Cold email outreach is the best sales pitch strategy for selling products or services. However, to this day, it's a thorny road for many marketing professionals. Its low response rates and the effort required to deter the bravest. Cold emailing is a strategy, so it needs careful consideration and effective techniques.
If you want to improve your strategy, prepare and craft compelling email copy for outreach; read on. In this article, we will discuss the techniques, templates, improving efficiency, how to measure and optimize outreach campaigns, and the common mistakes that return negative results everyone fears.
Cold email outreach involves using automation to send emails to the target audience. The purpose is to develop lead generation or, in other words, to establish a connection with prospective clients who have never had contact with a company. The salesperson, usually the sender, aims to attract the recipient's attention and possibly make them consider the company's products or services.
As mentioned, the method depends on the message and how well you appeal to your leads. You can build relationships and make prospects into paying customers depending on the engagement and value proposition. Hence, it's still a first choice for many companies and small businesses to reach more people simultaneously.
Cold email outreach campaigns are a process; there is a preparation period, like everything in life. How well you prepare your outreach influences responses. Therefore, let's review some tips and best practices you can use to improve your chances of success.
Researching your ideal customer's identity and possible problems is a marketing approach to have an image of the people you are addressing. Knowing who you're writing to is more accessible than typing an email text for thousands. Additionally, the benefit of a custom persona is personalization; that way, you know exactly which pain points to target. Whether it's an objection, an offer, or a problem they need to resolve, targeting the right reason can build connections and get more positive replies.
Having the correct contact information is as important as knowing what to write in the email. Sending your message to the correct address enhances the effectiveness of your outreach and increases deliverability. There are many ways to find email addresses on the Web. The most efficient one is using email finder tools, which offer filters to search for contacts by company name, website, job title, or company revenue. Additionally, the tool automatically verifies all email addresses, leaving no room for bounced emails.
Segmentation allows you to divide your customers into meaningful groups based on specific criteria. For example, based on their interests, behaviors, or demographic data, you can create a concrete email list that will serve as a guide for which message will be the most appropriate for that audience. When you access your customers based on criteria and craft a compelling email message, it's more likely you will receive a positive reply to your proposal.
You might think that you have a ready-made template for your cold emails, and that's it. There's nothing to it; you add a name, email subjects, visual content, body, and offer, and you're done. Before you click the Send button, let's consider six steps in between.
We often forget that line just above the subject line. That "from" line says a lot about who sent that email. We usually forget it because it's usually automatically created by the email client. However, customizing it can make a big difference to the recipient and how they perceive the email they receive. But what should that line contain?
The lines with the best results are the ones customized according to your email's message. For this reason, your "from" line should either contain your name, full name, full name, and role, or full name and company. Your readers need to know who you are without even reading your message. In the end, you know best what your prospects would like to see more of in that line.
Captivating subject lines. What does that mean? It means you will win recipients, and they will open your message. In other words, you increase your open rate. But how will you do that? Again, the subject line follows your email copy. It's like a summary and invitation for readers to discover more. If you have ever received sales emails, you know that they try hard to get your attention with their offerings.
However, the success of the subject line depends on the contents of your messages and how well you target your audience. Crafting a compelling subject line is like writing a headline for a newspaper article. People skim through the content, and you have a few seconds to captivate them. Answer their question: why should I open this email? Use the advantage of A/B testing if you have more ideas, and see which one gets better results or opportunities.
Once you get them to open an email, your work doesn't end. Now, you have to keep them reading with the introduction. It's your chance to get them to the end of the email and possibly get that conversion. Some examples are talking about their company or expertise or even mentioning their blog post. However, that introduction shouldn't contain more than two sentences.
The point here is to explain only a little but to let them know that this email was written for them and that you purposely sent it directly to them. In the end, you demonstrate professionalism without being pushy and sounding like a general message they receive daily.
Now comes the part you are waiting for, and that's your pitch. That doesn't mean starting bluntly with the talk of your product or services. It's about providing value for them or answering the question: What's in it for them? That means focusing your message on the benefits they get if they buy your products or services, and it doesn't mean the discount.
You have several sentences and bullet points to show them why they should continue correspondence with you. Keep it concise with your previous introduction to make it fluent and not forced. Above all, keep it precise, and don't leave them wondering what you are offering.
Now that you have concluded your paragraphs, you need to direct them to the next step if they choose to keep the conversation going. That means summarizing a message in a short line of text. Although it's the small text at the end of your message, it's as important as the subject line. Done right, it gives your email campaign more power.
You don't have the luxury of making this part long. Keep your CTA to the point and state clearly what you want the recipient to do. Whether it's a meeting, phone call, or visit to your website, stay to the point and follow the rest of your message.
