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You may be wondering if emails are even worth the trouble and if people read them at all. We’re here to tell you that the answer is a resounding YES! Not only do emails still convert to sales at a 15% rate, but they’re also one of the few places you can directly reach your audience in a one-on-one conversation. The right email sequence can mean easier long-term growth, faster responses from prospects, and better overall relationships.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But how can you find out if you’re not trying it? Discussed here will be all of the ways you can create a great email sequence, what exactly it is, and what to say in them (with templates!).
What is an email sequence?
When reaching out to new prospects or new clients, staying in touch with them is usually an important aspect of the sales process. Being the first one your ideal customers think of when they need your services is a difficult task with all of the competition. If they are seeing your name and company repeatedly, however, it’s much easier to remember you.
An email sequence is a series of emails or messages, typically in the B2B space, that you send to prospects over a short-ish period of time and is usually repeatable. For example: After speaking with any prospect for the first time, you follow up with them 1-2 days later. If they don’t respond, send another message. If they still don’t respond within a couple of days, you may try to reach out to them on LinkedIn. Still nothing? Then you may try one more email again. But that’s it!
These days you can, fortunately, include a number of different methods and places you can use. While this gives you options, it makes it a bit more difficult to know when and where people are actually interacting with your messages.
Thus, creating a sequence of messages that reaches them in a number of different platforms and ways is your best chance of reaching the right contacts no matter where they are online. With LaGrowthMachine, you can create a multi-channel flow that reaches out to your prospects in different places automatically.
Creating sequences like this for outreach can be very time-consuming if you do it manually. Having this sales automation tool will save you hours with less headache.
Tools like our own LaGrowthMachine also help you with your email address warmup, which is something you desperately need if you’re looking to keep a healthy deliverability rate.
Why do you need email sequences for sales prospecting?
One of the most common aspects of sales prospecting is the sheer number of contacts. Having an email sequence that fits your sales process will allow you not only to automate some tasks but help you scale.
In other words, if you talk to 20 prospects in one day you won’t need to manually write an email to each one. You can create one message that covers the typical information and send it to them all.
Quick tip💡
Do not openly cc them if you send them manually to everyone! Use ‘bcc’ to maintain privacy and avoid the dreaded (and cringe-worthy) ‘reply all’.
Aside from saving you mental time in crafting a new email each time, it will save you physical time because you don’t need to customize every word for every email. That being said, if there was a specific part of your conversation you want to mention, that will go a long way.
Another benefit to creating email sequences is that you can nurture leads as well as retain customers all with a few simple messages. Each message you send helps build trust and increase engagement.
They’ll not only be more likely to have a conversation with you but purchase and refer simply by sending helpful communications. Learn how to create these beneficial sequences next.
How to perfect your email sequences
Over time, you’ll begin to see patterns within your messages, responses, and non-responses. Every aspect of your experience can help you learn more about what works best for you and your prospects.
The first step is creating a plan that will make the most sense for the people you’re contacting and why. Be sure to choose one type of list for each sequence you’re creating so that you can customize it as much as possible.
Evaluate each quarter how your messages are working. Are you getting a response from 1/10? 5/10? 0/50? Determine which style of email gets more responses and keep doing those.
No matter the success or failure, you can learn how to improve upon the process. Improving your email sequence will take time and discovery, but there are often proven general paths to take to help get you started.
Effectively converting your audience with your messages will take time as mentioned, but you can speed that process up with these starter templates. Depending on what your goal is, you can create an email sequence that matches it. Each email sequence you send to your list should be its own campaign with its own goals.
Quick Tip (block):
Quick tip 💡
Start with a plan before you start sending. Be sure to have a full picture of what the series will look like and make sure it makes sense before sending anything.
These templates will be on the more formal side as they’re more B2B focused, but feel free to edit based on your company’s policies, brand, and personal touches.
Onboarding and welcome sequence 🤝
If no one’s told you yet, your customer interaction should not stop with the sale!
Continuing the conversation is vital to retaining customers, especially when there’s a lot of competition in your market. Use this email sequence to maintain interactions with your customers and keep them around long-term.
1st Email:
Subject: Welcome to the {{companyName}} family!
Hi {{firstname}},
We’re thrilled to have you onboard to work toward improving your [pain point].
In the coming weeks, you’ll begin to get acquainted with your new software. Because we understand this takes time and perhaps a bit of hand-holding, I’m at your service.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all or would like a walk-through. We also have videos available, tutorials, and an FAQ center [link] at your disposal.
I look forward to helping you boost your {revenue| marketing efforts| and other benefits}.
Yours,
{{signature}}
Email 2:
Subject: Getting up to speed
Hi {{firstname}},
Just checking in to see if there was anything I could help you with regarding your new {{customAttribute}}.
