Webster defines a cold email as a digital message to someone not previously communicated with, but people define it as a pain in the ass. As in, people you’ve not previously communicated with and have never known get an email from you all of a sudden, asking them for a transaction. Sounds shadily like the Nigerian price shtick we’ve had over the years, but here’s the thing: there is a reason why, despite being left for dead, email marketing is still relevant, and despite their reputation, cold emails are still a thing, and still regularly deliver results. It’s the execution, people. The execution is exactly what we will be discussing in this blog.
Starting with a bit of an overview of cold emails, this blog will guide you through writing a cold email that actually works and does not serve as a filler for trash folders across mailing services. Believe it or not, once executed in the right manner, these cold emails will not only have the desired effect but can also result in business conversions being made. Let’s get started.
Cold emails: what exactly are they?
Imagine cold calling, but worse. That is, from the point of view of the person on the other side, the person who gets the call and, within 2 to 3 seconds, realizes that they’ve been cold-called and starts looking for a way out. If the cold caller is lucky, they get a sensible person who doesn’t swear or use profanity. If the cold caller is having a bad day, they might encounter some rube who might practice their prank statements on them.
Cold emailing is just like that, but since this is in the form of an email, the response or feedback mechanism has lots of lag. You don’t know if the email has worked until you get a reply, which is usually never. However, that should not be the case: given that email marketing returns really surprising results and cold emails are the primary tools you can use to drive business, you should know how to craft a cold email that simply works. Let us take you through the particulars of a successful cold email that stands out from the rest and delivers results.
The particulars of a cold email that sells!
Let us take you through each and every aspect of a cold email; how you can write one that beats out the rest and actually compels the recipient to follow through with a reply. Let’s get started.
Finding the address of the lead
The first two steps refer to the research that you will do prior to actually getting into the email. The better the research, the better the content of the email will be. But for the first step, you will need to research and find out the email address of the lead. Using social media platforms for this is the best way to go about it, and we’d suggest going for LinkedIn since it is a professional platform that lists all the relevant details you might need for your lead, including email addresses, their position, their workplace, and oftentimes, you also get a glimpse into their professional life, which can help you plan out the content of the cold email.
Research
After you have the email, you now begin the research part of the cold email. Remember: the better your research, the better the content of the email will be. You must know everything that needs to be known in order to be as personable as possible in the email. Here is where you can really formulate what the email will say and how exactly it will stand out from the sea of cold emails as the one that is genuine and comes with a genuine intent as well.
Start with a template
After you have completed your research, it’s time to start with a template. A template must have both aspects of personalization that make the email specific to the lead being approached and yet be versatile enough to be used as a template for multiple leads. Start by scouring the internet for a template that works, and fine-tune it for the lead that you will be sending it to.
Pour your creativity into the subject and from the line
Now, here’s where the difficult part starts. If you lack creativity, you will struggle with it. So, it is advisable to have a writer with you should you not feel up to the task. The first thing that will make an impact on the recipient will be the subject and the ‘From’ line. Humans are naturally curious, so the From line needs to pique that, while the subject line should state clearly what the intent of the email is, albeit in a manner that, once again, drips creativity and conveys the message in a manner that stands out from the rest.
Double down with an intro and the pitch
Got that creativity high? Keep on going: now it’s the main meat and potatoes. The introduction is the one thing that will determine whether the recipient keeps reading the email and eventually gets to the pitch or ditches it in the recycle bin. We’ve separated these two: whereas in the subject and From lines, you need to be both pithy and creative, in the introduction and the pitch, just creativity is fine. You have a lot of leeway for the content here.
Focus on making the CTA a compelling one
After the pitch is ready, here’s the hook: the CTA or call to action. Done right, the call to action will allow the reader to follow through the email with the desired action; whether it’s getting back to you or accessing your online resource, the CTA will make the difference. Make sure the CTA isn’t as boring as ‘Call us now’, nor as unconventional or unorthodox as something like a movie dialogue. Find the best balance and go for it.
Try to follow thru with a second email
Now that the email has been sent, it’s time to wait. Wait for the reply or for the recipient to follow through on the CTA. While experts are still on the fence about this, a follow-up email needs to be sent in due course to ensure that the email really sticks its landing. Now, this due course of time can range from three days to two weeks, but this is an essential part of sending a winning cold email.
Implement both positive and negative feedback
If you get a reply, and once your business has concluded, you can take another step that will get you some positive feedback: ask the recipient about the positive and negative aspects of the email. Once you get those, apply them to your template and go about fine-tuning it even more. Once you’ve sent out and gotten enough emails, you will get the recipe for the perfect cold email that results in a business conversion, every time. That’s an email marketing hack right there.
Purpose Path: we craft words that make an impact!
Need help crafting a cold email that’s actually hot? How about a service that specializes in hot? Or results? After all, that is what the endgame is, results! Purpose Path is your partner for ensuring excellence in your email marketing efforts. Let us take the case head on and craft for you a cold email that’s actually cool, not cold. Cool to reply to that is. You focus on the conversions that follow. Purpose Path is all about results and fine-tuning the details for perfection, so sit back, relax, and let the experts handle the case. You’re in good hands now!
