What Are Cold Emails and What Can They Do for You?

Your company needs new customers and you can’t just sit around and wait for them to find you. You have to go out there, identify your ideal buyers, tell them you exist, and give them a good reason to buy your product or service.

One way to do that is with cold emails.

What Are Cold Emails?

Cold emails are similar to cold calls, the phone calls from companies that attempt to establish a contact in order to sell a product or service later. They establish a relationship and develop a lead but with much less intrusion.

The Three Qualities of a Cold Email

A good cold email has three qualities:

• First, it can create a connection with the recipient. There are no lengthy introductions. The message goes straight to the point, immediately setting the common ground between the two parties.
• Second, the email clearly offers an added value. The first thing to attract the user’s attention is the benefit they gain in accepting the contact and replying to you.
  That’s why you must give the recipient a reason to continue reading. Offer a demo of your product, the opportunity to buy a promoted plan, or even promise to provide future assistance.
• Third, the message is the standard bearer of your entire corporate credibility. It should suggest that establishing a dialogue with you is worthwhile.
  
  After your greeting, explain who you are, why the recipient should read your email, and show the added value you are bringing.
  
  Credibility is established by affirming your expertise. You could quote satisfied customers, mention any relevant data or research in which your company has been mentioned, indicate an exhibition you participated in, or provide quotes from a review.

How to Create a Cold Email

Even automatic cold emails are distinguished by a number of distinctive aspects:

1. The target audience is selected and does not correspond to the entire mailing list. This audience has certain characteristics in common, such as buying habits or a sector of activity for B2B targets. A cold email should also involve only one contact at a time or a very small group of people, like a selection of influencers;
   
   
2. The email is sent from a personal email address. No “info” or “sales” but a real inbox to which the recipient can reply and receive further messages;
   
   
3. The subject of the email faithfully represents the content of the email. If you’re sending a commercial offer, a coupon or an invitation to consult a catalog or attend a webinar, all this will need to be made clear within the subject line. Use the placeholders to customize the subject of the email;
   
   
4. The email copy is also customized and contains a coherent call to action. A cold email is always trying to meet a users’ need and to solve a problem;
   
   
5. The text of the message can end with a sentence like “P.S. Let me know if you are not the right person to contact” to keep the communication personal;
   
   
6. The email signature should be complete and indicate the sender’s name, surname and role, as well as the physical address of the company. It will help to give authority to the sender;
   
   
7. To be effective, cold emails must have a follow up. Don’t send a similar email the next day, but wait a reasonable time, perhaps a week, then send an equally personalized message to engage the user a second time.
   
   

Remember that not observing good practices exposes you to the risk that the cold email is sent to spam.