What is a Cold Email?
A cold email is an unsolicited email that is sent to a person or organization without any prior relationship or permission to contact them.
It is called a "cold" email because the recipient has no prior knowledge of the sender, and therefore the email is not expected.
The purpose of a cold email is usually to initiate a conversation, make a sales pitch, or request a meeting or other form of communication.
Cold emails are often sent by salespeople, job seekers, and entrepreneurs looking to make new connections and grow their networks.
However, it's important to note that cold emailing can be seen as spammy and intrusive if not done properly, and many recipients may simply delete or ignore them.
Difference between cold email and spam email?
The main difference between a cold email and a spam email is consent.
A cold email is sent to a person or organization without any prior relationship or permission to contact them, but it is still a legitimate attempt to start a conversation or build a relationship.
On the other hand, a spam email is sent to a large number of recipients without their consent or any attempt to establish a genuine relationship.
Spam emails are typically unsolicited and irrelevant, often promoting dubious products or services, and are sent to a massive audience without any regard for their interests or needs.
They can be harmful, and many email services have built-in filters to block or send them to spam folders.
How are cold emails important?
Cold emails can be an effective way to start new relationships, build your network, and promote your products or services.
Here are some of the key benefits and importance of cold emails:
Reach new customers
Cold emails can help you reach out to potential customers who may be interested in your products or services but haven't heard of your brand before.
Personalization
By researching your target audience and crafting personalized messages, you can increase the chances of getting a positive response.
Cost-effective
Cold emailing is a cost-effective way to reach a large audience, especially compared to traditional advertising and marketing methods.
Trackable
With modern email marketing tools, you can track open rates, click-through rates, and other metrics to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and refine your approach over time.
Networking
Cold emails can help you build relationships with influencers, partners, and other industry professionals, which can lead to new opportunities and collaborations.
Time-saving
Unlike cold calling, which can be time-consuming and often met with resistance, cold emailing allows you to craft your message carefully and send it to many potential contacts at once.
Purpose of sending cold emails
There can be several reasons behind sending cold emails:
Sales
A cold email can be used to introduce your product or service to potential customers and start a sales conversation.
Networking
Cold emails can help you reach out to influencers, industry leaders, and other professionals who may be able to help you with your business goals.
Job search
Cold emails can be used to reach out to recruiters, hiring managers, or other professionals in your industry to inquire about job opportunities.
Partnerships
Cold emails can help you identify potential partners, collaborators, or sponsors for your business or project.
Research
Cold emails can be used to reach out to experts, scholars, or other professionals to request information, insights, or advice on a specific topic.
Brand recognition
By introducing your brand to new audiences through targeted and personalized cold emails, you can increase awareness and recognition of your brand.
This can help to build credibility and trust, and ultimately lead to more business opportunities.
Lead generation
Cold emails can be a powerful tool for generating leads, especially when combined with other marketing tactics such as social media and content marketing.
By crafting compelling messages that resonate with your target audience and include a clear call-to-action, you can encourage recipients to take the next step and engage with your brand.
List building
Cold emails can help you to build your email list by adding new contacts who have expressed interest in your brand or products.
By offering valuable content, such as ebooks or whitepapers, in exchange for contact information, you can grow your list and nurture leads over time.
Relationship building
Cold emails can help you to establish and build relationships with potential customers, partners, or influencers.
By engaging in a two-way conversation and showing genuine interest in their needs and challenges, you can start to build trust and lay the foundation for a long-term relationship.
Are all cold emails opened and read by the recipients?
People do open cold emails, but it depends on a variety of factors, such as the subject line, the sender's credibility, and the relevance of the email to the recipient's interests or needs.
According to various studies, the average open rate for cold emails is way below 50%, which means that a significant portion of cold emails goes unread.
A good open rate should be more than 50% for a campaign. If it is less than 50%, the campaign is usually not considered successful.
Is there a favourable time to send cold emails?
The best time to send a cold email depends on a variety of factors, including the recipient's time zone, industry, and work schedule.
However, there are a few general guidelines or rules of thumb that can help increase the likelihood of your email being read:
Avoid sending emails very early in the morning or late at night. Many people check their email at the office time in the morning. This makes the time around 8:00 am to 11:00 am the best time to send cold emails.
Studies have shown that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the best days to send cold emails. These days tend to be less hectic than Monday or Friday, so the recipient may be more likely to have time to read and respond to your email.
Avoid sending emails on holidays or weekends because people are often busy with family or personal activities on weekends and holidays, so it's best to avoid sending emails during these times.
You should also consider the recipient's schedule. If you're emailing someone in a different time zone, be mindful of their work schedule and try to send the email at a time that's convenient for them.
What decreases email deliverability?
Email deliverability refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox without being filtered out as spam or blocked by email providers.
Here are some factors that can decrease email deliverability:
Poor domain reputation
If your domain has a poor reputation, it may be flagged as spam by email providers, and your emails may not reach the recipient's inbox.
Poor server IP reputation
If your server's IP address has a poor reputation due to past spamming or other issues, email providers may block or filter out emails from that IP address.
Poor email address reputation
If your email address has a poor reputation due to past spamming or other issues, email providers may block or filter out emails from that address.
SPF and DKIM records set up incorrectly
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) records are used to verify the authenticity of emails sent from a domain.
If these records are not set up correctly, emails from the domain may be flagged as spam.
Exceeding the sending limits
Email providers often have limits on the number of emails that can be sent in a certain time frame. If you exceed these limits, your emails may be flagged as spam or blocked.
