No more missed opportunities: A frustrated prospect's guide

Good communication. It's at the core of everything we do, personally and professionally. Yet so many opportunities are missed because people aren't paying it enough attention, especially in business. Granted, with new messaging platforms popping up all the time making communication quicker and more convenient, it's easy to fire off a message with less thought than before. But it seems that the same approach is finding its way into platforms traditionally used for more considered contact and creating valuable connections.

The perfect solution

As Sales and Marketing Director for the Emerging Markets team at RS Components, I know the value of good communication and unfortunately am privy to some of the worst approaches. It's not unusual for 40 cold emails to be sitting in my inbox at the end of the day. And they all read pretty much the same: We have the perfect solution to your problem. Mostly, it's a problem I don't have. On the rare occasion they've got it right, their solution doesn't fit. And almost always, I'm not the right person to talk to in the business in the first place. Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes I see is claims about their clients with nothing to back them up. It’s easy to name drop client companies and tell me about their problems, but it’s not enough. The devil is in the detail – the who, what, why, how and so on.

My response? DELETE. Why? Because it's clear from the off that they've done zero research on RS Components beyond glancing at the website. It's apparent there's little understanding of the role Emerging Markets plays in the grand scheme of the business. It's obvious they've seen my job title and made all manner of assumptions. And unsubstantiated claims show lack of consideration.

In short, the message is irrelevant. It's not unusual for a follow-up email in the same vein to land in my inbox either. I'm indeed an advocate of 'the fortune is in the follow up'. But not if the first message played out the way I've just described.

A better approach

It's in stark contrast to our approach to creating connections in the Emerging Markets team. We have an established customer base and the benefit of being a recognised brand. So while we don't need to do a lot of prospecting, when we do reach out, our research shines through. We know our business is relevant, we're confident our product portfolio fits, and we've established the decision-maker (yet we always ask the question in our first contact). Another significant difference is how we reach the prospect in the first place. LinkedIn is our platform of choice. In part, connecting and prospecting is the purpose of the platform (although I know in recent years some would disagree), so that type of contact shouldn't come as a surprise. It means people are generally more open to cold approaches – but only if they're relevant!

A handy 'how to'

As in most situations in life, we have one chance to make a good impression and it begins with grabbing someone's attention. I think I've been clear on what not to do! So what does it take? Here are my recommendations to move from unknown contact to securing that all-important conversation.

1. Choose the platform carefully

Send me an email and it competes with 39 others, and I know I'm not alone. I check my emails three times a day and make sure that time is well-spent. So I'm definitely not sifting through sales emails. Instead, send your prospect a DM via LinkedIn. It's less crowded and a place people often spend their downtime, reading a bookmarked article, for example.

2. Make it relevant

Just because people might be more open to engaging via LinkedIn, the same rules apply around communications being on point. A highly tailored message without assumptions is a good start. Show you've done your research beyond visiting the company website and checking their job title. And it doesn't have to be war and peace. In fact, establishing a few facts first using questions is a great way to establish whether you're wasting your time and theirs. And it helps build rapport.

3. Show you understand the company

For example, if you're contacting a FTSE 100 company like RS, make sure your solution is scalable. There's no need for a different approach to that you might use for smaller businesses. It's about considering the company's needs given its size, turnover, location, industry and more. If they're likely to have a similar system in place to the one you're offering, perhaps consider what makes it different, better, and how that relates to the business, revenue or whatever you know to be a priority for the company.

4. Demonstrate your credentials

Case studies speak volumes. Real-life examples of the types of companies you work with, how you helped them overcome specific issues, and the business benefits show people you're credible. A two or three-page pdf could avoid DELETE and secure a conversation.

5. Beware of a communications mismatch

Successful marketing strategies are tackled from the customer viewpoint with messaging that puts prospects at its centre. Yet LinkedIn is littered with posts that scream 'This is what we do' and 'Aren't we amazing' from those same businesses. It's a mismatch that's detrimental to reputation and risks erasing all the good work that's gone before. Remember, prospects are likely to look out for you across all your platforms. Focus on sharing insight to help others and adding value in some way. It's what gets my attention and forms part of my decision-making when it comes to whether I accept a connection request.

Over to you

What does it take to get your attention? What would you add to my recommendations? Let me know – but please make it relevant! ??

Who Is Lee?

Lee Kilminster is Director of Sales & Marketing for RS’ Distributor Partners & Export Solutions and Chair of Governors for Great Doddington Primary School. In his personal time you’ll see him walking to the sounds of the High Performance Podcast, hanging out with his 7 year old son and enjoying a whisky (but perhaps not all at the same time).