Here are a few things that will get you acquainted with it:
- FAQ
- Tutorials
- Articles
- Anything else customers typically ask for in their first few weeks
Feel free to add me to your contacts, should you ever need my assistance.
All the best,
{{signature}}
3rd Email:
Subject: You’re on a customer management roll!
Hi {{firstname}},
You’ve had your new {{productName}} for a couple of weeks now, congrats!
I hope you’ve found your buying and orientation experience pleasant. If so, I’d truly appreciate your feedback as well as any referrals to people who might also benefit from {{identity.CustomAttribute}}.
As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
{{signature}}
The goal with onboarding emails is simply to keep your name and company in their minds. There’s no need to sell too much unless you’ve got a new feature that fits with their current scenario. Spending time on customer retention will benefit you in the long run because people will refer you and come back for more services.
Lead nurturing 💅
This email sequence will be for those you have interacted with in some manner. You can use these templates to stay in touch with your prospects afterward. The focus for this type of email is typically for those who are 2-3 out of 5 in your leads list based on your lead scoring. In other words, for those who were a bit interested but not quite ready.
Keep in mind that these should be sent in a relatively slow manner. You can set these up to run automatically every 2-3 days; ideally based on whether or not they’ve replied, scheduled, or spoken with you already.
This sequence can extend for as long as you like, technically. But generally, after 4 emails without a response means they’re not interested or will reach out if/when they are ready. Don’t spend much of your limited time with this group, but make sure you’re top of mind when they do move forward.
Email 1:
Subject: Follow-up from our conversation
Hello {{firstname}},
It was a pleasure speaking with you today. I want to follow up as promised with the information to make an informed decision regarding your {{customAttribute}}.
Feel free to review the attached documents for more information and get back to me with all of your questions.
If you prefer, please schedule a call by clicking on this link or replying to this email to go over the information and I’ll be happy to answer your questions then as well.
Thank you,
{{signature}}
Email 2: Focus on providing valuable content in this email. Send them information that gives them confidence in you, your product or service, and your company.
Subject: [Article name]
Hi {{firstname}},
I hope this finds you well.
Since you have shown interest in {{identity.CustomAttribute}}, I thought you might find this article useful: [Link to article].
I’d love to speak with you more regarding your current {{customAttribute}} needs so we can help you with [Pain point]. Are you available Thursday or Friday morning?
Hope to connect with you soon,
{{signature}}
Email 3:
Subject: Document review
Hi {{firstname}},
I hope you’re doing well.
Just wanted to check in and see if there was progress on your {{customAttribute}} decisions yet as I’d love to review the documents I’d sent over.
I’m happy to answer any of your questions at all regarding upgrading your {{customAttribute}} so please let me know if I can assist with those plans.
I look forward to hearing back from you,
{{signature}}
Increase engagement sequence 💬
The whole point of emailing or direct messaging people is to get their attention in a place where they’re not distracted by social media, ads, or other articles. You have their undivided attention if you can get them to open and respond to your email.
Here, you’ll find some ways you can do just that.
Email 1: New trial for accountants like you
Subject: Just checking in
Hi {{firstname}},
I wanted to reach out and ask how everything is going at {{companyName}} and how your current solution is working out for you?
We’ve recently added some new features that I believe would be very beneficial for [pain point]. If you’re interested, I’d like a quick chat or demo with you during the week.
Or if there are any other ways we can help you, please let me know.
I look forward to working with you,
{{signature}}
Email 2: This email should focus on something specific that matters to them. Ideally, you’ll separate out your list to focus on one pain point per industry, location, or job title. Take the following example and customize it to each type of email you’re sending to make a bigger impact.
Subject: Are you still loving your CRM?
Hi {{firstname}},
Hopefully all is well with you and your business.
I just wanted to see how you’re liking your current CRM system?
My clients have found that {{companyName}} has saved them hours of managing their contacts in a much more highly organized and user-friendly way than their previous one.
If you’d like to see if there might be something we can do for you as well, I’d love to have a quick chat about what exactly we can do for you.
Just let me know if you’re available for a 15 minute call on Thursday or Friday this week!
Have a great day,
{{signature}}
Conversion sequence 🤑
If you’re looking to create your own converting email sequence — which is generally recommended to at least customize it — then you’ll want to include elements that make you and your company unique. Describe what you’re doing in a personable and relatable way so that they can read it without feeling sold to.
This is especially important with B2B sales because they’re likely sold to much more than direct consumers. It’s important to remember, though, that they need to feel like a person, not a company. You can also use the following templates to help you develop your own personalized way of converting customers.
