Cold emails have a bad rep—they’re often irrelevant, long and rambling. They need to be short, sweet and respectful to get the attention of busy execs.
Using these email writing tips can help you craft emails that connect. Your prospects will be more likely to schedule a Zoom call or take another action you want them to perform.
Make a Personal Connection
Cold emails may be dying, but that’s not because they don’t work anymore, says SMTP Ghost. Instead, they’re not working as well as they could because the people sending them don’t know how to do it right. They’re not using enticing subject lines or personalizing the email. They’re not identifying their potential customers’ pain points and then presenting solutions that directly address those issues. And they’re not including a clear call-to-action or a way for the recipient to follow up with them.
The key to a successful cold email is to make it all about the recipient. You don’t want to send a generic message that can apply to anyone—that’s just going to get ignored or deleted. So, spend some time researching your prospect before crafting the email. This can be as easy as visiting their company website or social media profiles. It’s also a good idea to try and identify any common connections you might share with them, such as a shared alma mater or mutual acquaintance. This will help to forge a bond and boost their interest in your offer.
You should also focus on highlighting the benefits of your product or service. This will ensure that the recipient will actually benefit from using it, rather than just gaining a better understanding of what it does. So, for example, you might explain how your solution will directly address one of their pain points or provide them with valuable industry insights.
Once you’ve established a connection and demonstrated the value of your product or service, it’s important to tell your prospects what to do next. This might be scheduling a Zoom conversation, giving feedback, or simply replying to your email. Regardless, the CTA should be clear and straightforward so that the recipients don’t have any ambiguity about what you want them to do next.
Lastly, it’s crucial to avoid any spelling or grammar errors in your cold email. Even a single error can derail the credibility of your pitch and make you look unprofessional. So, be sure to read through the entire email before sending it out to ensure that there are no errors.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Cold emails have a bad reputation because they’re usually irrelevant, long, rambling and feel like spam. But if you can make your email short, sweet and respectful while also feeling easy to ask, it can be more likely to convert.
The first step in crafting an effective cold email is making a personal connection with your prospect. This can be done by including your name in the “from” field, letting them know who they’re talking to and providing social proof (like how you helped another client). This will help eliminate any doubts about you and your company.
Once you’ve captured their attention, you’ll need to convince them that your product or service will improve their life. To do this, create a story about how their life will be different with your solution. This will show them that you’re not just trying to sell them something; you truly care about their business and success.
You can also use this opportunity to showcase your expertise. You can do this by including any industry research you’ve done or mentioning any successes your team has had. Be careful not to overdo it, though; you don’t want to appear egotistical or brag about your accomplishments.
After showing your prospect how good their life will be with your solution, you’ll need to ask them for a meeting. In your email, include a low-commitment call to action (CTA). For example, you could say something like: “I’d love to chat about how we can help your company with its SEO metrics this week. Do you have a moment?”
Lastly, don’t forget to include your contact information in the email. This will help your prospects feel confident that you’ll follow up and ensure that they don’t get lost in the shuffle of their busy inboxes.
Include a Call-to-Action
Having a compelling call-to-action is essential to the success of your cold email. It’s what drives the recipient to take the next step, whether that’s scheduling a meeting or demo or simply responding to your message. Make sure that your CTA is short and concise so that it doesn’t get lost in the sea of other emails they receive. Adding a sense of urgency or scarcity can also increase the likelihood of them following through.
Another great way to entice a potential customer is to provide proof that your product or service works. Showcase how your solution improves a specific pain point that your prospect has and demonstrates how it can have a significant impact on their business. This is especially effective for prospects who may be skeptical of a cold email and helps to establish credibility and trust.
If you are unsure of what pain point to focus on, try using a PAS template to identify a common challenge your target audience is facing and then highlight how your product or service is the perfect fit. For example, if your product is an email management tool and you’re targeting enterprise businesses, you can mention that you have seen a significant uptick in sales and efficiency with companies who use your product.
Once you’ve identified a pain point, it’s important to understand your prospect’s motivations and needs. For example, a potential client might be interested in improving their customer support processes but not necessarily willing to invest in a full-blown solution right away. Try leveraging the PAS template to evaluate their fit and determine how far along they are in the process of making a purchasing decision.
Ultimately, the most effective cold emails are personal and focused on the recipient. Avoid over-selling and putting yourself in a position where you are perceived as an aggressive salesperson. Instead, focus on building a relationship and providing value, then let the sale come naturally as your connection deepens. This will ensure your prospects are happy and will continue to engage with your content and brand.
Avoid Spelling and Grammar Errors
When it comes to cold emails, there is nothing that can derail your message like a single spelling or grammar error. These mistakes can make you look careless and unprofessional, which will have a negative impact on your prospects’ perception of your brand. To avoid these errors, be sure to double-check your work and use spell checker tools before sending. Additionally, avoiding using too much professional jargon and avoiding excessive punctuation can also improve the clarity of your email.
Subject Line: The subject line is the first thing a prospect sees when they open an email, so it’s important to make it eye-catching and relevant to your message. Subject lines that ask a question, include a number, tease a benefit (like a discount or freebie), or are specific and direct can increase the likelihood of getting clicked. Try to keep the subject line to around 7 words or less so it is visible in crowded inboxes.
Body: In the body of your email, clearly explain your product/service and how it will benefit the recipient. Remember, the purpose of a cold email is to provide value to your prospect, so you need to make it clear how your solution is an answer to their problem. You can use bullet points or short paragraphs to break down your message into easily digestible chunks, which will improve readability.
CTA: End the email with a call-to-action. Your CTA should be a simple and direct request for the prospect to take an action, such as scheduling a meeting or downloading a demo video. Make sure to include a link to your website where they can learn more about your company.
Pre-Header: A well-crafted pre-header can help your email stand out in a crowded inbox. Make sure to remove template details, such as [NAME] and [CHALLENGE], and include a personalized greeting or relevant information that relates to the prospect’s business.
By following these best practices, you can create compelling cold emails that convert. Just remember to make a personal connection, keep it short and sweet, include a call-to-action, avoid grammatical or spelling errors, and be mindful of spam trigger words that can decrease your deliverability.
Leave a Comment