WhereverYouGoThereYouAre profile picture
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WhereverYouGoThereYouAre

VP, Sales

Fire Starter
Old School Bravo

It is time for Death to the "Break Up Email"?

Do we ever actually "break up"?


No.

We don't.


The sales gods know that within 3-9 months you'll be back at it again with the same company and/or prospect.


And perhaps within a week to two your marketing team begins their drip campaign on said prospect.


End the "break up email".


It's not even a break up. They were never that into you to begin with.

👑 Sales Strategy
7

21 comment

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salesnerd
WR Officer
7
Head of Growth
I think of a break up email as the end to the sales cycle. I've only used it when I had a good opportunity and the opp has been non-responsive, not as part of a cold email campaign or something.
madtea
Good Citizen
3
Regional Director
I agree. If an opp has gone cold on me, that’s unprofessional and I’m sending that email to tell them I’m done. 
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
1
Account Executive
I sort of feel the same way +1
AlohaSpir8Eh
Opinionated
1
Account Executive
totally. done with them, and leave it to them to reach back out if anything changes...on to other more engaged and interested discussions...

WhereverYouGoThereYouAre
Fire Starter
1
VP, Sales
I think to an end of an opp, makes sense completely. I was kind of thinking of it in the vein of cold outreach. 
Salespreuner
Big Shot
0
Regional Sales Director
agree. +1 with this!
DwightsEgo
Politicker
2
BDR Manager
agreed- it has turned tacky and often times is not delivered in a way that is advantageous to all parties involved. I try to push the mentality, that its just a break for now, timing was right. 

but yeah, ultimately end the "break up"
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
0
Account Executive
I agree @DwightsEgo +1
juan2free
Arsonist
1
Strategic Account Manager
It should be turned into a "see you later" email
madtea
Good Citizen
1
Regional Director
I’ll often say “hi, because I haven’t heard from you in x time I will assume you are not interested at this time. If anything changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out”
Stringer
Arsonist
1
SDR
The last email (5th email among other steps) in my cadence is simple:

At this point, one might assume that you have no interest. Not me. We haven't had a conversation yet. I'll continue to reach out until you let me know otherwise. 

60% response rate to this email. 

I then transition them into a call cadence bi-weekly for 3 months.
InspirationalShining
WR Officer
0
Business Development
I never want to cut off my ability to get back to someone - hence you won't see me send a break-up email. 
juan2free
Arsonist
0
Strategic Account Manager
I like that and I agree - it's a "see you later"
TheSalesBromigo
Opinionated
0
Sr. Mid Market Account Executive
I think a professional email asking whether or not we can close the file is a must, especially if there has been engagement on both sides and we've spent time with the prospect already. In a business partnership, an update to see if this is dead is not too much to ask. 

For a cold prospect it might be a bit tacky, but still worth it every once in a while as long as its not gimmicky. 
Trinity
WR Officer
0
BusDev
Lol. "It's not you. It's me."
CaneWolf
Politicker
0
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
Still works when written properly to get an answer in most cases. Not going to get rid of something that works.
ChefK
Good Citizen
0
SDR
 Break up emails are the worst. DONT DO IT. 
Panda4489
Politicker
0
Head of Some Shit
Amen!! It's not a breakup. Just not the right time to be best mates! Not right now. But I'll be back in 4-8 weeks to try to warm you up again. don't you worry!
gingey
Good Citizen
0
What does Account Exec even mean
Hardest of no's, it is not time for death to the breakup email.

Sometimes you have to be willing to walk away and let somebody know you're not going to beg for their business (if they only knew I'd chance their dirty diapers if they signed--which I would). If we're talking about the end of blasting people in a cold email campaign, then sure, but by the 5th email it's all meaningless anyways. But in an actual opportunity? It's absolutely fair to say "i'm moving on" in a polite, respectful way while even offering additional value teasers. If you've done a great job providing value and finding pain along the journey then eventually they will get back to you; otherwise you need to move on and try again later. 

It doesn't matter that we're never actually breaking up, they need to think you're willing to walk away if they're not going to treat the process with a modicum of respect and that you have other active accounts to prioritize.
BCD
Politicker
0
BDR
I think there is a time and a place, the "break up" email, if written well enough, does get you a response and in some cases the answer you were looking for 
Patrick_Bateman
Fire Starter
0
Senior Sales Consultant
Disagree. I get great results in getting a clear answer from the breakup email. It’s important to clarify the goal of it. It isn’t to “save the deal” it’s to just get a damn answer. People send some awful ones that aren’t breakup emails where they over explain and ramble on about why they shouldn’t break up and sound fearful and desperate those are trash and always have been. You have to convey that you are cool calm and collected to achieve the result of them feeling they won’t be trapped by giving you a reply. My go to is something like “Hi Dr. _____, Haven’t heard back regarding the pricing proposal if things have changed I totally get it, life happens. If you could just let me know either way though I can make the proper notes in our database and maybe we can reconnect when the timing is more appropriate. Would be greatly appreciated, thanks!”

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