The last part of your message is an email sign-off followed by the signature. It gives your reader clear contact information, who you are, and where you are coming from. Don't keep them wondering who sent the email and where they should find your contact information because they don't have that time.
Make it easy for them to say yes instead of no. Use your email client to make the signature clear and professional.
The email signature gives your prospective clients not only a way to reach you or check you out but also, if done properly, a sense of trustworthiness. There are creative ways to display your contact information; however, don't overuse it. Enter only the necessary information, such as your full name, role, and the company you are representing. If additional details, such as a website, are needed, enter them by all means.
The volume is the first thing you see when you open an email. Now, be sincere and say, would you read a lengthy email? Especially the one sent from a stranger or someone you never met or corresponded with. Presumably not. Hence, keep your email message brief and to the point, and don't abuse other persons' time.
That means keeping your email copy below 200 words. In email marketing, there is a rule of thumb based on the case study that an email of up to 125 words is long enough to convey the message and awaken the interest of the person reading it. In other words, you have a couple of sentences to state your offers respectfully and professionally.
Effective cold email outreach depends on the content of your message; if you are talking to someone in person, you are having a conversation that engages the other person. It's the same with email. You might not know that person, but it doesn't mean you should fill up a general template and leave it at that. Even when using templates, you should customize your message to the individual you are speaking to. Hence, let's take a look at the five cold outreach email templates with examples that can allow you to achieve better results:
A quick question template is used when you are not entirely sure if you have the right email address or the correct contact. It comes with a proper introduction and asks for a certain type of information. It's short and to the point.
Example:
Hello [Name of the recipient]
I am [Your name] and represent [Your company name]. Could you tell me who makes decisions in the [Sales/Product buying] department and how I can contact them?
I appreciate any help you can provide.
[Your email signature]
Why it works: This type of template has a high response rate because it's easy to answer and takes little time. It's direct and to the point. In the end, when you ask for the right contact, it clearly states that you are human, making your recipient sympathize with your effort.
A third-party connection cold email template is usually used when you either have a mutual acquaintance or referral with the person you are writing to. Perhaps the person from your network has referred you to them via LinkedIn. That means integrating the mention of the connection in the subject line and the opening sentence of the email.
Example:
Hi [First Name],
[Mutual connection] suggested I contact you about [specific topic]. I'd love to connect and discuss how [Your product/Service] can benefit [Recipient's Company].
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Email signature]
Why it works: If there is something people like, it is knowing that someone else passed through the process of evaluating you. That doesn't mean they will believe you, but they are more likely to correspond with you.
PAS stands for Problem-Agitate-Solution framework. It's simple guidance on what your email should contain; it means the recipient's problem, which you should stir and then offer a solution to it through your product or service.
Example:
Hi [First Name],
Are you struggling with [specific pain point]? It's a common challenge for [industry/role]. Our [Your solution] can help you [benefit]. We can discuss this more over Zoom; we are here to make your company streamline its services.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Why it works: It might take some research, but addressing the right pain point of your prospect puts you in a better position as a problem solver.
The AIDA template follows the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action model. Simply, it means grabbing the attention, creating interest in your offer, awakening the desire to hear more or buy a product, and ending with a clear call to action. It can be used in various situations besides cold recruiting email templates.
Example:
Hi [Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I'm a recruiter at [Your Company]. I came across your profile on LinkedIn and was impressed by your experience in [specific skill or industry].
We're seeking a skilled [Job Title] to join our team. The role involves [briefly describe responsibilities]. Our company offers [mention perks, growth opportunities, or unique selling points].
If you're interested in learning more, let's schedule a quick call. Please reply to this email or contact me directly at [Your Phone Number].
I am looking forward to connecting!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company]
Why it works: Although you can expand this email since you have to state your solution, AIDA gives you an opportunity to keep the recipient engaged throughout the email and finally encourages action.
This is the most straightforward template; it's concise, direct, and offers clear and relevant context.
Example:
Hi [Recipients Name],
I'm reaching out because [specific reason]. Our [Your Product/Service] has helped [similar companies] achieve [impressive results]. Can we discuss how it might benefit [Recipient's Company]?
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Why it works: Being to the point in a few words respects the recipient's time and doesn't disrupt their workday. That means you have a higher chance of getting a positive response.
Since the beginning of email marketing, the messages were meant to reach the recipient who will respond to an email. Unlike cold calling, which aims to secure a meeting or conversion in one go quickly, the initial aim of cold emailing is to start a conversation. Hence, making that first chat brief and to the point is essential, as long emails can deter your potential prospects.
