It’s so much easier to edit a sales email sequence than it is to write it from scratch. That’s where swipe files come in. But how to create swipe files in the first place? Here’s a fast way that will make you more productive very quickly.
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What is a Swipe File?
A swipe file is a document or folder that contains examples of marketing and sales content that other companies have created. You can use the examples for ideas or as fodder that you can edit to create your own content.
Many companies offer swipe file templates, but I haven’t found them to be very useful. Usually, these templates are so generic that you still need to do a lot of thinking to craft a message that makes sense for your audience.
Effective swipe files are loaded with examples of both good and bad marketing and sales content. Adding how you create swipe files should also be a part of your marketing plan.
How do you know what’s a good or bad email sequence? That’s where a bit of teamwork can take you a very long way with minimal extra effort.
How to Create Swipe Files
When you first think about how to create swipe files, you might look to find sample content online. Unfortunately, that’s not going to turn up the answer to whether you or your executives find the material useful.
You need to create content that they would react positively to. That’s a litmus test to see whether your company’s prospects would respond positively as well.
Step 1: Forward the Vendor Emails You Get to Your Marketing Team
If you’re not a CEO, COO, CRO, CMO or a VP in marketing and sales roles, bring up this process in your next team meeting. Here’s the concept:
One of the most valuable activities you, as a business owner, or your C-Suite if you’re a marketer, can do for your sales team is to forward the numerous vendor sales pitches get daily to your marketing team.
Step 2: Add a One-Word Note Indicating Your Reaction
There’s a tiny catch. Instead of just forwarding the emails, add this one-word note at the top of your forwarded email message:
- Good
- Bad
The C-Suite, and other executives in VP roles, are in a unique position.
You read vendor emails because you are always on the lookout for ways to increase sales. Most of the time you will simply hit “delete.” That’s a lost opportunity.
Vendors are reaching out to executives like you since they often go to the top to find traction in the hopes that you will forward their message on to someone appropriate on your team.
Your sales and marketing teams don’t get these solicitations. Only you do.
The C-Suite gets even more vendor emails than anyone else.
Instead of hitting delete quickly, forward these emails to your marketing team with a note saying either “good” or “bad” so they know how you reacted to the message.
When you look at how to create swipe files, taking advantage of other people’s work as examples (not for plagiarism) is a quick way to get the job done.
Step 3: Save the Email Sequences as a Swipe File
Your marketing team can then create a swipe file, a shared document that your sales team can use to create their own sales messages.
This way, they’ll know what kinds of messaging you had a positive reaction to.
And that’s the easiest way to create swipe files.
Step 4: Use the Ones Marked “Good” to Create Your Email Sequences
Dissecting the good messages, especially when you capture a vendor’s full sales email sequence, is the fastest way to draft new messages that have a stronger chance of resonating with your prospects – and this can increase your sales.
Also, knowing what you consider to be a bad pitch is useful so they stay clear of writing messages that don’t resonate.
This will take your executives about 3 more seconds than hitting the delete key. Yet it will arm your marketing and sales teams with insights that only they can provide.
As you can see, how you create swipe files is relatively easy because you’re tapping into the good examples that you get regularly. Rather than relying on an outdated template, just track what you like in your inbox.
Author: Raj Khera, Publisher of MoreBusiness.com