Problems with email content
Emails with certain keywords, phrases, or content may be flagged as spam by email providers.
This could include overly promotional language, excessive use of capital letters or symbols, or suspicious attachments.
Sending volume and frequency
If you send a high volume of emails or send emails too frequently, it may be seen as spam by email providers and your emails may be blocked or filtered out.
How to create a valuable cold email?
You need to follow some steps to create a valuable cold email:
Preparing your email address and domain for cold emailing
To warm up your email address and domain, start by sending small batches of emails to engaged subscribers, gradually increasing your email volume over time.
This helps establish a positive reputation with email providers and improves your deliverability rates.
Finding and researching your target audience
Creating a buyer persona and identifying your target audience helps you find the right leads for your business.
Use tools like LinkedIn and Google to research potential leads and gather information about their interests and needs.
Once you have a list of leads, segment your list based on factors like industry, location, and interests to improve your targeting.
Selecting the best tools for your email marketing strategy
Look for an email marketing platform that meets your needs and budget. Features like list segmentation, automation, and analytics can help you improve your email marketing strategy.
Some popular options include:
Mailchimp
Constant Contact
HubSpot
Woodpecker
Amazon SES
Making your cold emails relevant and engaging
Personalizing your emails can greatly increase your response rates. Use the recipient's name and personalize the content based on their interests and needs.
For example, if you're reaching out to a business owner, mention their company name and discuss how your product or service can help their business specifically.
Grabbing attention and encouraging opens
Your subject line should be short, attention-grabbing, and relevant to the recipient's needs. You can experiment with different subject lines and track their performance.
For example, try using a question, a benefit statement, or a call to action in your subject line to see what works best for your audience.
Crafting effective messages that provide value
It can be difficult to craft an effective message that gets their attention and leads to a response.
Here are some best practices that can help you create compelling cold emails that get results.
Personalize your message
The first step to creating an effective cold email is to personalize your message as much as possible.
This means doing some research on the recipient and tailoring your message to their specific needs or interests.
Use their name and reference any recent news or events related to their industry or business.
Keep it concise
Cold emails should be short and to the point. Most people receive dozens or even hundreds of emails each day, so you need to make your message stand out.
Keep your email within appropriate words and focus on the most important information.
Be clear and specific
Make it clear what you are offering and how it can benefit the recipient. Avoid vague or general statements and be specific about how your product or service can help solve their problem or meet their needs.
Use a clear and compelling subject line
As discussed earlier, the subject line needs to be clear and attention-grabbing because it is the first thing the recipient will see.
Use language that is specific and compelling, such as "10% off your first order" or "Introducing a new product that will transform your business."
Provide a clear call to action
Your email should end with a clear call to action that encourages the recipient to take action. This could be a request for a meeting, a call to try your product or service, or an invitation to learn more about your business.
What does a well-crafted email look like?
Let’s be clear, there is no one-size-fits-all template for a cold email, as the best approach will depend on the recipient, their industry, and the specific purpose of the email.
However, here is a general template that can be adapted for different situations:
Subject: [Clear and compelling subject line]
Dear [Recipient's Name],
I came across your company's [specific project or initiative] and I was really impressed by what you have accomplished. My name is [Your Name], and I am reaching out to you because I believe that [your product or service] could be of interest to your business.
[Personalize your message by mentioning something specific about their company or industry, such as recent news or events.]
We have helped [similar companies or clients] achieve [specific results or benefits], and I believe that we could help your business achieve similar success.
[Provide a clear and specific offer or solution, and explain how it can benefit the recipient's business.]
If this sounds interesting to you, I would love to schedule a call or meeting to discuss this further. Please let me know what dates and times work best for you.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Use segmentation
Segmentation is the process of dividing your email list into smaller, targeted groups based on specific criteria, such as demographics, behaviour, interests, or past interactions with your brand.
By segmenting your email list, you can create more relevant cold emails that are more likely to resonate with your audience and generate better results.
To use segmentation, you should first identify the different segments within your email list and determine their unique needs and preferences.
Then, you can tailor your cold email messaging, tone, and content to each segment's specific interests and pain points.
For instance, if you are marketing a new line of cosmetics, you could create a specific email campaign for women over the age of 40, highlighting products that cater to their skincare needs.
Sending cold emails at the right time for maximum impact
Timing is important when sending cold emails. Use data and analytics to determine the best times to send your emails based on your audience's behaviours.
For example, if your target audience works in an office, you may want to send your emails during business hours when they're more likely to check their email.
Nurturing relationships with recipients who don't respond
Follow up with recipients who don't respond to your initial email. Use automated responses to save time, but also be prepared to send personalized, non-automated responses if you do get a reply.
Follow up a few times to show persistence, but don't be overly aggressive or pushy.
Testing your cold emails for better results
Use A/B testing to experiment with different versions of your cold emails and track their performance.
Try testing different subject lines, copy, and calls to action to see what works best for your audience.
Use reporting tools, like the ones mentioned above, to analyze your data and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Look at metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to see how your emails are performing and make improvements as needed.
Conclusion
Cold emailing remains a valuable tool for generating leads and building relationships in today's business environment.
However, the approach to cold emailing has evolved significantly, with a greater emphasis on personalization, segmentation, and value-driven messaging.
By taking a strategic and thoughtful approach to cold emailing, sales professionals can build meaningful connections with prospects and generate new business opportunities over time.