The second important element is avoiding spam filters. That means checking on your email deliverability. Your email service provider can mark you as spam if you didn't warm up the account, did not authenticate it, or exceeded the daily email sending limit. That said, quantity is not quality. Avoid sending messages that speak more about you, your services, or your product, and focus more on your recipient. How can you solve their problems? That means addressing their problems and offering your resolution. That also means personalization, as not every prospect has the same issue in their daily business.
You can use audience segmentation to divide your prospects into similar groups, but paying attention to their needs is best. There might be one person in the group who doesn't find your offer interesting for various reasons. Make sure to address all of the possibilities before sending the message. Cold email platforms such as CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot) and email finder software can help you clean up your lists and compose messages in bulk. Finally, provide a clear pathway to the resolution with a call to action.
Cold email marketing success is only valuable if you have experience and know how it performs using a measuring system. The results help you understand your efforts. That means evaluating your messages' impact on your prospects and adjusting your plan accordingly. It gives you a chance to be more effective and promote success.
One of the most powerful tools you can use to enhance your cold email campaign is A/B testing. Maybe testing is notorious among the sales team, and no one wants to embrace it, but there's no magic button you can press to improve your campaign apart from testing.
That said, it's a form of experiment testing between two versions of a cold email. Whether its variations are content, subject line, or entire sequence, you are performing split-testing to determine which of the two performs better. Ultimately, the final results of two groups of people decide the successful version.
The success of your cold email campaign doesn't depend solely on the message you are sending. That's why interpreting the critical performance indicators (KPIs) is essential to any data-driven campaign. If you are wondering why you should analyze them in the first place, it is because they can give you an insight into different elements of your campaign:
That said, you need to watch a few crucial KPIs closely. Let's briefly take a look at each of them:
Open Rate - This is the metric that shows you whether or not a prospect opened your message. The problem is that it's a pixel embedded in the message you send, and many email service providers block them, in addition to prospects who choose to disable automatic image loading. The average success is measured when results pass over 60%.
Reply Rate - This rate shows insights into the percentage of people who responded to your email. That means they already opened it. The question is whether they were inspired to reply. If your percentage is low, it means that you need to revise your call to action, improve email list quality, or ask a simple question, such as ask for feedback or review.
Bounce Rate - It simply signifies the number of times your email did not reach the recipient's inbox. That said, you want to keep it as low as possible, for example, 3%. If your percentage is high, it might affect your entire campaign. The possible negative result could be that email providers mark you as a spammer. You might want to check your email lists and ensure they are verified.
Unsubscribe Rate - This number gives you an understanding of people who either clicked the unsubscribe button or asked you to do so via reply. It's a normal occurrence, and it's important to have this option because of the compliance regulations. However, if the percentage is high, you are either not using personalization, have too much text, or are sending too many follow-ups.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) - This is a rate in your analytics that shows how many individuals clicked on the link within your email. It's a risky move, as each link has a tracking URL that every email provider recognizes, which can hurt your reputation. That automatically indicates you are there for sales, not the user.
In the end, many professionals and teams ask themselves why their campaign doesn't work. The reality of cold email marketing is that there are many different reasons why. But let's mention the most important ones.
Using misleading subject lines - Not only does it do nothing apart from hurting your reputation and ending in a spam folder, but it will not have a good effect on your final goal. Whether it's a conversion or contact with the person, they will delete the message they find irrelevant to its title.
Sending emails that are too long - Emails that are too long can have a negative effect on the recipient with little time to spare. They will never read them through, and they will end up somewhere in the dark without a result.
Not double-checking the email address before sending - Emails are often written wrong, or someone changes the company. Sending an email to the incorrect address can influence your reputation as a sender.
Sending too many emails too frequently - If you send follow-up emails, keep them within the three messages. Sending too many can make your prospects unsubscribe or mark you as spam.
Asking for too much in one email - If you are asking for something, make it simple and easy for them to answer or take action. Asking for too many things will get you ignored.
Forgetting to personalize the email - As we mentioned, personalization is important, as the generic messages will no longer work.
In the end, addressing recipients' needs and sending informative, well-crafted, consistent, and structured email messages can get you a much better response than cheating on small things only to fail. We have reviewed some templates, advice, and actionable steps to avoid mistakes when writing cold emails.
Having a verified and clean email list is the starting point of your outreach, and you must ensure that you reach the right contact. Using the software BookYourData to automate your search and validate email addresses can give you a higher deliverability score. BookYourData is one of the leading email finder tools on the market, with 97% accuracy and flexible pricing plans for businesses of all sizes.
It is legal to send cold emails in most of the countries. That said, you need to follow the compliance regulations according to your prospects' location.
The most common challenges in cold email outreach are finding the correct email address, composing compelling messages, establishing the proper follow-up, and sending emails promptly.
You should follow up three times in a cold email; this gives the prospect enough time to make a decision.
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