Basic tips for writing the best sales emails that are enticing enough to click

email marketing graphic

There are several methods for marketing a product or service, and emails are one option.

But stick around for long enough, and you will realise that the statistics aren’t that pretty all the time. Some marketers make the mistake of focusing on what the company wants to convey rather than what customers are interested in reading. As such, there’s a low clicking-through and reading rate.

If that is you, it is not too late. Read on for some basic tips on writing the best sales emails that are enticing enough to click.

#1: Spend some time crafting the subject line

No, we’re not talking about clickbait email subjects as that might backfire. You don’t want to be losing email subscribers because your subject lines do not match the content shown.

But what you want to do is to spend some time crafting an email title that is catchy enough to allow a reader to click in. It doesn’t have to be flashy or gimmicky. It just has to be straightforward and corresponds with the disseminated information.

For example, if you want your customers to ask questions and let them know the company is ready to listen, a subject line that writes “Any questions?” can be good enough.

#2: Get to the point and cut the fluff

Folks nowadays are exposed to tremendous amounts of online content, and everything on the internet is fast-paced.

To capture your readers’ attention, get to the point and cut the fluff. Now that your subject line has led a reader to click through, deliver what was marketed via the title. Structure your content neatly, so it’s easy to scan and pick out the relevant information. Remember also to include links to the respective web pages to avoid your email ending up too lengthy.

#3: Treat your customers like friends

While a creatively written email can demonstrate your artistic skills as an employee, it should not be too profound and offputting for your clients.

An excellent way to avoid sales jargon or snazzy catchphrases is to treat your customers as fellow friends or colleagues. Reread your email and ask if it’s phrased the way you would speak to someone you know. If it sounds odd, you know it’s time to tweak.

Two-way communication is key
email marketing

Image Credits: entrepreneur.com

Ultimately, you can follow the above tips but still fail to achieve the conversion rate your company seeks. Then, maybe a final step would be to ensure that there is two-way communication in place.

While your primary goal may be to release new products or service information, make sure that your customers have an outlet where they can provide feedback or ask questions. At the end of every sales email sent, include an easy way for recipients to call, text, or write back.

Boring sales pitches can only go so far. If you want to get the word out, offer value.

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5 Valuable Tips To Help You Succeed As A Freelancer

Due to the effects of the recent pandemic, companies began to hire more contract workers over full-time employees. The “freelance economy” became a viable option for many Singaporeans. However, with many freelancers in the market, it is harder to stand out.

Much of the freelancer’s income depends on his or her reputation and capability to fulfill the customer’s request. Here are some valuable tips to get an online job if you want to stay in the game for a long time.

#1: INCREASE YOUR SELF-AWARENESS

Knowing yourself means recognizing different parts of your personality such as your strengths and weaknesses. The goal is not to criticize yourself, but to acknowledge where you need to improve and where you can excel. Be honest about your capacity to commit time, your home situation, and your attitude towards deadlines.

Some people look for a 9-to-5 job while others need more freedom. Some people prefer working with a team while others prefer working on their own. Find out who you really are to know who to work with.

#2: SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Freelancers are project-based workers. This means that they can work anytime, as long as they finish their tasks. The downside is, they do not earn money when they do not have projects. The influx of projects is influenced by the season. For instance, you can feel an abundance of work during special events or holidays.

It is essential that you save money to cover the periods when you do not have a pipeline of projects coming your way. This way, you will be able to cover your bills and other expenses.

#3: MARKET YOURSELF

Entering the freelancing world is not easy. The competition is high! Making a name for yourself can be challenging. Thus, you must use social media or other websites to market yourself.

The key to success is being active in these platforms and having an attractive profile where your information as a freelancer can be retrieved. Samples, testimonies, and feedbacks from your past clients will make a big difference.

#4: ESTABLISH REFERRAL PARTNERSHIPS

There are three main channels where you can get clients. These channels are inbound, outbound, and referrals. Inbound refers to using methods such as content marketing or search engine optimization (SEO) to attract potential clients. Outbound refers to reaching out to potential clients by sending emails, responding to job advertisements, and so on. Lastly, referrals refer to having clients recommend you by word-of-mouth.

Many freelancers focus on networking with prospective clients only. However, you can establish referral partnerships with businesses, entrepreneurs, and other freelancers. Having a wide referral network will help you gain more access to different clients.

