There are many ways to get new clients. Besides promotional materials and advertising, there are additional, more subtle, and personal ways to reach potential customers. Cold emails can be one such approach. If properly written, they can be an excellent tool for winning new, loyal customers. This article would answer the two most important questions. First – why an email would be called cold? Second – how to write emails of this type so they would be the most effective?
With everything and everyone moving to the Internet, advertising and promotional strategies moved there, too. Instead of wandering promoters with leaflets and samples, cold calls and postcards became banners and cold emails. If used properly, the latter can be effective in many ways. But first, we should make a clear distinction between a spam letter and a cold email.
Differences Between Spam And Cold Emails
What is cold email? According to specialists, it is a letter one writes to a person that one doesn’t know. And the aim of a letter is usually to pitch a particular service or a product: a site design service, a book, a brand, academic assistance, and so on.
Of course, a question pops out immediately, “Isn’t it the same as spam?” No, not quite. Spam and cold emails have certain significant differences. They abide by FTC rules in the United States and by GDPR regulations in Europe. These rules are:
- Spam masks as regular mail; a proper cold email honestly identifies itself as promotional material or an advertisement;
- Cold emails never use misleading subject lines;
- The recipients are addressed personally by their real names;
- There is a distinct unsubscribe option. The receiver always can decline further communication. And the sender should always abide by this policy and promptly process the rejections.
- The commercial address of the venue is always clearly indicated.
GDPR clearly states that any email communication needs to have the recipient’s proven consent to receiving such emails. Therefore, it’s of crucial importance that you clarify this point before moving forward into the domain of cold emails. The best cold email software is personalized and promotes products and services that the person can be potentially interested in. They require good marketing research beforehand, and the sender should invest in making the letters attractive to the targeted population. For example, one does not send an email promoting a marketing capstone project help to a person interested in bakery courses. You should think of your target audience in the first place.
What a Cold Email Could Be Used For?
There are many ways cold emails could be useful for your business:
– Finding investors
It is a rare thing to find a million lying about on the road. And it is hard to find places and agents that would help you find investment opportunities. Unlike old-fashioned letters, cold emails provide a way to connect with people who could be interested in partnering with you.
– Promoting a new start-up or a new feature in your service
When you just start a business, nobody knows about you. Properly written emails to potentially interested people could become the solid foundation for growth.
– Searching for new clients
It is good to cherish old connections, but new clients help the business grow, change and adapt. Make connections – make new friends!
– Networking
The business world does not consist only of investors and clients. Forming as many significant connections between people as possible is a great investment in future. Even if those people are not directly connected to your sphere of interest, they still can help you broaden your horizons.
– Marketing research
Even if people do not become your clients or investors, they are still acting as beacons on the road to success. By pitching your ideas to them through letters, you test them out. By their responses, you could see what provokes their interest and what doesn’t.
– Feedback from existing clients
You may not know all the clients that buy your products. But by using emails, you will get to understand them better, and they, in their turn, will also help you develop a better service or product.
– Recruiting co-workers
There are so many excellent professionals in LinkedIn and other similar sites. Not everyone knows how cool working for you can be. So send them a letter – maybe it is exactly something they have been waiting for!
– Inviting lecturers and consultants
How does one invite specialists and lecturers to one’s conferences, schools, and other events? Through mailing, of course!
As you can see, there are numerous ways cold emails can be used in marketing and advertising. Now the question is, “How to write a good sales email?”
Good And Bad Practices In Cold Email Writing
Consider your mailing as the art of establishing a genuine connection
Most esteemed Sir! Please forgive me if we have not been formally introduced. It is the greatest desire of my heart to make an acquaintance of your Grace, and I humbly ask not to dismiss my letter out of hand immediately… I would dearly like to make an offer to you that may be of interest.
That’s how it was done in the olden days – with a quill pen and on an elegant piece of paper. Though in previous generations it was crucial not to forget the rules, the formalities and the titles, at present the most important part of a correctly written email is making a connection. And this connection must be genuine, not a formal one. The recipient of your letter has to be convinced that you do not want to use a person. Instead, you show them that you want to offer something they really need at present. This means, first and foremost, avoiding overly flowery or overly formal or dry language. It is a common mistake people make. But by being overly formal, you actually give an impression that you do not care about who receives your missive; you just care about scoring a point.
Start with a catchy title
“A new promotion at Company X” or “Greetings from X” is the title that does not say anything. If you are people, who write in such a way, you should google “my research paper writer” and ask for help. It is highly likely that the person seeing the letter has never even heard of you or the business you are associated with. Think hard about what “hooks” would work with your potential clients.
If you were referred by someone – be sure to include it in the subject line. If the person you are writing to was visiting your site – inquire if the site and the services offered were to his/her liking. If you are pitching an investment – indicate the potential return and benefits in a few words. If you are offering help with something – put it in the subject line as well. Do your research and understand your correspondent’s interests and pain points. Then act accordingly.
Being concise and to the point is a talent
If your letter is overstuffed with pictures, videos, and flowery phrases – the chances are 10 to 1 it would be deleted almost immediately. Be short, be concise and use a friendly, respectful tone. The main idea of a decent “cold” email is to make it “warm”!
Offer something that would spike interest
I often receive emails from book authors. Usually, those emails are friendly and funny and they usually notify the readers about potential freebies and giveaways. Can you offer something of the sort related to your business or service? A test run, a demonstration, a fun game – anything that would make the recipient feel good and well-disposed towards you. Even good advice or tip would go a long way in this regard.
Do your homework – know your customer
Be personal in your letter. Call the client by proper title, name, etc. Be sure you know at least a little – like age group, gender, etc. It is a great way to avoid insulting the correspondent or offering something that they surely don’t need.
Do not pressure
The recipe of the ideal cold mail is as follows:
- Introduce yourself;
- State your offer;
- Explain the benefits;
- Give some opportunity to try your product;
- Clearly point out an unsubscribe or opt-out option
A useful tip:
The latter should be presented in a clear font, and the letters should be visible (no teeny-tiny letters in a strange color at the end of the page!). It also would be a good idea to rephrase it, so it would not look too official. This way, the recipient won’t feel pressured and would see that you are open about everything. Of course, you should stay honest. If the unsubscribe option is clicked – do not send any emails afterward. Be honest.
As you see, writing good emails is a skill similar to the art of writing real letters. To get the most of your mailing campaign, you should do good research before and avoid spamming your potential partners. Be open, honest, and engaging. And do not forget to follow up on your emails to keep the conversation going!
