A cold email helps you start a conversation with someone you have no prior connection with — it could be a potential customer, a person you want to build a network with, or perhaps someone you want to ask for a backlink.
Essentially, cold sales emails offer you an opportunity to build a relationship with a cold lead.
Cold emailing is similar to cold calling in that you call prospects to see if they are interested in a product or service. The difference is that, unlike cold calling, cold emails are less intrusive, and well-written ones do not push a hard sell.
Cold emails, when written correctly, engage your ideal customer and provide them with the information they need to respond to encourage a response.
Personalize. Personalize. Personalize.
Let's face it: most people despise having their inboxes clogged with unsolicited email!
This is due to the fact that 99 percent of these emails are completely irrelevant to the recipients.
So how do you come up with a personalized and sure-to-receive-an-answer email?
1. Come up with an Interesting Subject Line
Make sure your subject line is correct because it is the first thing your recipient sees.
Why is this so?
As many as 33% of recipients open emails solely based on the subject line!
You want to keep the subject line of the cold email short and interesting — something that will quickly capture your prospect's attention.
Examples:
- “A quick idea for improving [topic of interest for the prospect]”
- “Save [dollar amount/%] on [business expenses]”
- “Did you know [competitor] ranks higher than you for ‘[keyword]?’ This is why.”
2. Customize the Content of Your Cold Emails
You should not expect a response if you send a generic message.
After all, your prospect's inbox is likely to be inundated with hundreds of emails each day.
That is why you must prove that you are not a spammer by sending emails to hundreds of people about whom you know nothing.
B2B marketers must conduct extensive research in order to efficiently create personalized emails.
Create tailor-made outreach emails that match your recipient's needs, emphasizing how only you can help them get what they want.
3. Demonstrate Your Credibility
Keep in mind that your recipients know nothing about you.
That is why it is critical for your cold email to clearly explain who you are (for example, a sales manager, sales rep, or customer relationship executive) and why you are the right person to discuss their needs with.
Explain your credentials — what you represent, whether you have a mutual connection or a common interest, and why you're reaching out to them — in your cold email.
Including social proof examples from companies you've worked with in your emails is an excellent way for B2B marketers and B2B sales reps to build trust during cold outreach.
Use:
- Case studies
- Testimonials
- Mentions in media
- Social media shares
- Podcast appearances
- Articles
4. Emphasize Your Recipient's Pain Points
When conducting research, try to identify a pain point that your recipient may be experiencing and include it in your cold emails.
It demonstrates:
You've done your homework on them. You both have a vested interest in advancing their mission and assisting them in achieving their goals.
5. Specify Your Capabilities
The most important aspect of your cold email message is specifying your value proposition. It's the whole point of emailing a prospect in the first place.
Describe how you will add value to their lives and why they should bother reading this cold email.
6. Include a Call-to-Action at the end of your email.
Assume your recipient was impressed by your outreach email and is interested in doing business with you.
A straightforward call to action highlights the next steps your cold prospect can take if they are interested in your value proposition.
It could be:
- Arranging a meeting with you
- Signing up for a free trial period
- Obtaining a white paper
- Taking a look at a blog post
The goal is to make it easier for qualified leads to continue the conversation — without having to think too hard about what you expect them to do.
7. Make Use of a Properly Constructed Signature
A great email signature is the icing on the cake of a well-crafted cold email.
It informs the recipient of who you are, what company you represent, your role, and alternative ways to contact you, such as a secondary email address or mobile phone number.
Who can use them?
You know what cold emails are
But, when and where can you use them?
You can use cold emails for:
- Lead Generation
- Partnerships
- Influencer Marketing
- Link Building
- Recruiting
- Public Relations
- Market Research
Check this article on the uses of cold email for more on the related topic.
Cold emails are:
- Simple: To contact prospects, you only need their email addresses.
- Excellent return on investment:
Emails provide excellent returns on investment.
- Scalable: Email tools can quickly assist you in creating scalable campaigns for a large audience.
If you have a need for starting to send your cold emails, hit us up, we can help you out and teach you the right ways, or totally do it for you.
