You have managed to lay your hands on the contact details of a few foreign buyers who buy your product from India and are about to shoot your first mail to them. Stop. Do not rush! This is the proverbial golden goose that is about to lay a golden egg. Don’t blow up your chances! A carelessly drafted first mail will almost certainly end up in the trash bin of the buyer. Carefully go through the checklist that The Dollar Business compiled, to ensure that your first mail impresses the prospective client enough to become a repeat customer.


By TDB Intelligence Unit | June Issue 2017 | The Dollar Business

1) You should always use correct English in your email.

Using correct English reflects professionalism, command over language and hence, authority. It adds to your credibility and stature.

2) You should be precise in all your communication.

Be crisp. Be concise. People don’t have time. The only way you can capture their attention is by being short & sweet and absolutely & always to the point!

3) You should mention that you will supply free samples in the first five lines of your email.

True, there is no free lunch; but who doesn’t like to get something for free? The very promise of free samples brews confidence in your readers about you and your product.

So, capture their imagination with the promise of free samples at the very start. And upon delivery of the same, your chances of sealing a deal are always high.

4) You should prepare a ppt/ pdf of your company and its strengths and share it with the client.

Showcase your products. In a fast-paced world your audience’s time is limited and your presence is non-existent unless you choose to bring it into their focus. So, show-off, prepare a crisp ppt/ pdf about your company and share it with your clients. Let the positive highlights dwell in their mind-spaces long after they have seen it!

5) You should volunteer to give a demo over a skype/ video call.

Your willingness to give a demo over skype/ video call, shows how transparently you are and how well your product/ service can fulfil the needs of your client. The demonstration acts as a perfect bridge to transition your product from the ‘spoken about’ stage to the practical ‘seen the real thing’ stage, and thus enhances your chances of converting a prospect to a buyer.

6) You should share a YouTube video (link) of your products/ factory.

Walk your audience through virtual reality. So what if they can’t visit your factory in person? Take your factory and product to them by sharing your YouTube video link.
The look and the feel of your factory and products through the video gives your audience a clear and tangible idea of what to expect!

7) You should necessarily share testimonials of a few loyal clients.

Let your audience know how you walk the talk. Let the testimonials speak. Showcase the best of clients and let them talk about how your products/ services have helped them achieve their business goals. Show your audience how you make your clients soar, while the truth in the testimonials about you silently roar!

8) You should list down all the certifications that your products/ your manufacturing plant/ your suppliers have qualified for or have been awarded.

Certifications lend credibility and authenticity to your company and your products and services. It is a quality assurance and expedites decision making on the part of your customers and cuts down on the time taken to close a deal.

9) You should clearly mention all contact details, including name(s) of contact person(s) at your company, phone number(s), email address(es), etc., in your first email.

You sure want customers to contact you, right? While reaching out to customers by procuring their numbers and updating databases can be a tedious task, you sure don’t want to lose out on customers who are willing to come to you on their own. Be sure to clearly mention your contact details in all your communications and marketing collaterals.

10) Be ready to share a list of clients who can give good feedback on your company’s export potential.

A valuable feedback is like hammering a good impression about your company’s export potential in your prospective client’s mind. Many good feedbacks form not only a positive image but a constructive understanding about how reliable your company is and how lucrative it could be to get into a business with you.

11) You should share as many numbers (and financials) as you can. This creates an air of transparency with the foreign buyers and makes them believe in your company and your products and services straightaway.

Numbers don’t lie. Most customers trust numbers, not words. So, bring out the financials that you can. Place it on the table before them. Such unabashed transparency is bound to bowl them over and, in most cases, win them to your side!

12) You should not forget to share your/ your company’s social profiles and website links with prospective clients. It allows them to verify your credentials with a minimum of effort.

Be an open book. Today, social media is turning out to be a great vehicle for conducting business. And that gives you even more reason to be on top of your game when it comes to social media. Sharing website link and social profile details lends that much-needed spark of genuineness to convince a potential customer about your value.

13) You should provide a slide deck or catalogue of products that you can export with product HS codes.

Audiences like to tune in to a channel that makes them “feel comfortable”. Make life easy for them. Provide them with a catalogue of products with their product codes. These give clients an instant idea of what is being offered.

14) You should be patient and be prepared to wait for even a few weeks for your client to respond to your calls or emails.

Waiting for a response from your clients via email or telephone calls? Patience, as they say, is a virtue! Sure, you must try, but should you call your clients too often, they will bid you goodbye! You certainly wouldn’t want that, would you?

15) You should never ever be rude. Do that and your client is lost forever!

Behaviour, etiquette and culture form the unstated first pillar of conducting business. Alongside great financial standing and certifications, good conduct exudes class and adds a sheen to your company’s credentials! It sets you a cut above the rest, in a league of your own!

16) You should ensure your calls land on your potential buyer’s phone on working days and at working hours. Avoid public holidays & weekends. [Please note: Not every geography has a Saturday-Sunday weekend.

Be mindful regarding whom to call and when to call. The idea is to not just work hard but, more importantly, to work smart. Make the entire process effective and streamline it to be efficient. Besides, you certainly wouldn’t like to be bombarded with random calls on your holidays, would you? Neither would your potential customers. Take it easy.
Slow is the new fast!