 Email remains a neglected asset in many small businesses' digital marketing arsenals. Its potential extends well beyond sending sporadic promotional offers. Effective email marketing involves understanding your audience deeply, engaging them meaningfully, and guiding them towards making purchases through a strategically crafted journey. Understanding Your Audience A solid understanding of your audience is the cornerstone of any successful email campaign. For our clients, this involved analysing straightforward behaviours from past interactions and responses to an initial four-part engagement series. This analysis was crucial in determining how to segment the audience effectively, ensuring that subsequent steps appropriately targeted their preferences and needs. Developing a Strategic Email Sequence We developed a series of three emails, each designed with a specific objective within a broader strategy:
Each email was timed to guide potential customers from initial interest to decision progressively. Selective Targeting of the Email List In managing these campaigns, despite the substantial size of our clients’ email lists (ranging from 4,000 to 13,000 subscribers), we strategically chose to target only about 15% of each list. This decision was made for two main reasons:
The conversion process extended to a carefully designed landing page, which played a crucial role in sealing the deal. This page was equipped with FAQs to address any final hesitations and video testimonials that demonstrated the value of the offer from real users. Measurable Results The outcomes were substantial. On average, each client added 7 new customers from their list, which equated to a revenue bump of approximately $16,000 to $20,000. These figures underscore the effectiveness of a well-executed email strategy coupled with precise audience segmentation. Insights Gained The primary lesson here is the importance of truly understanding your audience. A straightforward yet focused approach to segmentation, based on past behaviour, can markedly improve your conversion rates. Moreover, a structured email strategy supported by a compelling landing page is essential for converting interest into sales. Conclusion When executed with proper planning, email marketing can significantly transform your business’s outreach and revenue generation. Moving beyond basic promotional blasts to a more systematic, engaging strategy can unlock vast potential. If you feel your email strategy could benefit from a revamp, get in touch. Let’s explore how we can refine your approach to turn engagement into substantial sales.
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 So you just ran a successful ad campaign.
The leads are coming in, and now it’s time to turn them into paying customers. But here’s the problem: Most businesses lose sales at the follow-up stage. Why? Because they either assume too much or jump into selling too quickly. The best results come when you take the time to ask the right questions, follow a structure, and truly understand the person on the other end of the call. Here’s how to follow up with leads effectively—without turning them off. 1. Don’t Assume Too Much A common mistake salespeople make is assuming they already know what the lead needs. Just because someone clicked on your ad doesn’t mean they’re ready to buy—or that your solution is the right fit for them. 🚫 Wrong approach: “I saw you downloaded our guide, so you're looking for [your product/service].” ✅ Better approach: “I saw you checked out [lead magnet or offer]—what caught your interest?” This keeps the conversation open-ended instead of boxing them into a decision they haven’t made yet. 2. Ask Questions (And Actually Listen) Your job isn’t to convince the lead—it’s to discover whether you can help them. The fastest way to do that? Ask good questions. Here are a few that work well: 🔹 “What’s your current situation with [problem your product solves]?” 🔹 “Have you tried anything else before?” 🔹 “What would be the ideal outcome for you?” The key is to listen to their answers. The more they talk, the more information you get—and the easier it becomes to align your solution with what they actually need. 3. Follow a Structure Winging it might work once in a while, but if you want consistent results, you need a process. Here’s a simple structure for your follow-ups: 1️⃣ Break the Pattern – Start with a casual opener that doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. (“Hey [name], I saw you checked out [offer]. What stood out to you?”) 2️⃣ Discover Needs – Ask open-ended questions to understand their challenges and goals. 3️⃣ Explore Prior Experiences – Find out what they’ve tried before and what worked or didn’t. 4️⃣ Clarify Their Ideal Outcome – Get them to define what success looks like for them. 5️⃣ Present a Tailored Solution – Only after you understand their situation should you introduce what you offer. This structure keeps the conversation natural and positions you as a trusted advisor—not just another salesperson. 4. Align Yourself With Them People buy from people they trust. If they feel like you’re just trying to sell them something, they’ll shut down. But if they feel like you’re on their side, they’ll be open to hearing your solution. Instead of saying: ❌ “We are the market leader. We can definitely help you.” Try: ✅ “Based on what you’ve told me, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.” This subtle shift makes a big difference. It shows that you’ve actually listened, and it invites them to make the decision instead of feeling pressured. 5. The Result? More Sales, Less Resistance When you stop assuming, start asking the right questions, and align yourself with the prospect, everything changes. 🔹 You’ll get fewer objections. 🔹 You won’t feel like you’re chasing leads. 🔹 Your close rate will improve—without needing to be pushy. Follow this approach, and you’ll start seeing better results from your ad-generated leads.  If you’ve ever made a sales call to a new lead and felt the energy drop the moment you introduced yourself, you’re not alone. It’s not that prospects aren’t interested in what you offer—it’s that they’ve been conditioned to filter out sales language before you even get a chance to explain why you’re calling.
