5 Simple Goofs Of Email Etiquette… Guaranteed To Land Well-Meaning
Agents In Hot Water
Five simple goofs of email etiquette that can cool those leads and get you into
a tangle with your current clients:
- Terrible timing.
Timing really, really is everything. Each hit of the “send” key
is a question, a comment, or a request, personally addressed to you. In the eyes
of the sender, the speed of your response tells them how much you value the relationship.
As the clock ticks by with no response, your customer thinks:
Couple hours to a day: Hmm, I wonder if that email went through. Maybe they
just didn’t open it yet?
Over a day: Must be really busy down there. Do they think that was a silly request?
A week: I guess they don’t care about me. They’re too busy dealing
with bigger customers, and I’m not important enough for them to get back
to.
That’s the LAST thing you want your customers thinking if you expect to have
a lasting relationship with them! Even when you do answer the question or handle
the request, you can’t erase the hours, days or weeks where your relationship
was in question.
Solution: If your current clients have sent you a complicated question
or request, let them know you’ve put them in your “to do” pile,
and give them a time estimate (and stick to it!). A short message is all you need:
Great to hear from you, Amanda. Your question is on my list and you can expect to hear back from
me no later than 5 p.m. tomorrow.
When you promptly reply to your customers’ email, they feel respected and
valued… and you look caring and professional.
- Sending the dirty laundry.
It’s as simple as hitting the “reply to all” key by mistake.
That joke or confidential information intended for one set of eyes goes out to a
whole list of people. The results could be embarrassing, or cost you a customer.
Another hiccup is forgetting to erase the back and forth email discussion you have
with others as you try to resolve an issue. Your client may get a message with an
entire conversation at the bottom that’s inappropriate for them to see.
Solution: Look over emails before you hit the send key — including
who the message is “to”. And don’t forget to scroll down and see
if you’ve deleted all past conversation. It only takes a second and prevents
embarrassing mess-ups or confidentiality leaks.
- Getting buried by incoming leads.
If you’ve got leads coming straight to your inbox, it’s easy for them
to sit there for hours or days as you try to find time to get back to them all. These
are people who have requested an insurance quote, and the longer it takes for you
to get back to them, the more likely they are to go find somebody else.
Solution: Email
autoresponders reply to all your incoming leads
for you. Plus, all your leads are automatically subscribed to a series of email messages
that touch them for weeks, months, or even up to a year. Some autoresponder programs
can send updated health insurance quotes with every single email.
- Sending the “wrong idea”
NO, I’M NOT YELLING. But sometimes the way you write an email can come across
as rude when that’s the last thing you were going for. Your customers
don’t have cues from your voice, so they can read a friendly email as stern,
or a light joke as a brush-off.
Solution: To avoid misunderstandings, always keep the tone of your
messages professional and pleasant. Write in full sentences and complete thoughts
so your customers get the intended meaning from your message. And never, ever write
in all capital letters!
In delicate situations, skip the email altogether and pick up the phone. If a customer
is upset, your voice is the best way to reassure them.
- Sloppy typing.
You wouldn’t mail a sales letter with out a spell check, or a post card without
a proofread… slow down and make sure your emails aren’t riddled with
typos, spelling mistakes and poor grammar before you send them out.
Keep your emails looking professional and your customers and prospects will continue
to think of you that way!
Solution: Your email program may have a spelling and grammar check
built in. If so, use it every time you send out an email!
Break the sloppy typing habit. Type every email — whether it’s business
or personal — using correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. When you sit down
to write a business email, your fingers will be trained to type professionally.
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Jeremiah Desmarais is the award winning Vice President of Marketing at Norvax. He and his team have won 3 awards in 2006 for their marketing initiatives that touch Norvax' client base and carrier relationships on a daily basis. He is author of several white papers, and has been a contributor to the Agent's
Sales Journal, Health Insurance Underwriter as well as a guest speaker at various carrier events and workshops. He
is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders. He welcomes feedback at jdesmarais@norvax.com |
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