How to write a cold email that gets read

By Alan Graner

Cold emails can be an effective new business tactic if done right. Here are some tips from the pros.

Why prospects ignore cold emails

• They’re busy and often overworked.
• They often have only a couple of hours a week to meet with salespeople.
• They’re flooded by email.
• Your subject line sucks.
• Your message isn’t clear.
• Your message isn’t valuable.
• You don’t address their business objectives.

How to write a cold email that gets a response

https://springintosales.com/write-cold-email-gets-response/

Grab their attention

Avoid spam filters by:

• Being specific in the subject line
• Adding value
• Avoiding salesy pitches

Call to action: Ask to follow up with a quick phone call about important issues and offer a specific date and time.

Follow up: Send something that will help the prospect in the next 12-15 days. Keep following up over several months, but stop before you appear to be stalking them.

4 Willing Approaches for Writing a Cold Email

http://www.yesware.com/blog/4-winning-approaches-for-writing-a-cold-email/

5 tips for success

1. Offer a prospect something interesting—they are more likely to engage.
2. Get to the point quickly.
3. Keep it informal. Don’t use formal “corporate-speak.”
4. Be confident but not cocky. After all, you’re offering them something worthwhile.
5. Make it personal. Busy people don’t respond to form emails.

7 Tricks to Write an Effective Cold Email

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240454

Elements of a great cold email

An effective cold email is:

1. Relevant
2. Timely
3. Creative
4. Credible
5. Personalized

The 5 Elements of the Best Cold Emails [+ Examples]

http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/the-5-elements-of-the-best-cold-emails-examples

How often should you send follow-up cold emails?

Remember: real relationships and engagement take time, so don’t inundate prospects hoping for a quick return.

Focus on specific people with communications directed to their wants, needs and desires.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline for sending follow-up emails, here’s one suggestion:

• 1^st email
• 2^nd email: 2 weeks later
• 3^rd email: 4 weeks later
• 4^th email: 6 weeks later

If you don’t get any responses, you obviously didn’t meet their needs.

How to Write Cold Emails that Are Unique (And Not Frigid)

http://coschedule.com/blog/cold-email-marketing/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=How+To+Write+Cold+Emails+The+Right+Way&utm_content=How+To+Write+Cold+Emails+The+Right+Way+Version+B+CID_3c94e2d547c40c32a8a67d9407f0e00e&utm_source=todaymail&utm_term=READ%20How%20To%20Write%20Cold%20Emails%20The%20Right%20Way

What additional tactics do you suggest?

Image: Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license via Pixabay

About the author

Alan Graner is Chief Creative Officer at Daly-Swartz Public Relations, an Orange County, CA business public relations and marketing content firm. For content that makes you stand out from the crowd, email Jeffrey Swartz at jeffreyswartz@dsprel.com. Or visit www.dsprel.com.