You’ve probably written thousands of email messages in your life… so why are your cold sales emails falling flat?

What Most People Get Wrong with Email

When you’re writing a cold sales email, you’re trying to get somebody to do something. For that appeal to be effective, your message needs to be structured in a compelling way.

Here’s where most people go wrong:

• Their messages are too long. Everyone’s busy these days. Messages that are too long just won’t get read.
• They fail to capture their prospects’ attention. You have seven seconds (maybe less) to make a first impression. Don’t waste this opportunity with boring, unengaging email copy.
• They don’t personalize at all. Adestra’s 2016 State of Digital Personalization report attributed a 75% higher email click-through rate to email personalization. Yet, despite this, some salespeople still fail to use any personalization at all, placing them behind the curve of what’s possible with today’s cold emailing technology.
• They go overboard with personalization. Inserting merge fields into your message isn’t a substitute for understanding the personalized needs of your prospects and what they need to hear from you to take action. Use personalization wisely and sparingly. Focus more on the needs of your customers than on including every possible merge field.
• They try to do too much with single message. Multiple calls-to-action (CTA), images or links to recommended resources distract prospects and prevent them from taking any action. Keep your initial ask easy and friction-free.

A Better Approach to Writing Cold Emails

Getting cold email right doesn’t have to be complicated.

By outlining your thoughts and choosing a proven template, you can simplify the process of cold emailing and improve your results at the same time.

Start with an Outline

We’ll get into templates in a minute, but to be able to choose the right one, there are a few key pieces of information you need to know.

What’s your ask?

Your first cold email isn’t the right moment to ask for the sale. Just like you wouldn’t propose marriage on a first date, your first cold email should set the stage for a long, productive relationship.

Possible low-friction asks include: