Cold Email Best Practices
If you’re still doing a
shotgun blast of a one-size-fits-all message to every qualified company, you’re
probably one of those that thinks cold email doesn’t work.
1. Segment Your Lists
Ditch the mass mailings and segment your outbound email
campaigns into smaller groups based on specific criteria. Start by
subdividing your list by industry and job role. This allows you to personalize
your email messages to deliver a more relevant marketing message
2. Skip The Formalities
Most of the people you’re emailing will see the first few lines
on their phone or in the email program’s preview
pane. If you don’t provide value in the first few sentences, your email
is headed to the recycle bin.
Get to the point and focus on what you can do for them.
Don’t waste time introducing yourself, your company, or your products. If
they’re interested, they’ll click-through or go online and research.
3. Craft Your Subject Line
Anything that sounds like corporate-speak or marketing will get
deleted. You want to write a subject line the way you would write an
email to someone whom you’ve already established a relationship.
If possible, use the prospect’s name, company, or recent
accomplishment in the subject line as long as it’s relevant. Just as
there’s no reason to ever do a cold call, there is no reason to do cold emails
either.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep. If your subject line comes
off like clickbait, you’re hurting your reputation.
4. Composing Your B2B Email
If you’ve crafted a subject line and first sentence that gets
someone to open your email, congratulations! You’ve already beat the
odds. Now, it’s time to compose the body of your email in a way that engages
them right away and drives them towards your goal.
Try different strategies and approaches until you find the ones
that work best for you. Using referrals, invitations to events, offering
something for free, or using a mutual connection can all benefit your email.
5. Keep It Short
Keep it short. If it’s too long, B2B buyers may decide
it’s not worth the time to read. Also, studies show shorter
emails get better response times and faster responses.
6. Include a Strong Call to Action
Every email needs to
drive prospects through the customer journey to take a specific action.
It’s more than just the button or CTA at the end. Each part of your email
should provide the reason someone should click when they get to the end.
7. Include Complete Contact Information
You’d be amazed at how companies send emails and forget to
include complete contact information. Name, business addresses, website,
and phone number are a must. It’s also required by law.
8. Stay Legal
Each country or jurisdiction may have different regulations
governing the use of email marketing campaigns. You’ll want to review Canada’s
Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and the CAN-SPAM Act in the United
States if your B2B email marketing campaigns are directed at
businesses in these countries.
If you’re using a third-party delivery service, it’s still your
responsibility to make sure they follow the rules as well.
9. Test and Optimize
Look at the emails you get each day. What makes you delete
one and read the next? You’ll quickly identify the triggers that work for
you. While it may not work for the next person, it will give you some
insight into what motivations lead to action.
10. Follow-Up!
No matter how great your email is, it
may get ignored. Be relentless in your follow-up tactics until the
prospect tells you to stop or you determine it’s no longer a viable lead.
Most sales occur after five or more attempts. Yet, most salespeople don’t make
more than 1 or 2 attempts to follow-up.
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