Conversational Writing Best Practices
In this guide, learn five tips to help you be more conversational and initiate productive sales conversations with your buyers.
As a modern sales rep, there’s really no need to write the kind of stiff, overly formal emails that typified our parents' generation. B2B norms have thankfully shifted towards more human and authentic styles of communication.
Unlike the days when wearing itchy slacks to work was the regular, our generation often gets to go to work in a hoodie. (Ahhh comfort!) To be successful and hit your quota each month, you’ll want your writing style to be as warm, comfortable, and inviting as your office attire.
What does this look like in practice? Here are five tips that will help you initiate productive sales conversations with your buyers.
1. Be concise and specific
Your buyers are busy professionals. Keep it short and sweet. Reread each message after you write it and ask yourself if you can say the same thing simpler or in fewer words. Push yourself to be as specific as possible when asking questions and providing information.
Don’t say: Just connect it to Salesforce and make sure it all syncs seamlessly and then you’ll be cleansing data in no time.
Say: Open the Qualified App. Click the gear icon in the bottom left. Do you see where it says Salesforce—and under that, Lead Mapping? Click there.
2. Ditch the formality and be authentic
If you had to write in college, you may have been taught that a very formal style of writing is the best way to convey authority. In the world of tech sales, this wisdom is dead wrong. Communicating in a natural and genuine way is the best way to engage buyers and help them through the sales process. Explain things as you would if speaking to them in person.
Don’t say: Hello, you have reached Tony at Qualified. How may I assist you today?
Say: Hey there, I saw you're on our ‘Contact Us’ page. What can I do for you? 👋
3. Set clear expectations to avoid awkwardness
When you’re trying to build trust with a prospect, guiding them through a clearly defined process is key. Unexpected occurrences can be unpleasant and throw them off course. For example, don’t start a chat conversation with a prospect, then initiate a voice call without warning. By communicating clear expectations in advance, you’ll provide a sense of security—leading to a smoother sales cycle that is much more likely to convert into revenue.
Don’t say: I’ll give you a call.
Say: The next step is to choose your package. I can explain that in about five minutes on the phone, but it may take a bit longer via chat. Which would you prefer?
4. Embody your brand voice
Ideally, your sales and marketing leadership will take the lead on establishing a brand voice and your job as a sales rep is to represent your company’s brand in all prospect interactions.
If you haven’t gotten clear guidance on the brand voice, it’s smart to ask questions like:
- Do we want to be perceived as serious in tone or can we joke around?
- Do we want to use emojis and GIFs liberally or sparingly?
- Will our audience respond well to a bit of friendly small talk or is it best to get down to business right away?
There are many different (and equally valid!) answers to these questions. For example, a marketing technology company may be more comfortable with humor, whereas a law firm or medical device manufacturer may feel that a more serious and direct tone is most appropriate. The important thing is to establish guidelines and represent them consistently in each conversation.
5. Have a hook that entices web visitors to respond
Conversational marketing is about building relationships. Many audiences respond well to a “hook,” like asking about the weather in their city. Even better if you know their city from the Qualified Visitor 360 and can open the conversation by referencing their local sports team. Once you’ve broken the ice, it’s much easier to transition into questions about the sales process.
Mastering the art of the conversation = crushing your quota
If you can master the art of sparking delightful conversations, you’ll be well on your way to meeting (and even exceeding!) your quota. Bonus points if you use Qualified Conversation Flow Analytics or Dashboards and Reporting to understand when and why people click through, and apply what you learn in future conversations.
Still Have Questions?
If you have any questions, feel free to chat with us using the Qualified app on this page or reach out to the Qualified technical support team.
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