Cold emails. It’s one of the best ways to start a conversation, build a rapport with a potential lead and grow a relationship. It can generate new customers, new partnerships, and ideally – new revenue. But, how to start a cold email is challenging. You don’t have a relationship with that person. They likely have never heard from you before and in most situations, you only get one shot to capture their attention and hold it.
But if done right, cold emails can work well. Just don’t expect results on the first send. Here’s how to start a cold email.
What Makes a Cold Email Effective
There are two reasons why cold emails, or really any email, isn’t effective. The first reason is that the recipient isn’t engaged and doesn’t know what you do or who you are. The second reason an email fails? You don’t know who your target audience is. You need to tailor your message to the right audience, with the right message.
To do that, do your research and know who your audience is before you start a cold email. Once you have a list in hand and it’s segmented accordingly, you can then start a cold email campaign.
How To Start a Cold Email?
When thinking about how to start a new cold email there isn’t a perfect formula. But what you first need to know is who your target audience is. Then, ensure that the list you’ve either purchased or acquired contains those key types of individuals you wish to market to. Once you have a targeted, quality list in hand, begin writing your message.
The content of the message becomes the pinnacle to success. Failure to engage your audience, inform and educate them on what you offer and why they’d benefit from it will lead to low results. And less engagement on an email message can eventually land you in the junk folder. Mail clients are getting more intuitive and will rank emails higher in a list to get to the inbox if that recipient has interacted with previous messages from you.
For your content plan, ensure your first message connects with your audience. Don’t just go for the hard sell. Introduce who you are, what you do and why they should choose your services or products. Work on building a relationship with your audience to construct a personalized message that engages.
Also, think about their pain points. A pain point is something your prospect is constantly struggling with. Understanding them requires some research, but once you determine how you can solve them. It can be a great starting point in a conversation.
Give the recipient a reason to continue reading. Offer a demo of your product or service, the opportunity to purchase a promotional plan, or even a promise of future support. When you give something away versus asking for something, you build that trust.
The best way to show your worth is through testimonials or social proof. Mentioning or adding a link to a client case in your cold emails will provide a preview of your work. With these examples, the prospects may be more inclined to hear from you and consider your email as a legitimate business.
Mistakes to Avoid when Writing a Cold Email
The things you want to avoid when starting a cold email? Here is a short list that can give you guidance:
1. Avoid scatterbrain. What is this? It’s when you put too many thoughts, ideas, and calls to action in one email message. Readers get confused. They often don’t know what is being asked of them and it will lead to poor results and an increase in opt-outs. Instead, highlight your values. Provide benefits of what it is you’re offering and ensure your message is short, succinct, and relevant. All the copy you create should support one idea, add value and be persuasive.
2. Avoid long winded messages. Structure your cold email in a way that clearly and concisely communicates your value, the offer you are making, the proof to support your message, and the action you want them to take. A simple way to know if your email is long is to ask yourself how you’d feel receiving this message. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Would they feel the email is too lengthy?
3. Avoid adding fluff, and filler phrases. Use phrases that clearly convey value, gets to the point and calls attention. Using soft language and unnecessary content undercuts your message. The quicker you’re able to inform and offer benefit, the better the response rate will be.
4. Avoid making spelling and grammar mistakes. Sending messages with too many grammar mistakes is a good way to look spammy. It also can lead to distrust and therefore contacts may not believe you are who you say you are. This can lead to high opt-outs, increase in complaints and ultimately land your emails into the junk folder. To avoid this mistake, read your email before sending it, use a spell checker tool, or ask a colleague to review it.
Learn more about how to craft the perfect outbound email here.
Are you ready to learn how to send a cold email? Book a 1-to-1 live software demo today.
