Get to the Point!

Yesterday I got an unsolicited email query that caught my attention. Here's what it said:

SUBJECT: Website traffic MESSAGE: With your permission, I'd like to explain how I could get more people to your site each month. Let me know if you're interested.

Here's what I liked about it - and how this might relate to a job search:

SHORT: I read it in about 3 seconds.
TO THE POINT: No beating around the bush - the message was crystal-clear.
RESPECTFUL: "With your permission"... what a nice phrase.
ALL ABOUT ME: No blather about how great he was, just a straightforward offer to do something to my benefit.

OK, now, here's the connection: What do your networking and job search messages say? Do you go on for paragraphs and pages? Do you try to make it all about YOU?

Consider how powerful and effective might be this message to a busy senior executive:

* "With your permission, I'd like to explain how I can build sales volume for your West Coast Region. Please let me know if you're interested."
* Or, "With your permission, I'd like to share some ideas I have about expanding COMPANY NAME into China. If you are interested, we can schedule a brief meeting or phone call."
* Or "If you have a few moments, I'd like to give you my thoughts on how to increase profitability for all of your production sites. Please let me know if you're interested."

Then, your name, phone number, email address, and perhaps a link to your web portfolio or blog.

That's it. Nothing more. No resume, no biography, no past history or accomplishments. Instead, grab attention with something that's meaningful to your audience.

Most won't follow up, and that's OK. But a few are bound to be intrigued. When they call or write, keep the focus on them - your solutions to their problems - to establish credibility. Once they're hooked into believing you have something of value to offer, then it's time to explore whether they might wish to hire you to implement those solutions. If not, that's OK. Neither of you has invested much time; you've both built a potentially valuable connection; and the interaction has been mutually respectful.

By the way... this offer came to me from placementreview.com, a "website performance service." I am not endorsing them - don't know the first thing about them! - but I will check them out. It could very well be worth another 3 seconds (or so) of my time.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

Comments

[Guest]

Greatyou just endorsed a spammer.

The point? Youre a fucktard. I hope your Inbox is full of lovingly crafted spam from now on.

That anyone would take advice from someone so apparently clueless as Louise Kursmarkis terrifying.

[LouiseKursmark]

Guest, thank you for your feedback (I think). I'd prefer that it be stated more politely, but that's just me.

The point of my post was not to endorse a spammer but simply to suggest a message style that might be effective for job seekers. Not, of course, to spam people! But to quickly get attention in a very crowded, busy world where long messages often get ignored.

I doubt my comments will influence the tide of spam one way or another.