🦾 The Email That Cost Me $80,000

Hey Insider,

My finger hovered over the send button.

"Just checking in to see if..."

Something made me stop.

Maybe it was the pit in my stomach. Maybe it was seeing this same phrase in the last 27 emails I'd sent. Or maybe it was remembering how I delete these exact emails when I receive them.

I opened my sent folder and searched "checking in."

422 results.

Then I searched "closed deals."

The overlap? Zero.

Let's get real: We're killing our own deals with inbox pollution.

The Moment Everything Changed

Tuesday morning sales meeting. Our CEO walked in unexpectedly. Pulled up his phone.

"Let me read you the last five emails I got from salespeople..."

One by one. All identical:

• "Just checking in..."

• "Wanted to follow up..."

• "Circling back..."

• "Touching base..."

• "Hoping to reconnect..."

The room got quiet.

"Now let me read you the one email I responded to immediately..."

The Million-Dollar Follow-Up

He read:

"Mike - That supply chain issue you mentioned last week? I found three companies that solved it in under 60 days. Their CFOs are happy to share their playbook with you. Should I set up a brief call?"

"That rep didn't check in," our CEO said. "He solved my problem."

The Value Framework

Old Pattern:

• Meeting 1: Great conversation

• → Email 1: "Thanks for your time!"

• → Email 2: "Checking in..."

• → Email 3: "Still interested?"

• → Email 4: Desperation

• → Result: Ghost town

New Pattern:

→ Meeting 1: Book Meeting 2

• "What should we solve next time?"

• "Who else needs these answers?"

• "When should we tackle part two?"

→ Between Meetings: Value Bombs

• Competitor analysis they can use today

• Market trends affecting their Q2

• Case studies that mirror their pain

• ROI math for their board deck

→ Meeting 2: Already scheduled because they needed the next answers

The Numbers Tell The Story

Before:

• 422 "check-in" emails

• 51 pity responses

• 12 mercy meetings

• 3 desperation closes

• $18,000 commission

After:

• 200 value-packed touches

• 124 engaged responses

• 42 requested meetings

• 28 partnership closes

• $168,000 commission

Your Value-First Protocol

This Week's Transformation:

Step 1: The Audit

□ Search your sent folder for:

• "checking in"

• "following up"

• "touching base"

• "circling back"

Count the closes from these threads (Warning: This will hurt)

Step 2: The Pivot

1. Schedule next meeting during current meeting

2. Map specific value drops between meetings

3. Build value arsenal:

• Industry insights

• Competitor moves

• Market shifts

• Success stories

• ROI calculators

Step 3: The New Standard Every touch must:

1. Solve a stated problem

2. Answer a raised question

3. Advance their agenda

4. Make them shine internally

Remember: Nobody deletes emails that make them money. Nobody ignores insights that make them look good. Nobody ghosts value that speaks to their board.

Hit reply with: What unique value could you deliver in your next touch that would make your prospect forward it to their boss?