In the age of social media and online marketing, cold emailing is a great way to connect with new people. But when it comes to LinkedIn, things get tricky.
I’ve written a lot about how to write effective cold emails and one thing I keep coming back to is that we should all be using the platform as personal connections first and business tools second.
In this post, we’ll cover some tips for making sure your email lands in someone’s inbox so you can start building those relationships!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Implement personalized subject lines for higher open rates. |
| 2. Craft concise and engaging email content to maintain interest. |
| 3. Utilize a clear call to action to prompt desired recipient responses. |
| 4. Leverage LinkedIn-specific insights to tailor your approach. |
| 5. Experiment with follow-up strategies to boost response rates. |
| 6. Prioritize building professional relationships over immediate sales. |
| 7. Continuous improvement: Analyze results and refine your approach. |
| 8. Understand and respect recipient preferences and privacy. |
It’s All About Them
The most important thing you can do when writing an email is to be clear about what you want from the recipient.
This is especially true on LinkedIn, where people are likely to ignore poorly-targeted messages. You need them to know exactly what action they should take in order to make the connection work for you.
You don’t want your email to come across as a generic “let’s be friends!” request or a desperate attempt at finding a job.
Don’t just say something generic like “I’d love to connect with you!” or “I’m interested in working with someone like yourself.” Instead, write something specific about why this person could benefit from connecting with you and making introductions.
When writing an introductory email (or any kind of cold outreach), remember that it’s all about THEM!
The person reading it wants more information about WHY YOU’RE INTERESTED IN CONNECTING WITH THEM AND HOW THAT WILL BENEFIT THEM PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY…
When it comes to mastering the art of cold email outreach, there’s a lot to learn. If you’re looking to boost your response rates, our guide on A Simple Guide to Cold Emailing can provide valuable insights and help you achieve a 5x increase in your email response rate.
Acknowledge Their Viewpoint
A simple acknowledgement of their viewpoint is a great way to start an email. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal for getting someone to read through your email and consider engaging with you.
Acknowledge their perspective by saying something like: “I see where you’re coming from…” or “I can see why you think that…” This shows that you understand them, which is often enough to get them engaged with what comes next in your message.
Too many people send cold emails with no real effort to understand where the other person is coming from and this type of outreach can be incredibly ineffective when done incorrectly!
Use The Right Call To Action
A good call to action is the difference between being ignored and getting a response. Here are some examples:
- Ask for a response
- Ask for a meeting
- Ask for a phone call
- Ask for an introduction
- Ask for a job/sale/donation/review
Sometimes, all it takes is a few “aha” moments to transform your cold email game. Explore these enlightening insights in our article on 10 Cold Email “Aha” Moments, and see how small adjustments can lead to big improvements in your email engagement.
Link To Other Sources
A great way to make your email stand out is by linking to other sources that you think they might find interesting. This can also help you with the previous step because these links show that you did some research on the person and company.
For example, if your subject line was “LinkedIn tip: How To Get Emailed Back On LinkedIn” then maybe include a link to an article about it or something similar that’s relevant to the person and company: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin-tip-email-back-linkedin-january-18th?trk=hp_fb_topics_activity
You want to be careful not too many of these links though because it might look like spam (and no one likes spam).
Connect Before You Pitch
It’s important to connect with someone before you reach out. If you’re only going to email them cold, LinkedIn is the best platform for this. It’s one of the few places where it’s even possible!
- Connect on LinkedIn and send them a message
- Connect with them on social media and then send them a message
- Connect with them via email and then send them a message (this seems like it would be more effective than sending an unsolicited direct message)
- Connect with them in person and then send them a message
Introduce Yourself
You’ve done your research, crafted the perfect email and now it’s time to introduce yourself to the recipient.
Here are five things you should include:
Who you are: What is your name and what company do you work for?
Why they should care: Why would this person care about what you have to say? What problem will their life be made better by solving with your product or service?
Do not assume that just because someone has a LinkedIn profile means they want more business opportunities!
