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How To Use Cold Emails To Gain Clients
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Just the phrase "cold email" can send a shiver down the spine of a business owner. Many of us have trouble asking for something we want in our personal lives, but it's a must in business. If you can get past that natural apprehension, you will unlock a new level of business success.
Why Should I Send Cold Emails?
With cold email marketing, you get direct access to a potential client with the opportunity to connect on a personal level. There are no follows, likes, or worrying about your audience reach. Your success lies in your ability to research and compose a message that resonates with your prospect. It may seem counterintuitive, but it's essential to understand:
Cold emails don't get sent to just anyone.
They are laser targeted and tailored to one specific person and company. Not only that, but you will have researched them thoroughly and found some information that you can include in your message. That kind of personalization is missing from marketing strategies that rely solely on social media for growth.
Who should I send cold emails to?
I'm going to assume that you have already identified your target market by the time you are ready to send cold emails out. If you haven't taken the time to do that yet, save yourself some headaches, time, and money. Spend a weekend mapping out who your ideal client is. You can always switch focus as you progress. It's an excellent way to narrow down your focus until you find your most profitable niche.
LinkedIn is an invaluable tool for researching prospects. You'll be able to filter your searches by the types of companies you want to reach. Job titles are a key indicator of how high or low someone is on the totem pole.
The higher up the ladder you go, the more likely you will find a decision-maker, which is your ultimate goal.
You can often find this information on a prospect's website on their Meet The Team or About page. You'll want to identify the head of the department that fits with your services, and you'll want to try and find their corporate email address.
If you notice something about another team member that you find you have a connection with, such as the same university or association, take note of that as well. They could be a good advocate for you within the company.
What Are The Qualities Of A Successful Cold Email
There are several standard ways to write a cold email, but the most successful cold emails are short and to the point with an explicit request that makes it easy for the recipient to reply.
The message is brief and polite
It addresses the needs of the prospect
It doesn't focus on you or your services
It doesn't ask for anything more than a next step
It ends with a straightforward Call To Action
You are sending the message in the spirit of service, not sales
How To Write Your Cold Email
Popular advice in Email Marketing tells you to include your unique selling proposition in your cold email, yet we're supposed to focus on the client and not get too salesy. What I have found works the best is to start your intro with a simpler value statement.
Cold Email Subject Line
Standard email marketing wisdom says that a cold email needs a subject line that will grab the reader's attention right off the bat. Catchy! Buzzy! Intriguing!
I'm going to be honest here. I've had a fantastic response rate by keeping it short and intriguing.
Are you ready for MY winning subject line?
Here goes:
Subject: A Quick Question
Think about how cluttered your email inbox is every day. I ignore the words in the subject lines that are salesy, like Act Now! Sale Ending Soon! I don't have time to be bothered.
But when I see a short, clear subject line like this, I think to myself, "Aha! A quick question? Now that is something I can handle". And more often than not, I open that email.
I need you to trust me on this. After years of market research, lead generation, and email marketing, I've honed my craft based on solid, consistent results.
Cold Email Opening
The first sentence of your cold email should be compelling enough to make them want to read more of your message. When crafting this first line, think about what you want to say because you only have a few seconds to catch their attention before moving on to something else with no intention of coming back.
Most importantly, the opening should focus on them.
Let's use this example and pretend that this is a manufacturing facility that I want to do copywriting for:
Hello John,
I wanted to congratulate you on your recent expansion to your new, larger facility. Things must be so exciting over there right now!
(Note how I have researched his company already. Some companies have timelines on their About page, or you may find an article about the company that may give you a talking point.)
Cold Email Body
And here we get to the meat of the message. We've made it through subject lines and intro openings, and this part can seem impossible. Not a problem!
My name is Raquel, I provide innovative copywriting services to manufacturing SMEs like yours, and I am curious about your next Big Plan.
Copywriting can make or break a campaign, and no matter the size of your company, every dollar matters. I understand the importance of finding the right person to truly understand your brand voice and convey your company's value and benefits.
Notice here that the very first sentence is my value statement in its most basic form and nothing more. Remember, the focus isn't on you yet. Your turn to shine is when you've engaged your prospect, and I've also identified a common pain point for my prospect.
Cold Email Call To Action
Ok, it's time to bring it home! You can do this.
It would be a pleasure to learn more about your upcoming marketing projects.
Are you available on (x) morning or (y) afternoon for a quick chat?
So, what does a successful Cold Email look like?
Let's put it all together. Here is the complete Cold Email that we have just created.
Subject: A Quick Question
Hello John,
I wanted to congratulate you on your recent expansion to your new, larger facility. Things must be so exciting over there right now!
My name is Raquel, I provide innovative copywriting services to manufacturing SMEs like yours, and I am curious about your next Big Plan.
Copywriting can make or break a campaign, and no matter the size of your company, every dollar matters. I understand the importance of finding the right person to truly understand your brand voice and convey your company's value and benefits.
It would be a pleasure to learn more about your upcoming marketing projects.
Are you available on Friday morning or Wednesday afternoon for a quick chat?
The Secret To Making Cold Emails Work For You
Here is something that I don't see discussed much:
The follow-up email
You must follow up after you send your first cold email out!
The follow-up email is where I get the most engagement and where prospects turn into leads.
What should a follow-up email say?
You're in luck! A follow-up email is nothing like a cold email. Forget about fancy strategizing- this time, a simple message urging the prospect towards your CTA is all that is needed. It starts with the subject line:
Subject: Quick follow up
Hi John!
I wanted to follow up on my previous email. I'm interested in learning more about your company's upcoming marketing strategies and how my copywriting services can contribute to its success.
When are you typically available for a quick chat?
Thanks so much, John, I appreciate your time.
Easy, right? You're going to do great!
Remember when you first started reading? I bet you didn't think it'd be this easy. I'm so excited for you. You are now on a path that leads directly to success and profit. I wish you all the best of luck in your email marketing!
Some Final Notes About Sending Out Cold Emails Successfully
To maximize your potential, make sure that you have these essential things in place before sending any emails out:
Have a professional email address
Don't worry, you do not have to have a website built. Instead, you can spend around $15 for a domain name and use that to get your professional email address. Plus, you won't have to worry about anyone taking your ideal website address.
Create a great email signature
You can use free signature creators like Hubspot's to get a polished, branded email signature to use. It's important because it is primarily where the prospect is going to learn about your business. At the minimum, you want your signature to include your name, title and business name, phone number, and website address (if applicable).
Send your cold emails out on Tuesdays and your follow-up emails on Thursdays
Again, this is based on years of experience and A/B testing. These are the very best days to try to engage a prospect via cold email.
Keep track of your prospects and email efforts in a simple spreadsheet or CRM
Whether you use a simple Excel or Google Sheet or you use a sophisticated Client Relationship Management system, you must keep track of your efforts to keep your sales funnel and marketing plans on track.
Decide on a schedule for future emails
Use that system you set up to track your email marketing efforts. Once you have sent your two emails, think about trying again with the prospect in a couple of months. This is the foundation of your sales funnel.
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