The way we communicate in sales has changed. Years ago, phrases like “The reason for my call…” or “I just wanted to touch base…” were standard practice. But today, these phrases can trigger an immediate shutdown. Why? Because your prospect’s nervous system is wired to detect patterns of threat and intrusion. They are bombarded with telemarketers, spam calls, and pushy sales tactics daily. The moment they recognise that pattern, their nervous system shifts into “shut it down” mode—and you’ve lost before you’ve even begun. The Science Behind the Shutdown When you use overused sales phrases, you unknowingly activate a threat response in your prospect. Their nervous system registers your call as a potential threat rather than an opportunity. This isn't just about preference—it's about how humans process safety and trust. 🔹 They don’t feel in control. 🔹 They feel like they’re being “sold to.” 🔹 They don’t have the mental capacity to process your message. And what happens when someone doesn’t feel safe? They do what any of us do in an uncomfortable sales situation: They disengage. Words That Trigger the Shutdown Here are some of the worst offenders in follow-up and sales calls: 🚫 “My name is [your name].” (Why it’s bad: People rarely introduce themselves like this in normal social interations. Most of the time people hear those words on a call, they're coming from a telemarketer.) 🚫 “The reason for my call is…” (Why it’s bad: This signals that you’re following a script, which prospects are trained to ignore.) 🚫 “I just wanted to follow up…” (Why it’s bad: "Follow up" screams "sales call," making them defensive before they even hear what you have to say.) 🚫 “I’d love to touch base…” (Why it’s bad: It feels vague, generic, and like a time-waster.) 🚫 “I think we’d be a great fit.” (Why it’s bad: People rarely say “good fit” outside of business, making it sound scripted and salesy.) What to Say Instead If these common phrases trigger a shutdown, what should you say instead? The key is to disrupt the pattern and lead with value. ✅ Make it about them, not you. ❌ “My name is [your name]” ✅ “Hey [prospect’s name], quick question for you…” ✅ Lead with curiosity. ❌ “I just wanted to follow up on…” ✅ “Last time we spoke, you mentioned [specific challenge]. Has anything changed?” ✅ Give them a sense of control. ❌ “The reason for my call is…” ✅ “I came across something that might be relevant to what you’re working on—do you have a minute?” ✅ Offer insight, not a sales pitch. ❌ “I think we’d be a great fit.” ✅ “A lot of people in your position are running into [specific problem]. I figured it might be worth a quick chat.” The Bottom Line Sales isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how you make people feel. The wrong words trigger resistance. The right words create engagement. If you want prospects to be open to your message, avoid the phrases that send them running. Shift from selling to serving, from pushing to listening. Your sales calls will change. And so will your results.  In the 1980s and 1990s, small talk was considered a fundamental part of selling. Sales trainers taught that rapport-building was everything—the idea was to warm up prospects with friendly conversation before transitioning into the actual sales discussion. Back then, this approach worked because the sales landscape was completely different. People answered their phones. They weren’t bombarded with cold calls, emails, and online ads every day. A salesperson was often the primary source of information about a product or service, and a little small talk helped ease them into the conversation. But that was then. Today, prospects are overwhelmed with sales outreach. They’ve heard every sales script, they can spot a pitch coming from a mile away, and they simply don’t have time for small talk. If you’re still trying to “warm up” your prospects the way salespeople did in the 90s, you’re likely pushing them away instead of drawing them in. Here’s why small talk is now a liability—and what happens when you rely on it in modern sales. 1. Small Talk Feels Like a Sales Tactic Prospects have learned to recognise the patterns of a typical sales call. The moment they hear “How’s your day going?” or “How was your weekend?”, their guard goes up. It doesn’t feel like a natural conversation—it feels like a setup for a pitch. They know that after the small talk comes the transition: “Well, the reason for my call is…” And at that point, many of them have already checked out. Instead of putting them at ease, small talk triggers resistance because it signals that you’re following a script rather than getting to the point. 