The Absolute Formula for Cold Emailing

We’ve adopted some content from Kylw Coleman, CMO at Copy.ai. Here’s what Kyle has to say about the best practices and tips for generating quality conversations from cold emailing.

Initial Checklist

Before you hit send on your cold email make sure you complete this checklist:

• Call out and identify a challenge they face.

• Offer a perspective on a “better way”.

• Keep commitments low. Generate low friction CTA.

Optimize the Subject Line

There are three main things someone sees when an email hits their inbox: the sender's name, the subject line, and the preview line. There is nothing you can do about your name, so focus on optimizing the other two.

• Aim for a 1-3 word subject line. This allows for ~ 18 words of the body to be seen.

• Personalize the first line. Don’t be too generic! Show the reader this email is for them.

Mastering Personalization

Do some quick research on your recipient. This research doesn’t have to be lengthy. Check out their company and industry, this should be enough to get you started.

Get the Right Style

Striking the balance between overly formally and too casual is vital. Both tone and visual appeal matter.

• Keep your style with as little “I, we, our” language as possible.

• Use zero marketing jargon.

• Write the way you speak.

• Keep your tone professional but not overly formal.

• 50 - 100 words is the sweet spot. Stick to 125 words max.

Compelling Reason to Reach Out

Make sure you have a compelling reason to reach out, and be specific about it. Steer away from generic reasons like referencing their LinkedIn profile and mutual connections. Try to create need and value for both you and the recipient.

• Recipient understands the specific challenges my team is facing.

• Recipient has a perspective on an industry trend that affects me.

• Recipient has knowledge on a competitor that spikes my interest.

Low Friction CTA

Most people ask for time right out of the gate, before they've really earned it. The goal of your cold email should be to pique interest and make the recipient want to learn more. So good ways to end off your email.

• "Curious to learn more?"

• "Interested in exploring?"

It’s always nice to end with a "Either way, thanks for reading." This takes the pressure off their response, and shows them that you value their time.

To wrap it up, make sure your focus in the cold email is about them, not you. Use your own language, engage recipients with the way you talk. Try and strike a conversation, not an immediate response. Separate your thoughts on separate lines to ensure visual appeal and of course, stick to the 50-100 limit sweet spot.