REACHING OUT
How to write a first email a busy owner will read
Most first emails to a business get deleted within a couple of seconds. Usually it isn’t because the offer is bad. It’s because the email looks like the forty others that arrived that morning.
Here’s what tends to get a reply.
1. Show you know who they are
Open with something true about their business. “I saw you’ve opened a second site in Leeds” does more than any greeting. It tells them a person wrote this, to them.
2. Say why you’re writing in one line
Not your company history. One sentence: what you do and why you thought of them. “We supply compostable takeaway packaging, and with two sites you’re probably getting through a lot of it.”
3. Keep it short
Aim for something they can read without scrolling on a phone. Five or six sentences is plenty. If they’re interested, they’ll ask for the detail.
4. Ask for something small
“Would it be worth a quick call?” or “Shall I send prices?” is easy to answer. “Can we book a 45-minute discovery session?” is not.
5. Be easy to say no to
Use your real name, say who you are, and make it clear they can tell you it’s not for them. People reply more when they don’t feel cornered, and a polite “no” saves you both time.
One practical note
Write to business addresses, not personal ones. If you’re emailing sole traders, the UK’s marketing rules are stricter, so check the ICO’s guidance on business-to-business marketing first.
Every lead in bexford comes with a drafted first message. Treat it as a starting point and put it in your own words. Then, if you hear nothing, follow up well.