A good cold email is personal, short, and clear: show the recipient why you are writing to them in particular, give them a reason to trust you, say what is in it for them, and end with one simple request. Here are 6 tips for cold emails that get replies.
So your boss has asked you to write cold emails? You may not love the task, but it's part of your job, and there's no way around it. Instead of complaining, use these tips to make your emails a success. A happy boss is good news for you, too.
6 tips for effective cold emails
These 6 simple tips can help you get a better response rate from your cold emails.
1. Make it personal
The biggest difficulty with cold emailing is that you have no relationship with the reader yet. You can, however, make each email feel personal, almost as if you had known the reader for a long time.
Get a clear idea of who your audience is, and then write why you decided to contact them in particular. Mention something specific about the recipient, so that the email doesn't read like a mass mailing.
2. Show your credibility
The recipients don't know you, so give them some reasons to trust you and to value what you say. You don't need to list all of your achievements or your company's. Pick one or two credentials that matter to this particular audience.
3. State the benefits
Spell it out: tell your readers what's in it for them. Are you offering them a discount like no other? The idea of a lifetime? A better way to reach their market? Make it click, and you'll have their attention.
4. Use emotional hooks
Are you writing to journalists or bloggers? If you want them to write about your company, start by praising what they do well before you make your pitch. Flattery done right goes a long way (more on that in flattery is the art of persuasion). Once readers feel that you know and value their work, they are much more likely to read the rest of your email.
5. Keep it short
Read the email out loud before you send it. If it takes longer than a minute, cut the fluff and make it shorter.
One part you can usually cut is the introduction. Skip the long introduction and get to the point: introduce yourself in a single sentence, and state your business from the second sentence on.
People don't want to see a wall of text, either. If your email really needs to be longer than three sentences, split it into two paragraphs.
6. Add a call to action
Ask the recipient to do one specific thing. If you are offering goods or services, ask them to look at your prices. Do you want to meet them? Say when, for how long, and where.
Make the task as easy as possible for the recipient. Don't make them jump through hoops. How to write a better call to action has more ideas.
Before you hit send
Make sure your email follows all 6 tips before you send it. And one more thing: proofread the email at least twice, in case you missed a typo the first time. Better still, run it through the Spell Checker, which helps when your eyes are too tired to spot a mistake.