Prospecting Pitfalls

Email prospecting. It's been the go-to outreach method for decades-and for many salespeople, it's still their comfort zone.

But here's the reality: It doesn't work like it used to. Open rates are shrinking, spam filters are tightening, and inbox fatigue is real. As Troy Harrison, a veteran sales trainer known as "The Sales Navigator," puts it, "Email prospecting is the Snuggie of sales. It's comforting, it makes you feel like you're doing something, but it doesn't really accomplish anything."

He's right. Too many reps fall into what Harrison calls the "spray-and-pray" approach-blast out hundreds or thousands of emails, cross your fingers, and hope someone bites. The problem? The math no longer adds up.

The numbers don't lie

Harrison counts his emails daily, and it's not a pretty picture, one that you can no doubt relate to. "As we're recording this, it's noon, and I've already deleted 28 emails today," he said. "I saw one company bragging that they sent out 560,000 emails and got 21 responses. That's not marketing. That's noise."

Once upon a time, direct mail marketers were happy with a 1% or 2% response rate. Today, you'd be lucky to get one-tenth of that from email. Why? Because your audience-just like you-is drowning in digital clutter. "People are carpet-bombed with emails," Harrison said. "They don't have time to read, much less respond to everyone."

And while those bulk messages may look productive on paper-especially when logged neatly in a CRM-they're often just busy work. "At the end of the day, a sales manager might look and say, 'John sent 85 emails today.' But those emails didn't accomplish anything. Salespeople do it because email doesn't tell you no," Harrison said. "It's less frustrating than calling-but it's also less effective."

The myth of the 'warm-up' email

Another classic trap? The "warm-up" email-a message sent before a cold call in hopes it'll make the conversation smoother. "It doesn't happen," Harrison said flatly. "That email probably gets deleted or blocked, and even if you call a few hours later, they're so bombarded they won't remember it."

In fact, he says the opposite can be true: A well-placed voicemail can make someone more likely to open your email. "If they hear a real, living human being giving their name and reason for calling, it increases the odds they'll read your message."

Less is more-and human wins

The solution, Harrison says, isn't to abandon email altogether-but to use it intentionally. That means fewer messages, more personalization, and a focus on real human connection. "Instead of trying to send out 100 emails in an hour, find 10 people who actually have a reason to talk to you," he said. "Make each one read like it was written just for them. It should feel like one-to-one communication."

In other words, don't act like a robot-and don't let AI do your talking. "There's growing AI suspicion," Harrison noted. "People crave authenticity. They want to know a human wrote that message." He points out that long, generic emails tend to set off both spam filters and human red flags. "Spammers use long copy. Real salespeople don't. Keep it short, real, and specific."

Call first, email second

If there's one piece of advice Harrison stands by, it's this: Call first. "Before you even go down the email road, make the call," he said. "Leave a good voicemail, then send an email referencing that call. That's what gets attention."

If a phone call is the handshake, email is the follow-up, and in that order. "My order of preference for initial contact is: Phone call, LinkedIn connection, then email," Harrison said. "Email is way down the list."

The automation trap

Of course, it's easy to see why salespeople cling to email automation tools. They're convenient, they scale, and they let you check the "prospecting" box with a few clicks. But convenience isn't the same as connection. "The biggest danger is thinking volume equals productivity," Harrison said. "It doesn't. If anything, automation amplifies mediocrity."

He warns that the more technology is used to scale communication, the less personal it feels-and the more people tune it out. "If your email looks like AI wrote it, you've already lost," he said. "Authenticity is the new currency."

The smarter prospecting mindset

So how can you fix your email game? Harrison offers a few quick fixes:

• Send fewer, better emails. Focus on individuals with real potential, not giant lists.
• Keep it short. Make every sentence earn its place.
• Make it human. Use conversational language and specific references.
• Call first, email second. Human voice builds recognition.
• Stop chasing volume. Quality trumps quantity every time.

The bottom line

Email prospecting isn't dead-but the "spray and pray" version sure is. In a world flooded with automation, the personal touch stands out more than ever.

As Harrison put it, "Salespeople think they're working when they're blasting emails, but the truth is, they're just hiding from rejection. Real sales happen when you talk to people-when you connect."

In other words, the Snuggie might be cozy-but it won't close deals. Human connection beats automation any day.

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