For every ten 9-word emails that work, there’s one that flops. And usually, it’s because of one of these 5 avoidable mistakes…

Mistake #1:

You make the email about what you’ve got or what you do instead of making it about what your prospects want.

  • Wrong: “Are you still interested in attending my LinkedIn webinar?”
  • Correct: “Are you still interested in using LinkedIn to get more business?”

Notice how the second version is all about the BENEFIT of what your prospects were inquiring about? This may sound like a subtle distinction, but it can make or break your 9-word email.

Always focus on what your prospects want.

Mistake #2:

You solve the mystery from the get-go and remove the urgency to reply. It’s normal to feel the need to fill in the blanks right after the 9-word question. But that weakens the effect of the email.

Here’s what you should NEVER do:

“Are you still interested in using LinkedIn to get more business? Because if you are, I’m having a new training starting next week.. yada yada..”.

Your email should be just the question,

“Are you still interested in using LinkedIn to get more business?”

Because that creates a vacuum, our minds (your prospect’s minds) need to solve the mystery. That’s why they cannot help but respond! The moment you provide all the extra details, you give the email a “closure,” and there’s no need for anyone to reply anymore.

Keep your email short, and expect a reply.

Mistake #3:

You try to make your message accommodate people who are not interested in whatever it is that they inquired about. In other words, you’re trying to include everyone. And you go above and beyond to not scare anybody off.

But the thing is, you’re only looking to engage with your 5-Star Prospects. People who ARE interested. And your emails are a way to identify who they are. So don’t hedge or hesitate in your message. You shouldn’t worry about bothering people who are not interested.

You’re in the business of helping prospects who want to get a result. So the most professional thing to do is treat everyone like they are your 5-Star Prospects… until they prove they’re not.

Mistake #4:

You’re caught off guard by their response.

This is something that happens often. People get surprised by the response and don’t know what to say next to continue the conversation. That’s why the first thing you must do before writing a single word of your email is figure out where you want the conversation to go.

Think like a chess master. Begin with the end in mind and plan ahead.

Mistake #5:

You’re going for the “kill.”

Instead of conversing with your prospects, you’re trying to make a sale quickly. And you scare them away. But the thing is… you should NEVER go for the sale. That’s like covering your whiskers in cheese. And it never works.

The correct way to go about it is to ask yourself, “how soon can I start helping them get whatever is it they enquired about?” And then make your prospects see that you’re on their side.

Only when they feel that you’re truly trying to help them will they be willing to take that next step with you?

And there you have it.

Five most common 9-word email mistakes and ways to fix them. Nothing is stopping you now from making it work for you too!

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