How to Craft Cold Emails That Convert: Templates and Tips from the Experts.
Cold emailing refers to sending unsolicited emails to potential customers or clients you have no existing relationship with. While some may see it as intrusive, cold emailing can be an extremely effective marketing and sales technique when done properly.
The key benefit of cold emailing is that it allows you to directly reach and engage your target audience. With a well-crafted message that communicates value, you can grab people's attention and generate new business opportunities.
Additionally, cold emailing scales easily, enabling you to connect with hundreds or even thousands of prospects at a relatively low cost.
However, crafting effective cold emails takes skill. This is where templates can come in handy. Well-designed templates allow you to create consistent and professional messages that incorporate proven best practices. Rather than starting from scratch every time, you can use templates as a framework to quickly customize emails for different recipients.
This guide will provide tips and examples of highly effective cold email templates you can use and customize for your own outreach campaigns. With the right templates and approach, cold emailing can become an invaluable tool for connecting with potential customers and growing your business.
Know Your Audience -
Before reaching out to someone cold, it's important to research who they are and what their needs or interests might be. Take some time to learn about the person you'll be emailing, their company, and their role.
Look at their LinkedIn profile, visit their website, and try to get a sense of what matters to them and what kind of messaging might appeal to them. The more tailored your outreach is, the better chance it has of getting opened and read.
Make sure your email demonstrates an understanding of their business and what they care about. For example, if you know the person runs the marketing department at an ecommerce company, mention something about the challenges of digital marketing and how your offering can help drive online sales.
Show that you get who they are and what they do. This personalized approach is far more effective than a generic blast email sent to hundreds of strangers. Do your research and customize both the content and tone of your message.
Craft an Appealing Subject Line -
Your subject line can make or break whether your email gets opened. With inboxes flooded and attention spans short, you only have a few words to capture interest.
Aim for subject lines that create curiosity, communicate value, convey urgency, or demonstrate personalization. Avoid spammy sales pitches or over-the-top claims. Be clear and compelling without resorting to gimmicks.
Some tips for crafting effective cold email subject lines:
- Keep it short and scannable, while highlighting the value proposition. Subject lines with 6-10 words tend to perform best.
- Speak directly to the recipient’s needs and interests. Include their name, company, or role to personalize.
- Ask a thoughtful question to pique interest. For example, "Quick question about [topic]?"
- Make it urgent with time-sensitive details. "Event tomorrow - last chance to register"
- Summarize the benefit being offered. "Free consultation on [your needs]"
- Use power words like "Instant," "Improve," "Proven," or "Guaranteed."
- Avoid spam trigger words like "Free," "Act Now," "Offer," etc.
- Be authentic and resist exaggerated claims or clickbait wording.
With a compelling subject line, you'll be on your way to increased open rates and successful cold outreach. Just keep it relevant, personalized, and focused on what matters most to your prospects.
Start with a Personalized Opening
When starting your cold email, it's important to make a personalized opening that feels warm and human. The opening sets the tone for everything that follows in your email, so making it feel customized and genuine is key.
Start by addressing the recipient by their first name. People love to see their own name, and it immediately makes the email feel like it was written specifically for them rather than blasted out en masse. For example, begin with "Hi [First Name]" or "Dear [First Name]".
Next, say something specific about them or their company. Do your research beforehand so you can reference details that show you took the time to learn about who they are. Mention their job title, how long they've been at the company, a recent achievement of theirs that's publicly known, or anything else unique to them.
You could say something like "I saw on LinkedIn that you just celebrated your 5 year anniversary as Marketing Manager at Acme Co. - congratulations!" or "As the CEO of XYZ Corp., you have an impressive background in driving digital transformation in your industry."
Specific, personalized details like this make it obvious you didn't just copy-paste a generic template. It shows the recipient that you care enough to get to know them as an individual.
The opening sets the tone, so be warm, casual, and human. Avoid overly formal or stiff language. You want to come across as personable and genuine, not like a robot. The personalized opening gets your foot in the door - now you can move on to communicate the value you provide.
Communicate Value
When reaching out to leads cold, it's important to communicate the value you can provide them early on in your email. The email should be focused on addressing their needs and pain points, rather than talking about yourself or your company.
For example, if you know the lead works at a software company, you could offer a free consultation to provide tips on improving their sales process or lead generation. Rather than a generic sales pitch, show them that you understand their business and can provide tailored advice that saves them time and money.
