17 Tips For Cold Email Guide For Noobs

If you’re reading this guide, chances are that you’re a salesperson or marketer who wants to get better at sending cold emails. If so, congratulations! You’re on the right track. And if you follow these tips, your cold email game will be stronger than ever before.

Takeaways
1. Personalize subject lines for better open rates.
2. Keep the initial email concise and engaging.
3. Use clear and specific call-to-action statements.
4. Segment your audience for targeted outreach.
5. Avoid excessive use of jargon or technical terms.
6. Provide value and benefits early in the email.
7. Craft attention-grabbing and relevant subject lines.
8. Test different email send times for optimal results.
9. Follow up with persistence but not pushiness.
10. Use personalization tokens to build rapport.
11. Include social proof to establish credibility.
12. Focus on building relationships, not just selling.
13. Experiment with A/B testing for improved performance.
14. Leverage storytelling to engage recipients.
15. Analyze and refine your cold email strategy regularly.
16. Use concise and compelling email signatures.
17. Keep emails mobile-friendly and easy to read.

1. Create A Sense Of Urgency In Your Subject Line

The subject line of a cold email is the first thing the recipient will see, so it’s important to write one that makes your email stand out from the rest. Here are some tips for creating a compelling subject line:

Keep it short. Your subject line should be less than 50 characters in length otherwise, many inboxes won’t show it in their preview pane. If you can get your point across with fewer words, do so!

Be specific. A general statement like “I’d love to connect!” doesn’t tell recipients why they should be interested in connecting with you at this moment in time it’s better to give them specifics about what you want to talk about right now (e.g., “I’d love to chat about ways we could collaborate on our mutual interest in X”).

Don’t be vague or too long-winded: You want your recipient to know exactly what’s in store when they open up your message; 

Therefore avoid being too wordy or cryptic with topics of conversation that may confuse them without giving them any context whatsoever (“Hey how’s everything going?”). 

Keep things brief and simple so there aren’t any misunderstandings later down the road after someone takes action based off something ambiguous within this first interaction between both parties involved.”

Mastering the art of cold emailing requires finesse and strategy. In our guide on A Simple Guide to Cold Emailing, you’ll discover effective techniques that yielded a 5x response rate.

2. Irresistible Preview Text

The preview text is the part of the email that shows up before you open the email. It’s a chance to get your prospect interested in what you have to say, and it can make all the difference between someone opening or deleting your message.

Use A Hook

A hook is something catchy or intriguing at the beginning of a sentence or paragraph. For example: “I think we’ve got something special here.” 

Or “We’re doing something pretty cool.” Using hooks helps get people’s attention because they are unexpected and when people expect something different, they want to know more about it! 

If this sounds like a good idea for your cold emails, read on for more tips on how to write effective hooks…

Cold emailing can be a revelation when you unlock its potential. Explore our insights in 10 Cold Email Aha Moment and gain new perspectives to improve your outreach game.

3. Show Your Personality Right Away

We all know the adage “it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” When you send out an email to someone cold, the first thing they’re going to see is your personality and writing style. 

If they don’t like what they see or read, they probably won’t keep reading. So don’t be afraid to show your true self right off the bat!

Don’t be afraid of humor either! A good joke can make a huge difference in terms of how people perceive you and respond to you and remember: there are no such things as bad jokes (though some may be funnier than others).

Use personal stories as well as industry-related ones; this shows that you’re knowledgeable but also human at heart and if anyone says otherwise…well…this is just one more reason why they’re wrong 🙂

4. Open With A Story

The best way to open your email is with a relevant story. This will help the recipient see that you understand their situation, and are a human being. If they know you’re not a robot, it will also build trust that you care about them enough to listen and help solve their problems.

The first thing I do when I get an email is scan for stories within the message itself. If there aren’t any stories told or shown in your introduction (which usually comes at the top or bottom of your message).

It makes me think less of you as a communicator because it suggests that there isn’t anything specific related to the recipient in their inbox at this time which means it could be anyone sending this email instead of who specifically wrote it!

5. Don’t Be Scared To Tell Them Who You Are

As a general rule, you should make it very clear who you are, what you do, and why you’re writing them. You also should make sure they don’t have to read multiple emails before they get to the point.