#5: RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITION

Spend some time researching the market to discover online portfolios and to see what others are doing. Find out the supplementary skills that they have to improve yourself and your career (e.g., photography, video editing, or podcast creation).

Image credits: pixabay.com

Grasp a bigger picture of what your competitors are doing and how much they are charging. This is vital in evaluating how much your service is worth. Set a reasonable price list afterwards.

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Do these things after you’ve sacked your boss

coffee chat

So you’ve finally dropped the resignation letter in your boss’ face after months of contemplating? We’re glad for you.

Now that you’re exiting hell, it’s time to slack your way through that one-month notice, not. Yes, you’ve read that right. Rather than wasting your time reporting for the last month at work doing nothing, there are tasks you need to tick off your checklist before you bid goodbye.

Here are the things to do after you’ve sacked your boss.

#1: Schedule meet-ups with colleagues

When a person chooses to leave the workplace, brains and mouths will start speculating the reasons why. Rather than allowing gossips to prosper, take this opportunity to schedule meet-ups with colleagues and explain your stance for leaving.

Other than your department colleagues you’ve worked with, you may also request to meet with other team members who’ve crossed paths and offered help. While you don’t need to speak to everyone, choose those that you would be glad to remain in contact with.

#2: Do a proper handover

If you’ve had gone through picking up a pile of mess from someone who has left the company before, be sure not to do the same when you leave.

What you can do is to draw up an instructional handover document detailing the ongoing projects under your watch. This will aid your manager and successor to pick up from where you’ve left and enable as few disruptions as possible from your exit. At the same time, you get to demonstrate your professionalism.

#3: Request for recommendations
colleagues conversing

Image Credits: dospace.org

Rather than waiting months after you’ve left to seek a recommendation, request for one before you leave for good. It’s an apt time because your supervisors and colleagues still remember the excellent work you’ve put in during your time in the company.

It would be advisable that you approach them directly to ask for a recommendation. Sending an email might work too, but it’s not that personable. Don’t be afraid to have them comment on the specific skills you would like to be endorsed for.

#4: Back up your accomplishments

Certain documents won’t be accessible upon your exit from the company. Hence, don’t forget to do the necessary screenshots or capture evidence of your accomplishments. This is especially so for those who’ve been with the company for years and cannot readily recall the works you’ve executed when you’ve held various positions.

Depending on your contributions to the company, it may take more than a day or two to back up the important stuff. The last thing you want to do is leave it to the last day to do so and realise there’s not enough time.

#5: Mass send or customise farewell emails
typing on an Apple keyboard

Image Credits: unsplash.com

So we suppose who’ve done the things listed above and ready to leave the company on a positive note. On your last day, it’s good to send a mass email to everyone who’ve journeyed with you through the months and years.

Should you have the time to do so, customise farewell emails to show your sincerity towards the people you want to keep in your work and social connections. Say your thank-yous, share a big picture of your next venture, and let them know how to stay connected with you.

Here’s us wishing you all the best in your next endeavour!

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Avoid These 5 Job Search Mistakes

Landing a decent job is harder than before. In fact, it can take approximately 7.4 months of full-time job hunting to acquire a job. It all falls down to the details of the application process.

If you have been searching for jobs for a while but have not had as much success as you would like, you might succumb to frustration. Perhaps, a change in your current approach is needed. Let us explore other ways to strengthen your job search.

#1: SENDING A GENERIC COVER LETTER AND CV

Hiring managers or recruiters spend an average of six seconds on a CV or Curriculum Vitae. You read that right! Therefore, you must focus on the contents of your cover letter and your CV to make it shine. Each institution will show interest in various aspects of your past work experiences. Highlight the experiences and skills that are related to the job vacancy.

Create a simple, organized, and concise CV/cover letter. Demonstrating your performance by adding measurable metrics such as your previous sales is another factor that many employers look at. Adding measurable metrics can give the hiring manager a clearer picture of your capabilities.

#2: NOT FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS

Many employers assess how applicants follow simple directions. The application process itself may have directions to test the applicants such as underlining certain words or answering an essay. Knowing if the applicant can follow orders is crucial to know whether he or she has a keen eye for detail.

