5 Email Marketing Tactics for Cold Emailing

In the marketing world, cold emailing is a strategy that many shy away from. They think it’s spamming (it arguably is), it’s too complicated, or they don’t know where to start. Yet, many in the B2B space insist on cold emailing as a lead generation strategy. 

For industry professionals, when done right, cold emails are an important part of their marketing and sales arsenals. One well-written and perfectly timed email can do wonders for your business!

If you’ve tried this method before and it didn’t work, no worries! It never hurts to go for another shot. This time, if you want to succeed, here are five tactics to make it work.

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What is a Cold Email?

Before hopping on the specifics, it’s best to understand the basics first. Simply put, a cold email is an unsolicited email that you send to gain sales, favors, or subscriptions. 

Moreover, you’re sending it to people who don’t know about you or your business, hence the term ‘cold.’ It can be used for anything, from job applications to partnership offers to large-scale sponsorships. 

When done smartly and warmly, cold emails can be quite effective.

Why Is It Important?

Cold email is more than just a piece of email marketing that introduces your company. It’s a way of networking. It is your opportunity to knock on your prospects’ doors to introduce yourself and let them know your value proposition.

You can use it for lead generation, follow-ups, land pitches, or simply to expand your network. Does it work? This study shows that cold emails, when done right, can get an impressive 45% open rate even when targeting busy business people, where normally the open rates are between 14% and 23%.

Want to know the secret? Here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. Make sure to implement these tactics into your workflow and enjoy higher conversions!

1. Personalize Your Emails

Templates are fine, but they can sound too generic. They might not work since they don’t reflect your authentic voice and intentions. Who knows how many other emails your list has received with the same template structure? 

When you send a cold email, take it as an opportunity to customize and personalize it for whoever you’re reaching out to. You want them to feel special as if the message is written only for them!

Here are some tips for personalizing your emails:

• Address the recipient by their name. For example, use ‘Hi, Jane!’ Instead of simply saying, hey.
• Mention one of their achievements or notable works that you admire and believe are meaningful. 
• Compliment their company or reference a mutual connection (LinkedIn research is key here).
• Write in a friendly manner as if you’re talking to a friend. However, don’t get too carried away. Stay professional and on topic.

2. Talk About Your Prospect

The biggest mistake of cold emailing is focusing on yourself and your company. Imagine receiving an email from a random person, and all they talk about is their achievements. That’s a major turn-off, right? 

That’s why you want to avoid your prospects feeling like you’re talking at them. Your email should be about them and how you can help them. 

Keep it short, direct, and motivational. Sell your solution, not your achievements. Lastly, make sure you are polite and not condescending in any way.

3. Catch Them with Your Subject Line

Most people on your list will either have overcrowded inboxes or are too busy to read every email. Your message won’t mean a thing if your email won’t get opened, especially when you’re cold-emailing using large email lists.

That’s why you want to pique their interest by grabbing their attention right from the first thing they see: the subject line.

Different personas react differently to various subject lines. The best thing you can do is to experiment using trial-and-error. Here are some examples that generally work well:

• Single-word subject lines like Hello.
• Curiosity approach like ‘This email will change your life!’
• Number and list, such as ‘8 Tips on Becoming a Better Writer’ 
• Blank subject line (yes, it works!)
• Lines with a sense of urgency such as ‘It’s your last chance to climb the top of your market!’ and lines offering something for the readers such as ‘Hey, let’s collaborate on something noteworthy for your readers!’

Naturally, you can go for more risky subject lines if you feel more confident in your knowledge about your audience. This includes mentioning controversial topics, funny jokes, and even personal events. However, misleading subject lines are a strict NO.

4. Have a Call-to-Action

Alright, so you’ve managed to write an awesome email. You’ve got the right tone, you’re not too pushy, and your content is on point. But now what? 

It’s time to make sure that person takes the desired action. Whether it’s scheduling a call with you or adding your product to cart outright — so long as they take some form of measurable action, you can consider your email successful.

What are some examples of good call-to-actions? Well, you have:

• Here’s our calendar to book a call that will best fit your schedule
• Would you be available next Tuesday at 10 AM for an introductory call?
• Should we get on the phone to review?
• Let’s schedule a demo so I can help you visualize this solution.
• Learn more
• Shop now
• Spread the holiday cheer
• Get free shipping
• Start creating
• Register
• Start today

And a lot more! Honestly, it all comes down to your creativity and persuasiveness.

5. Never Give Up

It’s easy to be frustrated when your first cold email receives zero responses. That’s completely normal. You can be discouraged or feel bad for yourself. You can even shout and cry if it makes you feel better. But here’s the thing: you only lose when you give up. 

The key is persistence. Continue reaching out until someone responds. It doesn’t matter if it takes ten emails or 1000. Ok, we’re joking; don’t email 1,000  times. You can stop after 4 or 5 if they don’t respond. But if you don’t follow up, your email may just be missed or forgotten. Try again. If they’re interested, they’ll ping you back. You just need to hit the right spot.

That being said, continue tweaking your cold emails. Experiment with different subject lines. Formulate unique call-to-action. More importantly, do ample research on your target prospects, so you have a clear idea of what they want.

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Wrapping Things Up

Cold emailing is an art that you need to master. It can be a complex process, but once you learn how to execute it better, you’ll enjoy plenty of benefits from increasing your influence to direct sales conversions. Make sure to follow the tactics or consult a marketing expert, and you’ll be golden before you know it. Best of luck!