To make this even clearer, here’s an example:

Hi Mr. Smith,

I am writing because I am interested in your company’s new range of shoes available on Amazon. 

As someone who has spent hours trawling through reviews for the perfect pair of trainers, I know how important it is for customers to be able to review a product before buying it online. 

This is something that allows me as an artist and writer based in London (where there are many other shoe companies) think about how my business could benefit from working with yours.

Specifically by increasing visibility across social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram where we both have large followings thanks

Finally, though let me say that I’m not just interested in selling products – if we were able to work together then my goal would be for us both to benefit from each other’s followings too!

New to cold emailing? Start with the basics and learn from our comprehensive resource, Cold Emailing 101: A Beginner’s Guide, where we break down the essentials for successful outreach.

6. Let Them Know Why You’re Writing Them

Tell Them Something About Yourself

Let’s say you’re writing a cold email to someone that you want to work with. You could use this opportunity to tell them why you’re interested in working with them, or what your background is and how it’s relevant to their business. 

Then, follow up by asking if they’d be open to chatting on the phone or over coffee.

Tell Them Where They Can Find Out More From You Or Your Team

You could also use this as an opportunity to let the recipient know where else they can learn more about what you do and how it can help their business grow (such as through links and social media handles). 

This shows that not only do you know who they are already, but also that there’s interest on both sides!

7. Reference A Recent Event Or Article They Were Involved In

If you want to stand out from the pack, it’s helpful to add in a reference to a recent event or article that they were involved with. This shows that you’ve done some homework and are interested enough in your recipient to familiarize yourself with their work.

• Mention an article they recently wrote.
• Mention a recent event they were involved in.
• Mention a recent article they were quoted in.

This also gives them confidence that this isn’t spamming because someone took the time and effort to research them, which is something many people will appreciate!

8. Add Value To The Conversation

It’s important to remember that your goal when reaching out is not just to get a response, but also to start a relationship. The best way to do this is by providing them with something they can use or act on. 

You’re giving them information that can help them make better decisions, while also proving that you understand their needs and challenges. In other words: 

If someone gets an email from you with no real reason for responding (e.g., “Just wanted to say hello!”), there won’t be much incentive for them to respond at all!

9. Make It Easy For Your Prospect To Reply To Your Email

A critical step in crafting a compelling cold email is making it easy for your prospect to reply. This is a no-brainer, but many people overlook the importance of this simple tactic. The ideal reply button should be big, bright, and located near the top of your email copy. 

If you want even better results with this tip, consider including a call-to-action (CTA) asking prospects to “Click here to respond” or “Click here if interested” in your signature block at the bottom of each message you send out into the world. 

That way, even if they don’t have time right now or feel too shy about replying right away after reading your message they’ll still know exactly where they need to go when they’re ready!

Crafting effective cold emails doesn’t have to be a challenge. Utilize the power of proven templates from Cold Email Templates That Convert to create compelling messages that drive results.

10. Write As You Talk, Not Like A Robot

When you’re writing an email, it’s best to write as if you’re talking to your friend or family member. Remember that the person receiving your email is a human being who has no idea why they are being contacted by a stranger. 

This means that it’s not necessary to use industry jargon or complicated words unless they are necessary for conveying your message. 

Even then, make sure they’re used in context and don’t come across as pretentious or fake just like at home, overuse of slang can be off-putting too!

For example: “I saw this amazing opportunity on LinkedIn and was wondering if we could schedule some time together so I could share my thoughts about how we can move forward.” vs “Hey [name], 

I saw this great opportunity on LinkedIn with [company] and thought maybe we could set up some time together so I can talk about how we could take advantage of it.”*

11. Create A Clear Call-To-Action That’s Easy To Understand And Answer

Your CTA should be as clear and simple as possible, and it needs to be in the body of your email. Don’t try and make it too fancy. It should be a single, simple call-to-action (CTA).

No, not that kind of CTA! This kind: “Call me now for an appointment” or “I’d love to hear more about how we can work together.” 

If you want people to reply with questions, then use something like: “Reply if you have any questions about my services or what I do.” You should also think about using actionable verbs like “reply” or “call.”