2. It Wastes Their Time and Loses Their Attention In the 80s and 90s, a well-placed “How’s the family?” might have kept a conversation going. But today’s prospects are busy and impatient. They don’t want to chat with a stranger. They want to know—immediately—why you’re calling and what’s in it for them. If they don’t see value in the first few seconds of the call, they start looking for the fastest way to end the conversation. This is why modern sales calls need to get to the point quickly. The longer you take to establish relevance, the harder it becomes to hold their attention. 3. Small Talk Lowers Your Status In the old days, salespeople were seen as gatekeepers of information. They were the ones with the knowledge, the solutions, and the deals. Now, prospects have more power than ever. They can research anything they want before even speaking to you. If they pick up the phone, it’s because they expect value, not idle conversation. Opening a call with small talk sends the wrong message—it makes you look like you’re trying to win their approval rather than leading the conversation. High-status professionals don’t waste time. They take control of the discussion and get straight to what matters. If you open with small talk, you risk lowering your perceived status, and the prospect may feel they can brush you off, take control of the call, or dismiss you before you even get to your point. 4. It Gives the Prospect an Easy Escape When sales calls were less common, small talk helped to establish trust and keep the conversation flowing. But today, it gives the prospect an easy way to shut you down. Once you open with, “How’s your day going?”, you’re giving them a chance to reply with a one-word answer, which signals they’re not interested. Worse, small talk opens the door for them to end the conversation entirely:
Small talk gives them an exit before you’ve even had a chance to establish why they should listen. 5. Real Rapport Comes from Relevance, Not Chit-Chat In the past, rapport was built through personal connection—finding common interests, asking about family, making small talk before the pitch. But modern rapport isn’t about being friendly. It’s about being relevant. Prospects don’t buy because they like you. They buy because they believe you understand their needs. If your conversation doesn’t quickly establish that you understand their situation, their challenges, and what matters to them, no amount of small talk will make a difference. In today’s world, real rapport is built by being direct, relevant, and valuable from the very first second of the call. Why Some Salespeople Still Use Outdated Techniques If small talk is so ineffective, why do so many salespeople still use it? The answer comes down to habit, outdated training, and fear of directness. They Were Trained That Way Many salespeople were taught by mentors or sales trainers who came up in the 80s and 90s, when small talk was a standard rapport-building tool. These techniques were passed down and never re-evaluated for today’s market. They Think It’s Polite Some salespeople fear being too direct because they worry it will come across as rude. They assume small talk is a way to soften the conversation, but in reality, prospects don’t see it as politeness—they see it as a waste of time. They Feel Awkward Without It Small talk acts as a crutch. It gives the salesperson a sense of control and comfort, allowing them to ease into the conversation instead of getting straight to the point. Unfortunately that comfort comes at the expense of the prospect’s patience. They Haven’t Noticed It’s Hurting Them Some salespeople struggle with high rejection rates but never connect the dots between small talk and lost opportunities. They assume prospects just aren’t interested, when in reality, they’re losing them in the first few seconds of the call. They’re Afraid to Lead the Conversation Taking control of a call requires confidence. Many salespeople, especially newer ones, feel safer letting the prospect dictate the conversation. But when you do that, you lose status, and the call goes nowhere. The Sales World Has Moved On—Have You? What worked back then doesn’t work today. Small talk, once a key part of sales strategy, now wastes time, lowers your status, and makes it easier for prospects to shut you down. If you want better results, skip the small talk. Frame the call with authority, establish value immediately, and take control of the conversation. Your prospects will respect you more. And your sales will improve. |
AuthorPatrick Loke is the founder of Actual Impact Consulting and Portrait Photography Profits. He has over 20 years experience owning and running both online and traditional businesses. He has performed as a sales and marketing consultant to small and medium sized enterprises since 2012. 
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