Do you understand the value of the written word?

Normally I don't convince clients.

You either understand the importance of a good, convincing email, or you don't.

You either understand the impact of a well-written blog post, or you don't.

There are 900-1100 web pages and blog posts on my website where I have educated my clients.

So, it's not that I don't believe in raising awareness or providing the right information to my clients.

The inspiration for this update is a small interaction that I had with a client.

He said he needed an email written.

He has written a cold email that he sends to clients.

So far, there has been no response.

I told him to show me the email he has written.

He couldn't have written a worse email.

He provides SEO services, or at least that’s what he told me.

Nowhere in the email he mentions he provides SEO services.

Nowhere he writes he can help people improve search engine rankings.

In the very first sentence, he tells the recipients that their website sucks.

Anyway, I found multiple problems with the email, but the basic point is, he is getting no response.

With the sort of email he has written, there is a bleak chance he will be able to improve it himself or get any response from his prospective clients.

No, that's not the real problem. I'm not writing this update to highlight this problem.

[Sidenote begins]

I haven't updated the main section of my website for many years.

Although I update my blog regularly, since I'm getting most of my business from Google search and LinkedIn, I haven't been updating the main section of my website.

I know, I know, not a good thing.

Therefore, the rates section contains information that I had published 8-10 years ago.

I’m going to update it one of these days.

I have never had a problem before because so far 100% of the clients directly ask in the email how much I charge, without referring to my rates section.

[Sidenote ends]

So, he saw the rates and approached me.

I politely told him that I haven't updated my rates page, and now I'm charging way more than what I used to charge a decade ago.

He told me that he would get back to me.

"Will get back" normally means the client won't be getting back.

I said, fine.

Anyway, he got back and said that the rate was too much for him.

"My business is new, so I cannot spend that much money on such a small piece of work," he said.

No problem, I said.

It happens.

Many clients cannot afford my services.

Then what was the problem?

"Such a small piece of work".

He wanted an email that will generate business for him.

He wanted me to write him an email that would convince his clients to respond.

In a way, his entire marketing strategy, at least right now, rests on the success of the emails he is sending.

So, right now, for his business, this is the most important activity.

And he calls it, "a small piece of work".

Normally I wouldn't bother, but I told him this is not the right approach.

Cannot afford? That's fine. Maybe some other time.

But considering one of the most important aspects of your business "a small piece of work"?

If YOU don't take your email seriously, how do you expect your prospective clients to take your email seriously?

My quote was same as the amount of money you would spend on a dinner outing with 3-4 friends.

If you think that your email message is not even worth spending that much money, then I'm sorry, why should people spend money after reading your email?

Don't have money for good writing? Fine.

Don't want to spend money on a good writer? Fine.

But at least realize the importance of the marketing tools you need to grow your business.

If you are publishing a blog post, then believe that it is going to grow your business.

Therefore, publishing that blog post is very important for your business.

If you are sending out emails, then believe that they're going to grow your business.

Therefore, sending out those emails is very important for your business.

Whether you want to, or can, pay for high-quality writing is up to you.

But don’t think it is “a small piece of work” – this mentality is going to be your undoing.