So why is it, when clients are the life blood of any business, we don’t go out of our way to reconnect with these potentially willing to buy clients? Sure, we tell ourselves, "It is because it was only a quick introduction," or perhaps you think they gave you their card "just to be nice." Maybe you just don’t feel "comfortable," but the reality is: you just don’t know where to start.

This is exactly why today on Better Business Coach podcast I have asked a close personal friend and iTunes top 100 podcaster, John McIntyre, to offer some advice on how he would re-engage with these prospects with emails that sell.

Episode outline:

Forget about hacks – Writing emails that engage and sell isn’t about the perfect subject line, the perfect email, or the perfect pitch. It’s about understanding who you’re trying to talk to, what their problems are, and what you need to say to move them on to the next step.

John says, "There is no magic to it; just be cool about it."

The 5 steps to getting started

* Create your elevator pitch, as discussed in session two - Not just to have one (we have already discussed the benefit of that), but to understand who you’re trying to talk to, what you’re helping them with, and what the most common objections are.
* Find the need - When you go out to networking events, don’t have shallow conversations. Establish a problem they have that you can help with. If they don’t have a problem you can help with, don’t feel bad, remember you don’t need to (and can’t) sell to everyone.
* Take their card – Ask if they have a business card and request one.
* Take good notes - Before you talk to someone else, write the prospect's problem down on their business card with any additional information you think pertinent. This is vital as most people speak to 5-10 people at each event, but remember very little about any by the time they leave; they just blur together.
* Write an email like you're talking to your friend – Instead of being fancy, and "being a salesperson," just try sending them an email like you would a friend. A good basic example of an email to a friend would read as follows:

Subject: Just touching base with you about (your problem)

Body - Hey <Name>, what’s up?

I wanted to touch base about (the problem) you discussed at (event).

Call to action - Do you want to catch up this week to have a quick chat about it?

Don’t people just delete these emails? – There are a lot of articles out there that suggest email is dead and social media is the new hot thing in town. But ask yourself, what is the first thing you do in the morning? That’s right, you check your email and so does everyone else. Sure social media is highly powerful, but your message is also avoidable. Nothing beats an email sitting there in your prospect's inbox demanding attention. Be honest with yourself: Don’t you read a few unsolicited emails every now and then?

Take action – Email is just like all other things; it’s not an art form, you just need to take action.

How long should my emails be?

In business there is a communication process. From the point where they don’t know who you are, to the point that they are a customer, there is a certain amount of communication and rapport that has to happen. An email can’t be used in isolation; it is part of that process. It’s best not to get caught up in the nitty gritty, it’s just another tool in the arsenal and for many the first step to engaging prospects they would have otherwise never seen again.

Long term email relationships

It’s time to stop thinking day to day. Let’s say you meet, or your sales team meets, 18 people a week.