by Carl Ingalls and Paul Bunn
If you look like a spammer, talk like a spammer, and walk like a spammer, most people will delete your message or hang up on you without caring what you have to say.
So, as a general rule, we avoid doing the things that spammers do. A lot of High Probability Selling is the opposite of what they do (but there are a few exceptions).
Here are a few things a spammer is more likely to say than someone who is not a spammer.
- On the phone, saying, “How are you today” before mentioning the purpose of the call.
- On the phone, taking too long to get to the point, and sticking rigidly to their script.
- An email that starts with, “I just wanted to…” or any other first reference to themselves. Like the recipient cares about what the sender wants.
- Mentioning their previous unsolicited messaging, as if you should feel guilty for ignoring them. “I was wondering if you got a chance to review my previous email.” Like you really need someone checking to see if you did your homework.
There are a lot more. You are welcome to add your thoughts in the comments below.
Exercise: The next time a piece of spam email lands in your inbox, take a close look at it. Pay special attention to the things that irritate you, and write them down. If you can, also write down why those things irritate you. Do the same with a spam phone call. Then think about how you want come across to prospective customers.
