You Can’t Manage via Email!

This may come as no surprise but you can’t manage via email!

Now I need to you stop for a moment and think about the last time you did any of the following things:

• sent a generic team email asking for forecast numbers… without having deal conversations with individuals on your team.
• started an email with “As you all know”
• gotten into a habit of sending out a cut & paste version of a metrics/stats report without any encouragement, kudos, or commentary

Here is little reminder, emailing your team is no different than when your salespeople email a prospect! Let’s translate those examples:

• sent a bulk email asking prospects “what are you buying next and when?”
• started an email with “Not that you’ll read this, but”
• gotten into a habit of sending out a cut & paste version of an email without any personalization.

That may seem a little extreme – unfortunately the reality is, that is how your emails are probably coming across to your sales team.

I know you’re busy! I know you’ve got numbers to hit! I know… I know… I know!

I really do understand the pressures you face.

You can’t build rapport with your salespeople via email, you have to do it with genuinely interested human to human interaction.

You can’t build trust with your team via email, it can only be done through demonstration that you are going to do what you say – follow through on your promises – have their back inside the organization – help them with customer issues.

You can’t build caring via email, prove that you care about THEM and THEIR goals – they will probably start to care about you and your goals.

You can’t earn credibility via email, that will come with a combination of rapport, trust, and caring.

Email is a great tool!

• to reiterate what was said in a meeting.
• to send out metrics/stats that include some encouragement WHEN also address with individuals and in team meetings.
• request more details about something you’ve had a recent conversation about.

As a manager your ‘pay time’ or ‘customer contact time’ or whatever it’s called inside your organization – needs to be spent with the people on your team. In part, they are your customers now.