How do I know them: If possible, give a connection between yourself and the recipient. It’s OK if there isn’t one (in which case mention how long ago/how many times/how much time spent reading articles written by them on professional development topics).
This helps build the credibility of why they should respond you aren’t just another random salesperson! It also shows that they might know each other in some capacity already.
Think of it as proof of whether or not two people have already met before embarking on this journey together through email exchanges; otherwise, things could get awkward later down the road because neither party knows where else such relationships may lead once established…
Crafting a compelling cold email starts with a well-structured template. Discover a collection of proven templates in our resource on Cold Email Templates That Convert, and use them as a starting point to create emails that captivate your recipients.
Reference A Mutual Connection
If you have a mutual connection on LinkedIn, mention it. No one likes to feel like they’re being sold to, so if your contact is in the same industry or has worked at the same company as someone you know, make sure that person knows about it.
If possible, refer to an article or post that was written by your mutual contact and cite how it relates to your email topic.
This tactic not only shows the recipient that you’re familiar with what their friend has written but also gives them something else useful for reference later on in case they want more info on the subject matter.
Don’t Go Off Topic
This is a simple, but important one: don’t stray from your main point. Your email should be about one thing and one thing only the value you can provide to the recipient of your cold email.
If you start talking about some other random topic, not only will it make your recipient less likely to respond, but it could also confuse them and make them think that maybe there’s more information coming in another email or something?
As long as you focus on what matters the value you can add you’ll be fine!
Don’t make your email too long or give too much background information or detail about yourself or whatever task/project/taskforce/etc. just get right down to business!
You want to keep emails short and sweet (no pun intended). Use just enough words so that they’re able to get an understanding of who you are and what value they’d get by responding back with an “I’m free!” type of response instead of being overwhelmed with details such as these:
My name is John Smith, I am 35 years old, I worked at XYZ Company for 10 years, and I have an MBA from Stanford University
This particular project involves me working remotely out of my home office which means I will need access via laptop rather than mobile device so please let me know if this isn’t possible for any reason whatsoever because otherwise we won’t be able do our job well without proper equipment.
Give A Compelling Reason To Respond
It’s important to provide a compelling reason for the person you are reaching out to respond. Include an interesting question, link to an article or blog post they may find useful, or mention a new resource that would be relevant for them.
If you have recently published something on LinkedIn Pulse and want your connections to read it, consider sharing the link with them. This will help ensure that the content gets seen by those who may find it valuable.
You can also share links related to industry trends or news about companies where you work or live in general (e.g., “LinkedIn just released its 2019 Top Companies list!”).
Ask Questions, Not Favors
Avoid asking for favors or introductions.
Don’t ask for information that is not relevant to your business.
Don’t ask for help with anything you can do yourself (e.g., “I need a CPA recommendation in Miami.”). If you’re going to be asking people questions, they need to offer something of value in return that will move your business forward.
Don’t ask anyone for advice unless they’ve already offered it freely and you truly want it. It’s not their job to help guide your career path or strategize on how best to achieve success;
If they feel compelled enough by what you’re doing, then maybe they’ll offer their perspective as an advisor (e.g., “I’m happy just having made it here myself maybe one day I’ll turn my talents towards helping others make their own way!”), but don’t expect someone else’s guidance unless it has been given freely first!
Mention Their Big Win
Most people want to be associated with good things. Some of the best ways to get your email read, is by mentioning something you know the person cares about. If they’ve had a big win, mention it (but don’t go overboard).
- Mention a specific project that means something to them and their company.
- Mention a program or initiative that’s meaningful to them and their team.
Mention an accomplishment at a previous company or team that shows them in a positive light, like having doubled sales in 6 months or leading 14 teams at once through an acquisition/merger process successfully!
Email marketing encompasses a wide range of strategies beyond cold emailing. Learn about effective email marketing tactics in our guide on Email Marketing Strategy: What I Do and How I Do It, and explore ways to enhance your overall email outreach efforts.
Make It Easy To Reply
You want to make it easy for the recipient to reply. A great way to do that is by keeping your email short and sweet.