Offering something of value like a free guide, sample, or consultation makes your outreach more appealing. It gives the prospect an incentive to respond and shows you are willing to provide help without requiring a hard sales pitch upfront. Lead with value to demonstrate you are a trusted advisor rather than just another salesperson.
Make Your Ask Clear
When reaching out to prospects cold, you need to be direct in asking for what you want them to do. Don't beat around the bush or try to be overly clever. Simply state what action you want them to take - whether it's scheduling a call, looking at your samples, accepting a free trial, etc.
For example:
"I'd love to schedule a quick call to demo our platform and discuss if we're a potential fit for your needs."
"Would you be open to a 15 minute call to learn more about how our services can help your business?"
"Let me know if you'd like me to send over some samples of our work."
"I'm happy to provide a custom quote based on your business requirements if you let me know more about what you need."
The key is to be specific in asking for what you want, while also making it easy for them to take the next step. Give them a solid CTA they can say yes or no to.
Don't just say "Let me know if you're interested in learning more." Give them a clear call to action that moves the conversation forward. The more direct you are, the better your response rate will be.
Keep it Concise
When writing cold emails, it's important to get to the point quickly and clearly. The introduction should be no more than 3-4 sentences max. Remove any unnecessary fluff or filler text. Your goal is to communicate your message as succinctly as possible, without wasting the recipient's time. Focus on highlighting the value you can provide them and making your ask is a clear call-to-action. Long-winded emails are likely to be ignored, so tighten up your writing and keep it focused. The recipient will appreciate you respecting their time and attention.
Add Social Proof
Social proof is a powerful way to build trust and credibility in your cold email. Mentioning big name clients, impressive projects, testimonials, press features or awards can go a long way in convincing potential customers that you're a reputable company worth doing business with.
For example, you could say:
"We've had the privilege of working with industry leaders like Company X, Company Y and Company Z on transforming their sales processes."
Or:
"Our cold email program helped Company X increase trial signups by 15% in just 3 months."
Or:
"Our founder was recently featured in Publication talking about our innovative approach to cold outreach."
Sprinkling in some social proof helps lend third-party validation and authority to your claims. It shows you have a proven track record of success. The key is to highlight achievements and partnerships that will resonate with your particular audience. Avoid exaggerating or overstating accomplishments. Keep it truthful and relevant.
Make It Easy to Respond
When reaching out to prospective customers, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to respond. Here are some tips:
- Include multiple contact methods - phone, email, LinkedIn. Give the prospect different options to get in touch with you.
- Suggest days/times that work for a call. Say something like "I'm available for a quick call Tuesday or Thursday afternoon." This makes it more convenient for them.
- Be responsive and professional. Reply promptly to any responses you receive. Be courteous and understanding if they decline or don't respond. Don't take it personally.
- Format your emails for mobile. Many people will view email on their phones, so structure your email accordingly with brief paragraphs and clear calls-to-action.
- Thank them for their consideration. Express appreciation for their time reading. People like to feel valued.
The key is to anticipate any barriers to responding and make the process as seamless as possible. Meet prospects where they are and guide them to taking the next step with you.
Proofread Carefully
Before hitting send on any cold email, it's crucial to proofread it carefully. This helps ensure your email looks professional, error-free, and polished.
Here are some tips for proofreading cold emails:
- Read your email aloud. This allows you to catch awkward phrasing, grammar mistakes, and other issues you may miss when reading silently. Listen for parts that sound clumsy or unclear.
- Check for spelling and grammar errors. Use spellcheck to catch typos. But don't rely on it alone - read carefully to catch homophone errors spellcheck won't flag. Also double check proper noun spelling and grammar usage.
- Review formatting. Check that fonts, sizes, colors and styling are consistent. Ensure images are properly sized and aligned. Confirm links work and lead to the right pages.
- Check contact info accuracy. Double check the recipient's name, company, and contact details are correct.
- Look for repetition. Note any redundant words or phrases that can be removed to tighten the email.
- Print it out. Reading a printed version can help you catch issues you may gloss over on screen. The new format may give you a fresh perspective.
Taking the time to thoroughly proofread each cold email before sending can help ensure your message looks polished, professional, and error-free. This extra attention to detail can make a great impression on recipients.
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