A Quest on Crafting a Better Cold Email
Cold marketing email is ineffective. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that way.
Sending people marketing emails out of the blue still doesn’t sit well with me. But that’s probably because I hate random messages. I skip most of them because I always think that the only thing they want from me by sending me that message is my money or ways to advantage them.
It might sound like a subjective opinion, but I trust my guts on this one: we need to make a better introduction email when approaching people we never talked to before.
That cold email template that you get from the internet? Definitely out of question.
Maintaining Expectation on Cold Email
Since my company and many companies are still doing cold email approach, this method must be delivering results for some salespersons out there.
What’s the number? At least 2% of the 100 cold emails you send out there will bring you a pitching appointment?
I’m not going to talk about whether that number is worth the hassle or not. Pandemic has stripped us bare from networking events and professional dinners. We are all trying our best and I respect the efforts.
As a content specialist, I’m just trying to make a point on these facts:
- Standard cold email from people that we don’t know scares most of us away
- Two persons who would likely be glad to receive a cold email asking for a pitching appointment are someone who’s been looking for that exact service and someone who’s also looking for a chance to pitch their business
- Cold email would be more appreciated if the sender is famous
You probably would get a better chance at cold emails if you work more on your targeting and representatives. I’ll leave that to you.
Subject Matters
Email subject is an art. Is the first line of words after the recipient reads the sender’s name.
That subject must picks up your recipient’s interest. You might think of luring them with prizes or answers to their problem, but all of the people out there are doing that.
Check your inbox, how many of them are offering you discounts? How many of them are telling you that you will be interested in some staycations in the city?
Since I’m working in a waste management company, my salesperson would likely put a subject such as: “Looking for ways to manage your waste?” or “Enjoy 10% discount on Responsible Waste Management Subscription”.
But I think there are many other ways to connect with people you don’t know from a simple email subject.
You might try to be honest: “Desperately Looking for a Quick Meeting to Talk About Future Collaborations”, “Let’s Talk About How Pandemic Affects Our Business”
Try to be sincere, never treat them as only a name with an email address, but think about what you want to discuss in person when you meet them: “Heard That Your Company Releases Sustainability Program, How’s Your Waste Management Going?”, “Suzanne Told Me That You Love Dogs, I Have This Charity Program That You Might Want to Know”
But the most important thing is to never make it all about you.
Less Self-Centered Body Email
The first thing you should do is to make sure that the email that you send is personal. They might know that you probably send it to thousand other people, but they will appreciate your efforts on:
- Writing their name perfectly
- Telling them from where you get their contact information from
- Spelling their company’s name perfectly
- Showing them that you know what their specialty and what division they work in
The kind of self-centered information you should enclose in the email would be:
- Your name
- Your responsibility in the company you’re working for
- 3 sentences (max.) about your company
- Why you are approaching them (this could be an elaborate version of your email subject)
Make it 5 paragraphs top, don’t bother to add those long explanations on why your company is important (nobody is reading that), leave that for the company profile and the official website. If they’re interested, they will try to search more information about your company.
The main goal is to make them know that a representative from a respectable company is approaching them in the most respectable way.
Though the email sent in a cold approach, let the recipients warm themselves to you at their own pace.