Use a short subject line. When you’re writing an email about something that might be relevant to dozens or hundreds of people, keep your subject line brief and simple.
For example, “Thank you!” is much better than “Thanks!” because the former doesn’t require any extra thought from the reader to understand what’s being said (and thus wastes less time).
Keep your message brief and concise as well: Boil down your point into a few sentences or bullet points; don’t ramble on about everything you’ve done since graduating high school (or even just since last week).
Your goal here is not only brevity but also clarity you want whoever reads this email to know exactly what type of content they’re getting when they click through and read it!
Lastly if possible use short URLs — especially ones that redirect directly back onto the website itself rather than some other place like www3somesitecom
Make Your Email Look Nice
In this section, we’ll be discussing some of the more technical aspects of your cold emailing strategy. It may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t follow these simple steps.
If you want to make sure that your emails are taken seriously by the recipients and not immediately discarded as spam, then they must look nice.
This means using a professional email address, having a professional signature on every email, and using a professional email client such as Outlook or Gmail (not Yahoo!).
It is also important that you make use of subject lines as they give recipients an idea of what they will find inside so they can either read it now or delete based on the title alone.
Ready to master the art of cold email outreach? Dive into the comprehensive insights provided in The Ultimate Guide to Cold E-Mail Outreach, and gain valuable knowledge on structuring campaigns, personalizing messages, and optimizing your approach for success.
Be Brief And Concise. No One Wants To Read A Novel. Especially Not In An Inbox
Be Brief and Concise. No One Wants to Read a Novel
You should indeed make your email as concise as possible, but we’re talking about LinkedIn, not an email exchange with your grandma. You still have to make sure that the person on the other end of the conversation will understand what you’re saying.
This means keeping your sentences short, using bullet points if necessary, and avoiding jargon or industry-specific language unless it is necessary (and even then, make sure it’s both understandable and grammatically correct).
Don’t waste their time – no one likes having their inbox flooded with lengthy emails from strangers.
It’s Still A Novel In An Inbox
People don’t want to read anything longer than two paragraphs in an inbox these days particularly when five million unread emails are waiting for them already!
So even if you have written a novel (or something similar) about why they should join your company or invest in your idea… don’t send it as an attachment or attach photos of the said novel…
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips have helped you get started on your own email outreach campaign. Remember that the key to success is being bold, confident, and persistent. Ask for what you want! If they don’t reply right away, try again a few days later.
And if all else fails? Try something new next time around it’s all about trial and error when it comes down to cold emailing someone new.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to explore for further insights on cold emailing and related topics:
How to Send a Follow-Up Email After No Response: Discover effective strategies for following up on emails when you haven’t received a response, enhancing your chances of getting a reply.
Cold Email Examples: Templates and Tactics That Work: Explore a collection of cold email examples that provide templates and tactics for crafting engaging outreach messages.
How to Write Cold Emails to Get the Job: Learn how to write compelling cold emails tailored for job opportunities, making a strong impression and increasing your chances of landing your dream job.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions related to cold email strategies and their answers:
What are the key elements of an effective cold email?
An effective cold email should have a personalized subject line, concise yet engaging content, a clear call to action, and a professional tone that resonates with the recipient’s interests.
How can I increase my response rate for cold emails?
To boost your response rate, focus on researching your recipients, customizing your messages, offering value or solutions, and using attention-grabbing subject lines.
Is it necessary to follow up on cold emails?
Yes, follow-up emails are crucial for reminding recipients and showing persistence. Sending well-timed, polite follow-ups can significantly improve your chances of getting a response.
How do I avoid coming across as spammy in cold emails?
To avoid appearing spammy, personalize your messages, provide relevant context, avoid excessive promotional language, and ensure that your email is genuinely valuable to the recipient.
Are there any best practices for crafting subject lines in cold emails?
Indeed, a compelling subject line should be concise, curiosity-inducing, relevant to the recipient’s needs, and should convey the value or benefit of opening the email.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.