For Real Rainmaking in the Digital Age, Try Snail Mail

Elizabeth Kostura writes, “It’s funny; in this era of email and voicemail and all those things that even I did not grow up with, a plain old paper letter takes on an amazing intimacy.”

In the clutter and cacophony of the digital age and its mind-numbingly vast quantity of social media platforms, it is easy to pretend we are in relationship to one another. We’re not. Using these platforms, more often than not, is a lazy attempt to look like we care and personally relate, when, in fact, we are impersonally trying to extend sales reach–the assumption being that quantity trumps quality. It does not when dealing with real decision makers.

Here’s a little dinosaur wisdom: If you want to initiate new business with real corporate decision makers, write a letter. Send it snail mail, just like Grandma.

A written letter shows respect, personal seriousness, and class. While simplicity is the byword of the introductory letter, that does not mean you should limit the use of exact vocabulary. Don’t dumb it down. High level executives are usually educated, sophisticated people who respect the subtle and gradated use of language. However, the primary point of business writing is to simply get to the point with grace and exactitude.

Here’s how to practically create an effective introductory snail mail. Send your letter with a real stamp, ideally an attractive commemorative. Do not use labels for the address, but only direct printing on the envelope. Be sure to use expensive stationary. (Spend the money. It’s a very minor expense and it makes a major statement. The very touch of your letter connotes seriousness and respect for yourself and your potential client. It creates a sensual and qualitative branding statement.)

Ideally the body of the letter should absurdly, insultingly oversimplify the wonder of your company. It should be able to be scanned essentially in five seconds by a busy executive. The letter should go something like this:

1. Request a meeting on a specific date. (The date means nothing. It’s simply a technique for focusing the reader’s mind.)
2. Describe very briefly what you do, some authenticating clients and any salient defining information (awards, differentiators, rankings, quotes from major press, etc.)
3. Most importantly, one short paragraph should have two case studies of one sentence each–emphasizing money, ROI, or percentages of increased sales or savings. Pure green eye-shade stuff. Value.
4. No creativity. None of the unique qualitative reasons to use your firm.
5. Bold maybe four phrases in the letter.

That’s it. The letter should include no collateral and make as little time demand as possible on a busy corporate executive. The point of all this is simply to create a hint, a fragrance, a trope, a memory that he or she got something serious from you. Then you or your representative, of course, must follow up, referencing the letter. But that’s a discussion for another day.

There is one thing a corporate decision-maker is looking for. That thing is simple, clear ROI, whether in the form of earnings, savings, or efficiency. If you can make a compelling, differentiated, classy appeal, you chances of penetration distinctly improve.

Despite all the magical new technology and social messaging, real executive rain-making must be personalized. I feel it is insulting to try to initiate with a busy corporate executive without the weighted intonation of a letter. Quite aside from issues of spamming and information overload, a personal letter is innately imbued with the assumption of a high-level courtesy and a bespoke respect between equals. The most important fact about selling to decision-making corporate executives is simply this: They like to deal with their peers. They like to deal with people of equal gravitas and authority and wisdom. A direct personal letter initiates a trope of peer equality better than other less personal mediums.

Singer/songwriter Peter Allen wrote a song many years ago called “Everything Old is New Again.” Ironically, snail mail’s very decline in the face of the internet’s communication maelstrom, makes it increasingly more effective and noticeable when it is used. So use it.