How To Write a Cold Email in 5 Steps
Cold emailing is a highly effective form of marketing outreach. While in the past cold emailing was more of a numbers game, nowadays there are more complex and sophisticated strategies marketers can use to grab the attention of the reader.
The fundamentals of cold emailing are simple, however, writing clever, witty and informative emails is easier said than done. In order to book in sales calls and convert the content of your email has to be pitched correctly.
1. Cold Email Subject Line:
Creating an eye catching subject line is arguably the most important part of your email as this is what prompts people to actually open it. A poor subject line can ruin an email campaign before it’s even begun.
Remember to keep it short and sweet, avoid any spam words and to share something valuable. As your email will be competing with hundreds of others in a person’s inbox, standing out from the crowd isn’t always an easy task. Writing an engaging and enticing subject line is essential for getting higher open rates. Click here to read our full guide on how to write the perfect subject line.
2. Cold Email Opening:
Research has shown that people love personalisation in their inbox. Addressing people by name, including their location, gender and age are all effective topics to utilise in order to prompt a response.
You don’t want to start a new relationship on the wrong foot, so the opening of a cold email is a crucial thing to get right, make sure all titles are right and names are spelled correctly. If you are addressing someone in a position of authority then opt for a formal greeting, be sure to familiarise yourself with the appropriate ways to start an email conversation in different situations as to avoid any awkwardness.
3. Cold Email Body:
If your subject line and opening have been a success then you now have about 3-5 more seconds of someone’s attention span before they switch off and their focus wanders elsewhere.
Some good examples to use in the email body include:
- Stating who you are and what you want
- Lead with a question that sets you up for your value proposition
- Drop in some intriguing statistics
- Complimenting someone on a recent project success or a client win
4. Cold Email CTA
An email without a call to action is incomplete and serves no function. In other words, if your call to action isn’t enticing, clear enough, or resonates with the rest of your email message, it will go over your prospect’s head. Consequently, your lead will not take the appropriate action, and you will either lose that lead or work a lot harder to convert them. To read our full guide on how to write the most effective CTA’s click here:
When creating your CTA be sure to make use of appropriate action words that are specific to your desired outcome. Words such as “submit” and “enter” can irritate the audience as it makes people think they are providing something instead of obtaining something. Try using words like “get” and “try” instead.
5. Cold Email Sign Off
A polite sign off with a heartfelt thank you goes a long way. Make sure to show your gratitude at the end of your communications. Many people fall into the trap of being aloof and appearing entitled at the end of their emails this is bad practice. Be sure to add personalisation to the sign off and make sure you include your email signature.
Wrap up
If this sounds like too much effort then leave it up to us. Inbox offers bespoke email marketing services for B2B businesses. Our email campaigns are designed to get you noticed by the people that matter.
