Recently Ezra Kucharz, the President of CBS Local, shared something with me that I found absolutely on point. It’s about what might well be the most important single aspect of any business.
What is the secret fuel of sales and marketing? The introduction!
Whether it’s meeting new clients, new creatives or possible business partners, introductions are an art in their own right. Email introductions build social capital. They launch new careers, products and businesses.
Although e-mail obviously has value, our feelings towards it are complicated. E-mail is a clunky but powerful tool. And poorly done, e-mail can feel like the spam-filled ninth circle of internet hell. Those who do e-mail right have to stand out among hundreds, if not thousands, of other emails flooding mailboxes on a daily basis.
Chris Fralic, a Partner at First Round Capital in New York, took to the pages of Forbes to explain his technique, mastered over a career that has seen over 81,000 emails in the last 8 years alone. The secret, he argues, is to provide real value to both participants in an easy, actionable way.
His rules?
- Create value for all participants.
- Ask permission. Show respect.
- Take the time to master the aesthetic dimension of the email.
- Closing loops, following up, and pressuring responses.
In a world of automated, bulk email marketing, it’s nice to see people like Chris leading the way in a communication style that’s personal and human.
Read his full article on Forbes here.