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While I still recommend face-to-face meetings as the most important sales tool—e-mail is now an important part of the equation. Here are a few best practices for e-mail that, with patience, can be mastered by all printing sales professionals:

Do not send pricing quotes or complex communications through e-mail

Presenting a selling proposal and communicating customer solutions to new customers are best presented face-to-face. We have found the sending of price quotes and sharing detailed product or company information via e-mail is common in the print industry. This practice is a symptom of salespeople who are taking short-cuts or who are fearful of customer rejection. If selling complex printing solutions could be accomplished through the use of the Internet, there would be no need for highly commissioned salespeople. Use e-mail to reinforce key points, confirm and schedule phone or face-to-face meetings, provide updates and answer simple questions.

Do not miss an opportunity to communicate your company’s value

When trying to gain an appointment or reinforce a key selling point, have a well-written value proposition prepared. This is the statement that clearly identifies what you do and why you do it better than your competitors. In every e-mail sent, there should be a selling message embedded in the text. Never miss an opportunity to reinforce your company’s value to your prospect.

Do not rely solely on spell check

Spelling and grammar mistakes are unacceptable. As many have regretfully found out, spell check does not catch all mistakes. If you are in a rush or there is any doubt or concern that there could be a mistake, hold the material for a few hours. When you have some time, come back to it for a final edit. Some people find it is useful to print out the work for a final review before sending it. For important communications, have someone else do an edit.

Do not send bad news to customers through e-mail

Communicating missed print deadlines or excuses for not meeting customer requirements via e-mail is a major customer irritant. People often take the easy way out by sending an e-mail. Attempting to talk to the customer in person or on the phone will often be painful but most appreciated.

Smile when you write your e-mail

Since you will not be there when the e-mail is opened, make sure it conveys a positive message—you do not need to rely on smiley faces in your e-mail messages to achieve this, just keep your writing upbeat and friendly. You don’t want to share unintended or negative feelings, and the tone of voice in an e-mail can be easy to misinterpret. Never send an e-mail when you are angry—cool off and send it later.

Create descriptive subject lines that reflect the purpose of the e-mail

The subject line is the first thing the reader sees. Making sure you are clearly conveying the purpose of your e-mail will give you credibility. It also helps the receiver to easily find the e-mail when conducting a search by topic. Always use the subject line. Leaving it blank will cause some readers to ignore your e-mail.

Keep e-mails and paragraphs short

As a rule, I keep paragraphs less than an inch. If they are longer, I either shorten/tighten them up or split the paragraph. Many people skim written material. You do not want them to miss a key point. Using bullet points can often focus the reader on important material. If the e-mail cannot be read without scrolling down, it is too long. If possible avoid attachments. With the wide use of mobile e-mail devices, attachments are a major obstacle.