How to Write a Cold Email That’ll Make Them Hot
Ever asked someone out without knowing them at all? By that I mean simply walking up to them and ask them to go on a date with you.
It’s extremely hard to get a yes, but if you’ve got game, you might actually bring them home.
The same goes with email prospecting. It’s all about communicating the adequate signals, right?
Tired of getting no response? Overloop has you covered.
Related: 6 Cold Email Rules Based on 10,615,314 Emails Sent
Dress to impress a.k.a. buff up that subject line
They say it’s the inside that counts. And while in real life bad looks may not be an immediate deal breaker, when it comes to a cold email, a bad subject line equals an unopened email.
No matter how good the content of your email is, if your subject line is not on point, you’re done, right there.
But don’t worry, here’s how to make your subject line irresistible!
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Keep it short
If your title is more than 45 characters long, it probably won’t fully appear in the main window of your recipient’s inbox. If may not be easy at the beginning but hey, constraints make us creative, right?
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Get in their minds
Analyse your target. Because what works for others won’t work for them and vice-versa. What language do they respond to? What subject leaves them cold? And what are their interests, their fears? Make a list of useful notes before getting to writing.
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Personalize
Have you ever gotten an email from Neil Patel or Ramit Sethi? These guys are experts at personalization. One thing they do that still gets me all the time is that they put the first name of the recipient in subject line. You can even include the location. But don’t overdo it. Don’t be a stalker.
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Lay out your Unique Selling Proposition
What you’re offering should be made clear from the get go. Don’t be clever, don’t be mysterious. Just lay it out clearly, in a way that appeals to them.
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Be consistent
Make sure your subject line matches the content of your email. Obviously, misleading titles are a waste of time for everyone.
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Avoid SPAM filters
Because it’s unsolicited doesn’t mean it’s SPAM, but you need to be careful about the words you use, like “cash”, “earn”, “$$$”, “casino”, the infamous “this isn’t a scam”…
Here's a more in-depth article with tips on how not to end up in the spam folder!
Alright, you’re ready to go now!
No wait, you’re not!
Before you get to the body text, you need to make sure that your sender field is optimized. If you get an email from Google and another from Larry at Google, which one are you most likely to open? Think about what your reader would rather see.
Also, make sure your preview text is appealing enough. It’s going to be the first line of your email. Take advantage of it, make it match your subject line.
Okay, now let’s move forward!
Who, what and why?
If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably sent dozens of emails already, stating who you are and what you’re offering. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Weren’t they missing something?
Usually who and what is not enough, you must make it clear why you’re reaching out to them specifically.
It won’t take long for you to write two sentences about why you think they would be a good fit for your product, and it will make them feel valued. It’ll show them you put in the time and effort in getting in touch with them.
It’s easy and brings immense value to your cold email.
Preselection a.k.a. Social proof
According to so called “pick up artists”, women tend to be attracted to men who are already successful with women. Whether that is true or not in the dating game, it’s definitely true with online communication, especially when it comes to a cold email.
If you can flash a few relevant names and data, go ahead. Bonus point if you’re already in touch with someone they personally know.
Just don’t turn this into a name-dropping session.
Your cold email shall be concise and to the point
They don’t know you, and they’re probably busy.
Be smart, don’t waste their time with a foot-long page of information, you’ll have all the time to discuss that further down the road. For now, it’s all about getting attention and curiosity.
If you met that person in real life, you’d introduce yourself, tell them how you know about them, get to the point and probably exchange business cards. Use the same approach in your cold email. Be natural.
Let’s wrap this up!
Writing a cold email is more science than art. Just ask yourself what kind of email you would like to receive if you were in your recipient’s position. Also, remember to keep it short and to show them you did your homework before reaching out to them.
Did we miss anything? Tell us in the comments below and share this article if you liked it!