Take your time in reading and following the instructions. Otherwise, you run the risk of your application being considered. This happens when there is a high-volume of applicants.

#3: HAVING NUMEROUS SPELLING AND GRAMMATICAL ERRORS

Employers will evaluate your linguistic skills both in written and verbal format. If you are eyeing on a specific position, you can impress the hiring managers with flawless CV and cover letter.

Proofread your documents twice or more. You can check your grammar and spelling through websites such as Grammarly and WordCounter.

#4: KEEPING IT A SECRET

It is more advantageous for you to tell others that you are on the market for a new job. You need to get the word out so people can recommend you for suitable job vacancies. You will never know how far your professional and social network extends!

For instance, Banking and Finance is one of the most in-demand industries in Singapore. If you are looking for a position in this field, you are likely to know some friends or relatives who can help you out. While you want to be more subtle during your job search, consider personally asking people if they know any related positions that you could fill. They might even get compensated for referring you.

#5: SKIPPING THE FOLLOW-UPS

In the initial stages of your job search, you have done everything to make sure that things are playing in your favor. You proofread your cover letters diligently and you sent them out to various prospective employers. However, you did not get a response. What went wrong?

In many cases, if your application fulfills all the requirements of the job and leaves a good impression, the problem could simply be a lack of follow-up messages. The HR personnel might have forgotten to get back to you. Thus, it is important to send out a batch of follow-up emails. You can send these a week after you sent the set of applications. You will be surprised to see how many employers will respond after sending your follow-up emails.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Applying for a new position is always challenging and requires a great deal of preparation and confidence. While CV and cover letters mark the start of your journey – ensuring these are well-crafted is half the battle.

We wish you the best of luck!

Sources: 1 & 2

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Tips to mind your body language for that upcoming interview

a job interview session

Most of us would probably agree that first impressions matter. What we may not know is that the opinion we get from someone we’ve just met is often thanks to the concept of body language.

Muse’s career coach Eloise Eonnet shares that humans read each other’s body language and vocal delivery to make fast conclusions about whether we like, trust, or respect a person. Similarly, these snap judgments significantly affect the hiring decision of an interviewer.

Thus, while what you’ve prepared verbally plays an important part, what you do not say but reveal is equally weighty. In fact, studies have shown that facial behaviours like smiles and eye contact are considerable factors for employers.

“Facial expressions can be the most misunderstood nonverbal cue. Our faces tell more of the story than any words we use. Being mindful of how you express emotion when speaking (or when not) is important when interviewing,” says Monique Sample, a Virginia Commonwealth University Career Services representative.

With so much at stake, here are some tips to mind your body language for that upcoming interview.

#1: Enter strong

If you believe you’re being watched the moment you step into the company building, be sure to enter strong. Your communication with the secretary, receptionist, or HR assistant is as crucial as meeting with the hiring manager.

Be polite, confident, and maintain eye contact as you speak or introduce yourself. Nod or smile at your potential future colleagues should you meet them by the hallway to your waiting or interview room.

#2: Watch your wandering eyes

How would you feel if you’re conversing with someone, but the other party’s eyes are just wandering all over the place? Would you want to continue the conversation? Or would you attempt to end the conversation quickly?

As Eonnet rightly points out, your listener will only feel genuinely engaged with you if you are looking at them. Even if they do not respond verbally to your output, an internal response is sufficient to feel a connection.

#3: Pay attention to your arms & posture

Peeps who tend to slouch can try resting their arms on the table or desk. This will also prevent excessive gesturing, which can be a distraction. It also allows your body to lean a little forward, showing that you’re listening attentively to the hiring manager as they speak.

While paying attention to too many hand motions is essential, don’t let that bother you too much. You don’t want to appear too stiff in front of your interviewers, or worse still, develop fidgeting in other areas because your natural hand movements are forcefully curbed.

Final thoughts
a woman recording herself

Image Credits: premiumbeat.com

The wise old saying still stands – practice makes perfect. But to practise, you will need to find out how you behave in a mock interview.

Record yourself as you speak to an imaginary person or ask a close friend to observe you as you answer some sample interview questions. Get sufficient rest before your interview day, and don’t bash yourself up even if you didn’t get to show all that you’ve prepared.

Do your best and let fate handle the rest! Good luck.

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