Generic Sales Emails = Spam

'Touching base' - possibly the worst phrase ever to grace the English language when trying to engage a potential client?

I just received an Inmail with that as the subject line and the message didn't get any better from there. It consisted of a half-baked very confusing value proposition brokering crypto deals on behalf of corporate clients.

I find it incredible how so many people miss the mark in their approach.

How would he have known if I had any interest? Or if it related to any part of my current situation? He wouldn't - this is simply a 'spray and pray' approach and completely outdated.

The only reason I think people still try this method is that it doesn't involve any actual research or preparation and seems like a shortcut. Either that or their company has aggressive KPI's, which is a systemic company issue instilling terrible habits in their salespeople.

If you think about it, the sheer volume you have to send out just to get a response is in itself hard work and requires huge amounts of data.

Sending 300 generic inmails with 3 responses (1%) requires the same, if not more effort than tailoring your approach to 15 people, where you have done your due diligence and know exactly how you can help them.

And if you are good you'll likely get a response rate of over 50%, which in this example would be at least 50 times more effective.

A generic approach is very labour intensive, not to mention soul destroying, based on the huge rate of rejection.

A considered strategy which leads to meaningful interactions with minimal burn-rate will motivate you and make you feel good as people engage with you and want to learn more.

You will get to know your market better and each day you'll become more informed on the actual issues your clients are facing, thus creating a snowball effect.

A 'spray and pray' approach will ensure you burn through thousands of leads where you learn nothing aside from the fact no-one wants to engage with you.

In turn this just creates a bad name for you and your company.