How To Use Cold Email To Find New Business Opportunities

Cold emails are some of the most powerful tools in business. Cold emails can help you find new business opportunities, build relationships with potential clients, and even secure new gigs for yourself. 

But what makes these messages so powerful? How can you use them to grow your freelance career? And is cold emailing all that effective? Let’s take a look at how to leverage cold emailing as part of your marketing strategy:

How to Land Your Dream Business Opportunity | Cold Emails
Takeaways
1. Cold email can be a powerful tool for discovering new business opportunities.
2. Crafting personalized and compelling cold email messages is essential.
3. Research your target audience thoroughly to tailor your emails effectively.
4. Focus on providing value and addressing pain points in your emails.
5. A strategic follow-up plan can increase the chances of getting responses.
6. Experiment with different subject lines and messaging approaches.
7. Cold email should be a part of a broader outreach strategy.
8. Regularly analyze and refine your cold email campaigns for better results.

Don’t Be Afraid To Reach Out To People

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities.

Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral, or even a meeting (if you can make the case that it’s mutually beneficial). 

You may be surprised how often people are happy to help; if you end up speaking with someone who doesn’t seem interested in helping you further your goals, politely move on and try again with someone else.

If you’re looking to enhance your cold emailing strategies, these 10 Cold Email “Aha” Moments can provide you with valuable insights and epiphanies to improve your outreach approach.

Avoid Blind Emails Whenever Possible

If you don’t know the person you’re sending a message to, don’t send it. This is true even if you have a reason for contacting them; they may not be interested in what you’re offering, and may feel annoyed by your message.

Similarly, if there’s no good reason for contacting someone who already knows who you are and what business opportunities exist between the two of you (e.g., because they’ve worked together before).

Then do not bother sending them an email unless they specifically ask for more information or a proposal from your company; otherwise, they may feel harassed by spamming efforts coming from individuals whose names are already familiar with each other–and that won’t win any fans!

Make The Subject Line Concise And Specific

The subject line of your email is the first thing that a potential client will see, so it’s important to make it count. Avoid vague, generic subjects like “Hi” or “I’m looking for work.” Be specific! 

Tell them exactly what you’re looking for in a few words: “Digital Marketing Copywriter” or “Website Developer.” Don’t be misleading prospective clients might think they are responding to a job posting when they’re actually being contacted by one of your competitors (or worse).

If you want someone’s attention and response, don’t sound desperate keep your tone professional and polite.

Personalize It By Identifying Something You Have In Common With The Recipient

Don’t assume everyone has the same interests as you, so don’t be too generic when describing what you do or who your company is. 

Instead, identify an area of interest that both of you have and tie it into your message: “I noticed that we share a passion for helping small businesses grow; would love to talk about how we can work together.”

Be careful not to make the email too personal; otherwise, the recipient may think they already know you (which means they’re likely not interested). 

If possible, use a professional email address (i.e., john@companyname.com) instead of using your personal one (i.e., jsmith@gmail).

New to cold emailing? Get started with the basics by exploring our Cold Emailing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to understand the fundamentals and best practices for initiating successful cold email campaigns.

Don’t Make Them Read A Lot

The most important thing to remember when sending a cold email is that the recipient can’t use their smartphone to scan your content. They have to read it manually, so you want to make sure it’s easy for them. To do this:

  • Use bullet points instead of paragraphs (more on this in the next point).
  • Use short paragraphs and sections.
  • Don’t write too much, even though you might think you’re being helpful by providing lots of information, most people just want a summary of what you’re saying and then some context around it. 

If they have questions or need more details, they’ll contact you directly or ask someone else who knows more about your topic than they do (which is probably true). So don’t waste time explaining things that no one needs to be explained!

Use A Clear Call-To-Action

Another important component of the cold email is a clear call-to-action (CTA). The CTA tells the reader what you want them to do, and how they can do it. Ideally, it will be as easy as possible for them to act on your request.

In addition to making sure people know what they’re being asked to do, you should also make sure that they know why they should take action. 

A good way of doing this is by explaining what benefit they will receive if they follow through with the task or request. If there isn’t a clear benefit in taking action, then there is no reason for anyone else other than yourself to even bother reading the email!

Finally, make sure you let readers know exactly what will happen if they don’t take action or respond at all! 

This may seem like an obvious step but some people forget it when writing cold emails because they think their message is so good that everyone will want in on whatever offer/opportunity/deal…whatever…they’re offering up front without any hesitation whatsoever!

