[Ecohoon] Outbound Email Mistakes

Even though I'm in sales, I also receive outbound emails. Since I sell sales solutions, I can be a target. I receive many outbound emails, not only for sales solutions but also for HR, marketing, and other areas.

Being in sales myself, I send outbound emails. It's really difficult. The biggest challenge is not only how to write the content but also how to find contact points and secure contact information.

Once I've found contact point information, writing the content becomes key. Because it's sales work sent to so many people, mistakes often happen. I still make mistakes. Like the common mistakes college students and job seekers make, when sending an email to Company A, I sometimes write Company B's name or include information about Company B. I've fallen victim to the pitfalls of copy-paste.

Besides these kinds of mistakes, I sometimes receive emails with truly absurd errors or clumsy text. Sometimes, the email content is even offensive. There are several common mistakes in outbound emails.

1) Failure to properly verify the target's information

The target customer is a global company. They provide global services to customers in many countries. The email is about entering the global market. What's more, it includes content about an industry they don't handle. The customer can't help but be surprised. They took action without properly verifying the company's business.

2) Failure to properly verify the target customer's name

Occasionally, there are mistakes in verifying names. For example, in the past, I used my English name on LinkedIn. Sanghun can be "Sanghun" or "Sangheon." In such cases, it's unavoidable. However, if I know the correct Korean name, I shouldn't make a mistake. Also, if I can't definitively translate or identify the customer's English and Korean name, I should use the name as it appears in the raw data.

I don't know how they got my information, but they sent me an email using an English name that wasn't mine. I was disappointed to keep receiving such emails.

3) Failure to use formal language

It's a business setting, and we don't know each other. This goes beyond business etiquette; it's about manners between people. It might be a strategy to appear friendly, but receiving slightly informal language from someone with whom there's no prior contact, regardless of the channel, can confuse the target customer.

For example, when including a CTA, "When would you be available?" is common. However, "Shall we schedule a meeting to talk?" might confuse the recipient. It might not be a major mistake. But if the customer feels uncomfortable, it's ultimately a mistake. After all, it's the fate of sales to avoid upsetting customers in any way.

I'm learning from my mistakes and organizing them, not as a mistake notebook but as a lesson. I've made many mistakes and continue to make others. I'll continue to learn and grow through my sales experiences.