12. Give Them More Than One Option Of How To Respond To You

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. Too often, people only give their customers one way to contact them: email. 

If you want your cold emails to be effective, though, you need to make sure that you provide multiple ways for them to respond: an email address, phone number, or even social media handle.

Provide Easy-to-Use Options

There are a few things that will make responding easier on your customer: 

Having an easy-to-use website (see tip 1), providing multiple ways they can reach out (see tip 12), and making sure all the information they need is included in the first few sentences of the message itself (see tip 3).

13. Use Channels That Aren’t Email To Get Their Attention Instead

If you’re not getting the desired response, don’t be afraid to try new channels. Maybe they’re more likely to respond on LinkedIn or Twitter, or maybe they’d be more responsive if you sent an email question rather than a cold email introduction.

Also, don’t be afraid of using other means of communication in addition to emails, such as phone calls and video calls. There’s a chance that people may just prefer communicating over the phone or through video chat instead of through text-based messages like cold emails.

So if yours aren’t getting any response at all despite being perfect (and it seems like they ARE perfect), try calling them up! You might be surprised by what happens next!

14. Follow Up On Every Cold Email If They Don’t Respond (But Do It With Humanity)

Why Should You?

The majority of people don’t respond to cold emails, but if you follow up, there’s an excellent chance you’ll get a response that can lead to something great for your business or career.

How To Do It Right:

Respond quickly: While it’s best not to push too hard and appear too needy by following up within hours or even minutes of sending the first email, you must send another email after 5 days (or sooner if the person has agreed to work with you). 

Also, remember that if someone says they want to hear from you again soon but never gives a specific date/time frame for their response.

Then wait until at least two weeks have gone by before reaching out again! No one wants some stalker dude who won’t take no for an answer! -Don’t be pushy: 

Your goal is not only getting them on board as clients; it’s also showing them that working with someone like yourself is enjoyable and easy! If they don’t respond right away (or ever).

Let them go you don’t need more stress in life than necessary when there are so many other fish in this big ol’ sea called life.”

Navigate the intricate world of cold emailing with guidance tailored for both marketers and salespeople. Discover valuable insights in The Cold Email Guide for Marketers & Salespeople and refine your outreach strategy.

15. Don’t Send The Same Email Twice Unless There’s A Good Reason For It

It’s annoying to get the same email twice, so don’t do it. Unless you have a good reason for doing so (like they asked you a question and then didn’t respond), don’t send the same email twice.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. A list of 15 tips for writing cold emails that you can use as a starting point for your campaigns! We hope these help you out and get more responses from the people you contact. 

If not, we still think they’re worth trying at least once because they’re all good ideas that can improve any email outreach campaign even if they don’t work right away.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to enhance your understanding of cold emailing:

Cold Email Guide for Beginners: Learn the essentials of crafting compelling cold emails and improve your outreach success.

Mastering Cold Emails with ChatGPT: Discover how to leverage ChatGPT to create engaging and personalized cold emails that resonate with recipients.

Effective Beginner Guide to Cold Emailing: Delve into a beginner-friendly guide that outlines practical strategies for impactful cold emailing.

FAQs

What are the key elements of a successful cold email?

A successful cold email typically includes a personalized subject line, a concise and engaging message, a clear call to action, and relevant value propositions.

How can I improve my cold email open rates?

To improve open rates, focus on crafting compelling subject lines that pique curiosity and convey value. Additionally, consider sending emails at optimal times and segmenting your audience for targeted outreach.

What’s the role of personalization in cold emailing?

Personalization is crucial in cold emailing as it helps establish a genuine connection with recipients. Tailor your emails to address their specific pain points, needs, or interests to increase the chances of engagement.

How do I handle cold email responses effectively?

When recipients respond to your cold email, respond promptly, acknowledge their response, and continue the conversation with value-driven insights. Avoid using overly pushy language and focus on building a relationship.

What’s the best way to follow up on cold emails?

Craft follow-up emails that provide additional value, remind recipients of your initial message, and emphasize how your offering can benefit them. Utilize a gentle and respectful approach to nurture leads over time.