Keep It Short And Sweet

Another important element of a successful cold email is keeping it short and sweet. Don’t send a long, drawn out message because then it might come off as spammy. Also, don’t include attachments with your email; 

Instead, just focus on making sure the subject line and body of your message are compelling enough to get them to read more. 

For example, the subject line “New Event Planning Opportunities Near You!” is much more likely to grab someone’s attention than something like:

“Hi, there! I have heard good things about you and would like to speak with you in further detail about how my company can help solve some of your problems.”

Another thing not to do? Include personal information in any communication with a potential client or partner (like their full name or phone number). 

This includes attaching anything that could be used for identity theft purposes such as social security numbers or birthdays! 

Finally: make sure not to send long emails keep them brief and concise so they don’t get bored halfway through reading what looks like an essay assignment due tomorrow morning at school

Crafting effective cold email templates is essential for success. Discover proven techniques for creating emails that convert with the help of these Cold Email Templates that Convert and start boosting your response rates.

Follow Up If They Don’t Respond After Two Emails

If they don’t respond after two emails, it’s time to move on. It’s important not to seem pushy or insistent. 

You’re not going to earn a customer by being annoying and persistent. If someone is interested in your product or service, they will email you back when they are ready and if not, that is their choice!

Put Your Contact Information At The Bottom Of All Of Your Emails

When you’re emailing someone, make sure that you include your contact information at the bottom of each and every email. 

You should include your name, phone number and email address right near the signature. This way if someone wants to reach out to you they can do so easily.

You should also put your website on there as well so that people can check out who you are and what you do without having to go through another round of messaging back and forth first!

Achieving a well-structured cold email sequence is crucial for engagement. Learn from experience by checking out this Cold Email Sequence: An Update and a Correction to refine your approach and increase the effectiveness of your email sequences.

Cold Emailing Can Help You Build Your Business And Meet New People That Can Help You Grow

Cold emailing is a great way to reach out to people you don’t know and start building relationships. Some of the business contacts that I’ve made through cold emails have later become good friends and have helped me immensely with my business.

Don’t waste time reinventing the wheel. Access a collection of ready-to-use 13 Cold Email Templates You Can Use Today to streamline your cold email efforts and achieve more productive outreach campaigns.

Conclusion

So, to recap, here is what you need to know:

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people (especially if they have a job listing that seems relevant).

Avoid blind emails whenever possible. They’ll get deleted faster than the “Reply All” button on Gmail or Hotmail.

Personalize it by identifying something you have in common with the recipient (i.e., “I read your blog post about [topic] and thought it would be helpful for us at [company name].”).

Make it clear what you want from them (“I’d love if we could meet face-to-face sometime soon so we can discuss how our company could work together.”) or what they should do next (“Call me back on this phone number”). 

This will make sure they don’t end up confused about what’s going on!

Use a clear call-to-action such as “Let’s chat soon!” or “Give me your feedback about [project].” By providing direction for what steps should take place next, both parties will know where their relationship stands…or doesn’t stand!

Further Reading

Expand your knowledge on cold emailing and its various applications with these additional resources:

The Cold Email Template That Won 16 New B2B Customers Discover a successful cold email template that led to the acquisition of 16 new B2B customers, and gain insights into its key elements for effective outreach.

4 Easy Ways to Use Cold Emails for Growing a Business Explore four straightforward methods to leverage cold emails for business growth, and learn how to implement them to expand your client base.

Cold Email for Job: How to Make It Work Get practical advice on using cold emails for job hunting, and understand the strategies to make your outreach impactful in the competitive job market.

FAQs

What are the key components of an effective cold email?

An effective cold email typically includes a personalized introduction, a clear value proposition, a call to action, and a concise closing. These elements work together to engage the recipient and encourage a response.

How can I improve my cold email response rate?

To improve your cold email response rate, focus on crafting compelling subject lines, tailoring your message to the recipient’s needs, and providing value upfront. Additionally, ensuring your email is concise and easy to read can make a significant difference.

Is it appropriate to use cold emails for job applications?

Yes, cold emails can be a viable strategy for job applications. Research the company and role thoroughly, personalize your email to showcase your skills and enthusiasm, and explain how you can contribute to the organization’s success.

What’s the best way to follow up after sending a cold email?

A well-timed and polite follow-up is crucial. Wait a few days before sending a follow-up email, referencing your initial message and expressing your continued interest. Providing additional value or information can also increase your chances of receiving a response.

How can I avoid coming across as spammy in my cold emails?

To avoid appearing spammy, focus on personalization and relevance. Tailor your message to the recipient’s specific needs or pain points, and avoid using overly promotional language. Genuine interest and a clear value proposition will help your email stand out positively.