Email 1: Day 3 after the call
Subject: Here’s how we plan to overcome your challenges
Hi {{firstname}},
In working with other companies in {{industry}}, one of the key issues they’re struggling with is {{customAttribute}}.
This past year we worked with numerous companies to [business driver], resulting in {X amount of money saved| X $ in revenue added |X % of productivity increases}.
If this is something you’re challenged with too, let’s set up a quick call. I may have some ideas that might help.
Well wishes,
{{signature}}
Email 2: Day 4 after the call. The key to this one is actual numbers, truthful results, and a customer name if possible.
Subject: {{firstname}}, let’s have a chat about your [pain point]
Hey {{firstname}},
I have an idea I believe can help you get your next 10 ideal customers.
I recently used this idea to work with {{identity.companyName}} and almost triple their monthly sales.
How about a quick call so I can share the idea with you. When works best for you?
Have a lovely day,
{{signature}}
Email 3: Alternative to email 1
Subject: Great job on what you’re producing!!
Hey {{firstname}},
I wanted to reach out and give you a heads up that I’ve been loving the {{productName}}by {{companyName}} these past few months.
I can appreciate greatness when I see it.🙂
I recently shared your recent {post| project| design| work| app| etc} with my audience on LinkedIn because I believe more people need to hear about this.
The other reason I’m reaching out is because a large part of my business is working with brands like {{identity.companyName}} and others to help scale {{identity.customAttribute}}.
Would you be up for chatting about your {{customAttribute}} or connecting me with someone else on your team if you think they’d be a better fit?
P.S. Click here [link] to read more about my process and the clients I’ve worked with in the past.
Much appreciated,
{{signature}}
The ‘abandoned’/retargeting sequence 🎯
The idea for this email sequence is often used by marketers in a different (usually automated) way. However, as a salesperson, you can also use the idea to re-engage with old contacts.
All it means is that you’re reaching out to people who you’ve had contact with in the past because they were interested. It can serve as either a last resort to clear out the truly uninterested, or as a means to reignite the interest they had when you last spoke with them.
A great way to set this up is also to automate your emails as much as possible by:
- Segmenting your list to those you haven’t spoken to in at least 6 months.
- Creating an email that gently checks in but asks for their engagement somehow — generally by scheduling a new call.
- Using LaGrowthMachine or another automation service to reach out with the least amount of time spent.
- Sit back and let them come to you!
You’ll want this email to remind them what you do, perhaps even why you do it, who it’s for, and what it generally does. This will make their lives easier in remembering what you spoke about and if they might be ready for it now. Try something like this:
Subject: Have you given our conversation any more thought?
Hey {{firstname}},
I hope you’ve been doing well since we last spoke.
If there have been any changes or updates in your current situation, I’d love to have a chat and see if there is anything on our side we can help with regarding your {{customAttribute}}.
Hope to hear from you again soon.
Best,
{{signature}}
The next step would be a good opportunity to both ask if they’re no longer interested as well as ask for a referral who might be. In this case, try something like this:
Subject: We miss you😢
Hey {{firstname}},
I noticed we haven’t been in touch for several months so I wanted to reach out and see if things are still going well with your {{customAttribute}}.
Hopefully they are, but if there might be something we can do to make your CRM life easier, I’d love to reconnect and see how we can satisfy your needs.
Or, if you ever hear of anyone looking for a service we can help with, feel free to pass my information to the appropriate person.
Thanks!
{{signature}}
Regardless of what you choose to discuss with them, be sure it’s a gentle reminder of what you do, including what you’re contacting them about. Being upfront in your emails will be to your advantage in the long run because they won’t feel tricked.
Storytelling sequence
I, unfortunately, can’t give you an easy template for this email sequence. However, it might be the most used no matter what industry you’re in because it tends to be the most successful.
Writing a successful storytelling email needs to come from experience. It should have an “Intriguing beginning, a riveting middle, and a satisfying end.” It would be ideal to have 3-4 different stories in order to capture the attention of varying types of people with varying needs. If not, one long story split into a couple of emails is also an option.
Regardless of which you choose, be sure to capture their attention from the start with an interesting fact that keeps them wanting to read on. The more they read, the more they should be able to understand if your product could be for them, too.
Prospect like a pro
Choosing the right email sequences completely depends upon who your audience is and what you’re trying to accomplish. Using an automation tool like LaGrowthMachine will set you up for success without the headache.
In helping over 4,000 companies perform successful campaigns, LGM supports sales teams in saving up to 40% of their tasks by using our automation system. We provide a solution for you to save time, reduce stress, and have a consistent flow of leads.
Just start by separating out your list by who will get one type versus another, be sure they don’t get too many emails, and follow up to see what’s working and what’s not. Once you have set up the automated processes, you can make edits with ease while increasing engagement and sales.
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