Power Sales Writing, Revised and Expanded Edition: Using Communication to Turn Prospects into Clients, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 14HOW NOT TO BE YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY

It is sometimes more productive to simply say “blah” rather than “blah, blah, blah.”

—DONALD E. WETMORE, PH.D.

E-mail usage, despite pundits who might suggest otherwise, continues to grow. One result of this is that we are falling further behind in keeping up with our inbox. The number of new or unread messages, according to research conducted in 2010 by Jakob Nielson, Ph.D., is 300 percent higher than it was in 2006. As we and our clients attempt to achieve a zero inbox (no pending e-mail), we hastily determine what we can safely delete. Unsolicited sales messages stand no chance of being read unless they are relevant, meaningful, and appear as eye candy to the recipient. Even follow-up e-mails, ...