M
M

Madridgal

Manager Corporate Partnerships

Executive
Catalyst
Valued Contributor
+4

Starting email with - "hope this finds you well"

Personally, I am starting to get so sick of this sentence.


I get it, you don't want to get right into the reason why you are sending the email, but does it always have to start like this??


is it rude if we lose the "fluff" and just say what we want to say??


Any suggestions???

🔎 Prospecting
👑 Sales Strategy
💌 Cold Emailing
24

30 comments

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UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
11
SaaS Eater
Lose the fluff. I HATE the "hope this finds you well" show the prospect you know them by actually doing some research. That will do more to build rapport than "Hope this finds you well" or anything else along those lines. 
Incognito
WR Officer
9
Master of Disaster
Fixed it for you
UrAssIsSaaS
Arsonist
3
SaaS Eater
Guarantee this gets more response than anything that starts with "I hope this email finds you well during these unprecedented challenging times that we have never experienced before and hopefully will never experience again. Also I want to sell you something so you wanna take a call with me? kthanksbye"
Madridgal
Executive
3
Manager Corporate Partnerships
I'll need to try this on someone ...it's all about A/b testing right ??? haha

Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Can you please record the meeting with your boss defending this?

Well you said A/B test!?!?! 🤣🤣🤣
Madridgal
Executive
0
Manager Corporate Partnerships
i am one for the people. i will record. your people can call my people to schedule 
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I am totally stealing this.   
paddy
WR Officer
6
Director of Business Development
Hey @Madridgal hope this message finds you well!

I agree wholeheartedly.

Kindly Yours,
Paddy
Madridgal
Executive
0
Manager Corporate Partnerships
hahahah well done, well done (and look, I still responded!!)
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
4
☕️
Be direct. Stop dancing about and simply tell me why you're reaching out, and be specific as all hell.
cw95
Politicker
3
Sales Development Lead
Not at all rude - i've been getting emails recently which are still COVID orientated and you think...jesus how bad is your marketing team to think 'I hope you are well during these unprecedented times' fs. 

Ironically, I would just get straight into it - email them like you'd prefer to be emailed.
Madridgal
Executive
2
Manager Corporate Partnerships
oh nooo haha thats another sentence i'm sick of "during these unprecedented times" - this is normal life by now 

connieee525
Tycoon
3
Regional Sales Manager
Devil's advocate, a study from Gong (yeah I know) says emails including "Hope all is well!" increase reply rates and meetings booked by 24%.  #numbersguy

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-tips-writing-perfect-follow-up-sales-email-according-devin-reed/?trackingId=70dZNGPKPBrZ9ST5PcXrOA%3D%3D
Wellss
Tycoon
2
Channel sales
Not rude - lose the fluff! Even when that line is included, I feel like people's brains are now programmed to read over it so they probably won't even realize if it's missing 
whathaveyousoldtomorrow
Opinionated
1
sales
Happy Friday! 
Also, just in general conversation - what's new? 
Madridgal
Executive
1
Manager Corporate Partnerships
Oh you know....over here hustling before happy hour 
InQ5WeTrust
Arsonist
1
No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL
I never bother with that, a waste of space and time. 
WomenWantMeFishFearMe
Politicker
0
AM
I usually try to avoid that dumb ass corporate jargon email speak. Just address the person the same way you'd text them. 
SaaSam
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Death to the fluff. There was a time where getting rid of the fluff may have been an issue but now I think most prospects would appreciate it.
Mobi85
Politicker
0
Regional Sales Manager
I am not a fan of "hope this finds you well" or I have heard people on the phone start out with "sorry to bother you"...that initial call response will make my blood boil because if you are truly sorry then why did you call them.  Agree with everyone else, getting straight to the point and eliminating the fluff goes a lot further and I would hope the person on the other end appreciates that you aren't trying to fluff them.
Diablo
Politicker
0
Sr. AE
I don't hate this statement but I don't use it often as being direct on email gave me better results so I still use it and get straight to the point 
LordBusiness
Politicker
0
Chief Revenue Officer
Absolutely NO.  If it feels like "fluff" then its 99.9% not needed.  In fact, most people mentally "fast forward" through these fluffy type openings - so in essence they are a waste of time.   If you are going to open with something soft, I always go with something like.  

"I know your swamped so I'll be brief and direct in my value prop".  <-- this way you acknowledge and diffuse what everyone thinks "I'm so busy" and if you deliver on the promise (direct and brief) you build the working relationship on a foundation of trust (I told you I'd be brief, and I delivered). 

I actually had to train removing "hope you are well" out of my emails as it became so natural to type that shit. 
goose
Politicker
0
Sales Executive
I prefer to start emails with a tip. “The Giants covered their last 5 meetings with the Washington Football Team. Anyway, the reason for my email is…”
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Lose the fluff and while you are at cut the company info page and any stupid small talk you force into beginning of meetings.

I believe in hyper efficiency. If you can't explicit state how something moves a deal forward, cut it. 

I use this test "Has anyone ever decided not buy because this wasn't included?" If the answer is no, cut it.

So in this case, has anyone ever decided to not buy because I didn't not include pleasantries? No, then drop it and get to the point!
GreenSide
Politicker
0
Sales manager
I’ve actually been keeping “hope you had a great weekend” for those Monday emails to prospects BUT I put it at the end before my sign off.
Mothy
Politicker
0
Account Executive
Craft emails like Hemmingway writes.
Beans
Big Shot
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Don't do it, dive in - small talk is for the phone.

Emails are for concise language. 
elhandsomediablo
Good Citizen
0
Sales Development
Dearest sir, Greetings with the most highest of salutations. Wishing you health and wealth. ...something like that. Make that prospect feel royal. LOL
Lysistrata
Good Citizen
0
CEO
Yes! Is this supposed to be a stab at showing empathy? Does it make the sender feel better about themselves?

It's one more sentence that starts with "I"....

If you think about it, it can really open up a can of worms. What if the recipient isn't well, has lost relatives, etc., etc.? I mean, if they're not well, you're probably not gonna be selling them anything. You're just poking at another kind of pain that doesn't need poking.

Be professional. In the words of the inimitable Belal Betrawy - #DeathToFluff!

Moo
Fire Starter
0
Senior Account Manager
Less fluff the better.. I sometimes even keep it to one line. Depends on the person the more human the better though I believe!

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