding principle of the entire message.

The Imail in action (or rather, inaction)
Let’s look at a typical Imail. To set the stage: Jack had an excellent meeting with Sally Pointperson. She had described her challenges and told Jack that she was interested in the solutions he suggested. Jack writes:

Hi Sally,

It was a pleasure to meet you. I enjoyed hearing about the company, and I think that we would be an excellent fit as a partner.

I believe that I have a solution that makes a lot of sense, given the challenges you articulated. As I mentioned, our ability to deliver the highest ROI distinguishes us from our competition.

I suggested that if you could get me your last quarter expenses for the XYZ line of business, I would be glad to put together a proposal that we could discuss. I look forward to hearing from you, and thanks again for a fabulous discussion yesterday!

Regards,
Jack

 

Look familiar? This is an email that will head quickly to the trash folder. What makes this an Imail? Let’s look at 4 characteristics of Imail-itis:

I, Me, Mine: It begins with “I,” and I is the most dominant word. In the above message there is a 2:1 ratio in favor of I, me, mine vs. “you.” Note too that “I” is the lead word for each paragraph and almost every sentence. Not exactly the ideal tone to set, is it?

The fuzziness of “warm and fuzzy”: When you begin with a variation of “I really enjoyed our meeting,” you have given the lead role in your post-meeting performance to an easily forgettable actor. Truth is that readers either skip over them or quickly judge that there is nothing of substance in the message. Cordial remarks have their place, but it is better to place warm fuzzies at the end. Instead, get to the most compelling points right away.

And your point is . . ? Imails like this lack substance. If it was a good meeting, it is imperative to keep the momentum going by clearly defining the client challenge you are addressing. Imails tend to speak in broad generalities and tempt the client to hit that delete key immediately.

What commitment? Almost hidden near the end is the request for the next step—the report Sally apparently has agreed to send. Here, Jack rather softly asks, “if you could send me those” reports, he will get working on the proposal. Then he throws in yet another pleasantry and ends with the rather vague “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” My guess is that Jack may be waiting a long time.

Umails: You-Powered Communications

Let’s contrast the above Imail with this Umail that offers the reader a welcome alternative to the 1000 or so Imails that Sally gets daily:

Hi Sally,

“We want to get out of the rut of expenses that blindside us every single quarter,” you said yesterday. And you were emphatic about a commitment from your partner to minimize that risk.

You were candid with us about your determination to control expenses and you expressed your sense that our solution strikes you as “the best one” you have encountered. As we agreed, yesterday our proposal will make sure we confirm your confidence in us when you said, “You’re demonstrating that you really have heard me.”

You said that you would email a spreadsheet detailing the expenses we can help you address. With your current data, I can get to work on a proposal that focus on the delivering the “consistent and reliable results” you said that want to get. Thanks again for a productive and enjoyable discussion—it was a pleasure to meet you!

Best,
Jack

PS. Is it possible that you could send the spreadsheet by Friday so that I meet your suggested Tuesday delivery date for a proposal?

A Umail is a powerful communications tool because it demonstrates extraordinary listening skills, captures the customer perspective, and integrates solutions that build on the foundation of the client view. Umails also pay attention to the ways that people actually read emails—they scan them. Let’s look at the keys to writing successful Umails.

1. You said: Beginning with the client’s actual words

Your emails will automatically compel readership when you begin by effectively quoting your client. No doubt, Sally would be surprised and delighted at how Jack has understood and articulated her challenges. With such a powerful opening you can be sure your client will continue reading attentively.

2. Watch your I’s and You’s

It is a good practice to pay attention to the frequency of “you” to “I.” In Imails the I’s typically have by a 2:1 ratio, as in the above first example. A You-centered note flips that ratio, as in the Umail example.

Over the years I have noticed that it is not easy for sales pros to shift to a You-focus. It is analogous to learning to write with your left hand, as it feels completely awkward to begin with “you” and maintain that perspective throughout. Practice, though, makes perfect.

3. PS: Make it easy for the client to follow through on their commitments

There are two places at the conclusion where Jack brings in the client commitment—the second to last sentence and the PS. The first of the two commitment statements has the client’s quoted remarks, thus offering a compelling reason for the reader to consider the request. And the PS is a strong place for the actual request. PS statements are often the most read—and frequently the first read components of an email.

In summary

Shifting perspectives on email or in letters to the “you-centered” approach will produce remarkable results. With well-written Umails, you will no doubt notice that clients pay far greater attention your messages. They will see powerful signs of your abilities as a great listener and thoughtful partner. And most important, they will respond with much higher level of engagement—and commitment.

PS/ Don’t be surprised if your Umails consistently get responses like this: “It is rare to meet someone who listens and understands a client as well as you do. And your proposal makes complete sense.”